BY ROWENA CROSBIE, president, Tero International

When an airplane is in distress, one of the first communications between the crew and air traffic control is to confirm the number of souls on board. 

They don’t segment the individuals on board by rank or status. There is no differentiation between crew and passengers. There is no divvying up based on gender, age or race criteria. Religious and political affiliations are not counted. Whether rich or poor or somewhere in between, no mention is made.

The diversity of inhabitants on earth is impressive and immense. The nearly 8 billion people on board our planet represent over 7,000 languages spoken, roughly 4,000 religions, more than 650 ethnic groups and untold numbers of professions. The range of economic status is breathtaking, from the poorest living in starvation to the wealthiest possessing billions of dollars.

In a world where there are very few equalizers, the word “souls” is one of them. It succinctly communicates the one thing that all members of our species share. In its simplicity, it gets to the heart of our existence. This air traffic control protocol holds fascinating insights for all of us to ponder. What does it mean to you and your organization?

View Rowena’s bio here