Learning to fly

In 1903, the Wright Brothers designed the first powered aeroplane. It only took two people to accomplish this feat. Two highly skilled and ambitious people admittedly, but two nonetheless. Today, the process of designing an aeroplane is completely different. Teams of dozens, if not hundreds, of people work on the engine alone.

The amount of knowledge in any given field has increased rapidly over the past 100 years, and the amount of knowledge we can absorb is limited. Our knowledge has therefore become increasingly specialised and the percentage of knowledge each person has in a given field has become less and less. This is a powerful and accelerating phenomenon.

Everything suggests that specialisation is here to stay; nobody can master the full breadth and depth of knowledge that goes into making an aircraft engine. This is why teams of people with different specialisations work together on these projects. An engine would never achieve the level of performance we take for granted if one person designed the whole thing alone, never mind a whole aeroplane.

When it comes to finding solutions and new ways forward, collaboration has never been as vital, and it is absolutely crucial to building a safe aeroplane. The same is true in many fields. Those who master the art of collaboration, and who continue to hone their collaborative skills, are the ones who contribute most to innovative and sustainable solutions, growth and new jobs. It is therefore imperative that each and every one of us works to ensure a healthy, flourishing climate of collaboration. How can I help to improve collaboration with my colleagues? Am I making a positive difference for us? These are important questions we must ask ourselves; at the same time, let us not forget that it is through our shared job satisfaction that we invent and develop an aeroplane and, perhaps, even learn to fly!

It is no coincidence that Proton’s guiding light is collaboration.

Enjoy succeeding together!

David Gustafsson