This is your leader speaking...

Blue skies, white fluffy clouds, flying at 31000 feet - all was good.

Then the First Officer announced from the flight deck that he had some "bad news". 

Come on! You're in a plane, hurtling through the air experiencing the miracle of flight - my view is there is only one type of 'bad news' when you're 'up there' and that is you're going down, possibly unexpectedly.

Maybe it was a delay, maybe a toilet wasn't functioning, maybe our choice of lunch is no longer available. 

But that First Officer has HUGE context at play, competing with his message. He needs to be oh-so careful about the language he chooses so that things are kept real and in perspective...for his clients or customers. 

The First Officer (not the Captain mind you) was flying us on this trip and The Captain had introduced him at the start of the flight.

The leadership position, status and role of the Captain and First Officer is massive ... big .... and impactful. What they say can carry so much more meaning than say, the flight attendants. Sorry, but that's how status plays out in this sky high world.

Leaders of all sorts need to remember that the environment, situation or context is just as important as what they are saying. During times of stress, crisis, change or restructure particularly. 

Are you making announcements or presentations to staff in the lunch room, the board room or the training room? Think of your audience, where they are and what you want to say. It all works together. 

And the bad news from the First Officer? Apparently there had been some showers of rain in the city we were landing in. 

What?! Is that all? Phew! I thought I was gonna die!

That First Officer will have a smoother journey to Captain (who was a woman - yes, go girl!) when he remembers that the context he is in everyday, isn't as familiar to his passengers.