Have you noticed how lately there doesn’t seem to be anything but bad news when you pick up a newspaper or turn on the television?

Then the “Miracle on the Hudson”, as the media has titled it, happened.  What could have been an enormous tragedy turned into an event that has inspired us all.  By now I am sure you know the story: airplane hits a flock of birds upon take off from LaGuardia Airport in New York City, the two engines simultaneously quit, pilot opts to do an emergency landing in the Hudson River, all 155 people including passengers and crew are saved. 

But how did the “Miracle on the Hudson” occur and how does it relate to business?

It wasn’t just mere coincidence everyone on the airplane was saved.  It was about US Airways having good people who were well trained, who knew exactly what to do when the emergency incident happened.  Even when the flight recorder was retrieved from the cold, murky waters of the river and the audio was replayed one could hear the captain, Chesley Burnett “Sully” Sullenberger, calmly take control of the aircraft from the co-pilot.  With no panic in Sully’s voice, with only split seconds to make a decision, he knew it was too risky to make it to a nearby airport and the river quickly became his only option. With tremendous skill, experience and an angel sitting on his shoulder, Sully landed the plane perfectly on the water.  The plane didn’t break apart and the flight attendants did a superb job of getting everyone out of the airplane. But the story doesn’t end there. Within three minutes the first responders were on the scene saving people.  Within five minutes the divers were in the water pulling people out that had slipped off the plane’s wings.  Even the commuter ferries were rescuing people.  No one needed to tell any of them what to do.  Everyone just reacted.  Their training and professional instinct kicked in.  They saved lives.

The business comparison is this:

The economy is bad.  It’s going to get worse before it gets better according to newly inaugurated President Obama. You can’t let fear rule you.  You have to train your people and train yourself to respond to this economic emergency.  Your sales people need to increase their activity.  No excuses.  If you go after this emergency as the crew and rescue people did to save the people on the airplane, you’re business will not sink into oblivion.

Starting today, create some miracles in your business.