Leading on the Front Lines

Transcription

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A Journal of the FAA Managers Association
Nov/Dec 2009: Vol. 7 No. 6
www.faama.org
» Leading on the Front Lines
faa managers association, inc.
#315
4410 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016
Tel 202.741.9415 | www.faama.org
A JOURNAL OF THE FAA MANAGERS ASSOCIATION
November / December 2009: Vol. 7 No. 6
Communicate. Educate. Advocate. Promoting excellence in
public service, the FAA Managers Association is recognized by the
FAA to represent all levels of management through all lines of
business. We are committed to increasing the accountability to
our owners, improving service to our customers, and fostering a
professional workplace for our employees in which they can excel
and take pride. FAA Managers Association is a forum for managers,
supervisors, administrative, and non-bargaining unit staff
to effect change.
officers
President, David Conley
Vice President, Stephen Smith
Secretary, Julie Fidler
Treasurer, Tom Dury
About the Cover: The original cover collage concept was suggested by FAAMA Director of Communications Laurie
Zugay to coordinate with FAA Administrator Babbitt’s address, “A Call for Leadership” (see page 9) and the theme of
the issue, “Leading on the Front Lines.” Designers Sung Hee Kim and Kelly Goggins executed the final image.
directors
Director of Administration, Vacant
Director of Communications, Laurie Zugay
Director of Legislative Affairs, Tony Tisdall
Director of Membership, Karen Illg
Parliamentarian, Andy Taylor
Corporate Relations, Arthur Blank
Membership Education Committee Chair, Hal Albert
Political Action Committee Chair, Dan Cunningham
Alaskan Region, Vacant
Central Region, Lori B. Penwell
Eastern Region, Rich Baker
Great Lakes Region, Heather Mullett
New England Region, Mark Guiod
Northwest Mountain Region, Lori Scharf
Southern Region, Bob Hildebidle
Southwest Region, Bob Jefferson
Western Pacific Region, David Chappuies
publisher
Kathleen Cummins Mifsud
managing editor
Laurie Zugay
staff editors
Pam Adams, Glenn Forbes and John Sideris
Contents
04
06
09
12
perspective:
Landmark Legislative
Victory for FAA Managers Association
A Call for Leadership:
an Address by FAA
Administrator Randy
Babbitt
profile:
Leading on the
Front Lines
14
18
19
22
Recap: “It’s Your
Serve” – 29th Annual
FAAMA Convention
2009
Convention
Exhibition Highlights
Leadership Isn’t for
Cowards: How to Lead
Courageously in a
Turbulent Age
SUPCOM Defined
24
26
27
28
Assume Positive
Intent: An Insider’s
Look Behind the Front
Lines
FAAMA 2010-2011
Leadership Training
Seminar Schedule
FAAMA New Member
Profile
Look Who’s a Winner:
FEEA Scholarship Winners
Rep. James P. Moran, Jr.
contributors
David Conley, Louis Dupart, Randy Babbitt, Kathleen Mifsud,
Laurie Zugay, Michael Staver, Robert M. Clyburn, Bob Hildebidle,
Hal Albert, and Anna Vredeveld.
illustration and photography
Cover illustration and page 3 created by Kelly Goggins;
photographs pages 7, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 20, 24, and 27 by
Kathleen Mifsud; photograph page 14 by James Kemper; and
FAAMA FEEA Scholarship photos on pages 28 to 29 supplied
by Steve Bauer and Anna Vredeveld.
design
Sagetopia, 703.726.6400, www.sagetopia.com
Join FAAMA Today/
New Member
Registration Form
production
Colorcraft of Virginia, 703.709.2270, www.colorcraft-va.com
advertising, editorial & subscription inquiries
Managing the Skies
2501 M Street NW, Suite 612
Washington, DC 20037
Telephone: 202.955.7987
Fax: 202.478.0431
Email: communications@faama.org
Managing the Skies is a benefit of membership in the
FAA Managers Association, Inc. To become a member, go to
www.faama.org. For all others, the annual subscription rate is $49.
Please address your inquiries to KMifsud@faama.org and
communications@faama.org.
Managing the Skies is published bi-monthly by the FAA Managers
Association, Inc.
The views expressed herein are solely those of the authors and
should not be construed to be the opinion of the FAA Managers
Association. Suggestions and opinions expressed in Managing
the Skies are not necessarily endorsed by the FAA Managers
Association. Nothing in these pages is intended to supersede
operators’ or manufacturers’ policies, practices, or requirements,
or to supersede government regulations.
©2009 FAA Managers Association, Inc. All rights reserved.
Index to Advertisers
02
14
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GEICO www.geico.com
Long Term Care Partners, LLC www.LTCFEDS.com
BlueCross BlueShield Federal Employee Program www.fepblue.org
www.faama.org
managing the skies Nov/Dec 2009
3
PERSPECTIVE
Leading on the Front Lines
A message from the President
The FAAMA team left the 2009 Gathering of Eagles on cloud
nine. It was a fantastic event. I hope you know how much we
appreciate those of you who took the time to join us. I won’t try
to thank everyone again, but suffice it to say, it takes a significant
number of folks working a considerable number of hours to pull
off such a first-class event.
T
heir efforts – large and small
– are on my mind and are
very much appreciated. You
will fi nd a description of some of the
2009 Convention highlights in this
issue, beginning on page 14. If you
did not join us in Las Vegas, take this
opportunity to see what you missed,
and take time now to reserve a spot
on your calendar for next year’s 30th
Anniversary Gathering of Eagles.
Check the website, www.faama.org,
for specifi c dates and details which
will be announced soon.
history of our Association. In this Act were
four FAAMA-sponsored provisions that
provide benefits not only to our FAA managers, but also to all federal employees.
We are extremely grateful for this
success and applaud our Legislative
Team for making it possible. Someone
once told me that when a man stands ten
feet tall, he is standing on the shoulders
of others. Certainly, this is again true.
Without the efforts of FAAMA’s previous leaders over these last four years, we
would not be in this position now. So to
them all, I say “Thank You!”
FAAMA Just Achieved the Largest
Political Victory in Association History
Almost immediately following the close of
the Convention was news that President
Obama had signed the 2010 Defense
Authorization Act, thus securing for
FAAMA the largest political victory in the
How to Use Front Line Management
to Influence, Lead, and Serve
In this issue of Managing the Skies, we
have chosen a theme that is close to my
heart, “Leading from the Front Lines.” I
say this because I believe that front line
management represents one of the best
places to influence, lead, and serve our
employees. Here are a few reasons why I
say that:
BEST PLACE TO INFLUENCE.
Surveys show that the person most trusted
by employees is their front line manager.
BEST PLACE TO LEAD.
The direct connection with the workforce gives the front line manager the
best position to impact the quality of our
people and our product.
BEST PLACE TO SERVE.
People need our service and support. It
provides us with an uninterrupted path
to make their lives just a little bit better.
Thinking back on my years as a front
line manager, I wondered how best to
express how I feel about front line management. Charles Dickens used a good
“It is a place where contentment can be an
elusive breeze and the sunshine a fleeting
occurrence. Yet, in the midst of it all, this
thankless job can be a most rewarding and
instructive experience.”
FAAMA President David Conley at the 29th Gathering of Eagles President’s Reception, a Texas-style barbeque attended by FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt.
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www.faama.org
line to launch his classic work, A Tale of
Two Cities, and I think it applies here:
“It was the best of times; it was the worst
of times.” Somewhere between the two
extremes you can fi nd the wonderful
and deplorable, exhilarating and exasperating job of the front line manager.
Front line management in the
federal sector can be like being caught
in a place between two great colliding
mountains. If you have spent any time
in the job, you recognize it because
things flow downhill and you catch it
from both sides.
It is a place where contentment can
be an elusive breeze and the sunshine a
fleeting occurrence. Yet, in the midst of
it all, this thankless job can be a most
rewarding and instructive experience.
Frequently, I tell frustrated managers
that you can’t buy this kind of experience, and you really can’t.
If I were really clever, I could give
you ten secrets on how to succeed as
a front line manager. Unfortunately, I
don’t think there are any “secrets” that
will work for everyone. I know a lot
of folks who do a really great job of
managing in the trenches, and I make
it a point to learn from them at every
opportunity. However, techniques,
personalities, and situations vary
immensely, so instead I will share some
things that work for me personally –
in my specific situation.
But, before I do that, I fi rst have to
confess that there was a time when I
didn’t think things were working that
well for me as a front line manager.
Being the type of person who can identify needs, set goals, and when necessary, follow orders, I had no qualms
with taking on the tough issues, giving
direction, and knocking tasks off
my list.
Unfortunately, at the same time, I
often missed the intangibles, which
kept me from connecting with my team.
Although these missing pieces of the
puzzle didn’t stop me from getting things
done, they did leave me with the realization that I wasn’t leading very well, which
is a humbling observation. Instead of
nurturing good relationships, I found that
my lack of leadership was adding stress
to those relationships and, consequently,
was leaving my work unfulfilling.
Leading With Love, Discipline,
and Forgiveness
Fortunately, I reached a turning point
that altered the way I perceived my crewmembers, their performance, and their
issues. The lesson for me was drawn
from my reflection on how I would treat
someone in my own family under similar
circumstances. Experientially, the realization was more like an epiphany, but
for my purpose here, I can sum up my
lesson in three words: love, discipline,
and forgiveness.
In the context of front line management, these words may sound strange,
especially the “L-word.” Yeah, that was
my reaction, too. I told myself, “I can’t
love these people!” But I also heard
myself answer, “There is nothing to prevent me from acting like I do.” So, after
exploring the meaning of each word, I
came to realize that:
LOVE IS NOT SO MUCH ABOUT HOW YOU FEEL
TOWARD OTHERS AS IT IS ABOUT HOW YOU
ACT TOWARD THEM.
There is an old quotation that says,
“Love covers a multitude of sins” and
amazingly, it does. A relationship that
motivates parties toward another’s
benefit can be like a balm that treats
a wound and a salve that cures the
evil eye. People can sense how you
feel about them and it will affect the
relationship.
FORGIVENESS IS NOT SO MUCH ABOUT HOW YOU
ERASE AS IT IS ABOUT HOW YOU GIVE SPACE.
I know of no system involving humans –
whether secular or divine in origin – that
works without forgiveness. Imperfect
people produce imperfect outcomes and
sometimes they need an opportunity to
start over.
Whether or not you are a front line
manager, it is important to remember
that the front line is where we touch
our workforce. Even though that is
where the rocks and boulders collect
from the landslides of labor and management, it also is the place where they
can all come to rest.
Exercise Power with Accountability
and Restraint
Two words of caution: First, don’t make
too big a deal out of the national political
scene. The success of your facility can be
guaranteed at home by the actions and
attitudes of your local management team.
Managers who support the front lines are
wise and likewise, set the tone for the
facility. The expression of that support
will be reflected in how front line managers treat their employees.
Second, don’t underestimate your
power and influence as a front line
manager. In our business, you are the
guardian of the safety and efficiency of
the National Airspace System. Bear in
mind the words of the great American
General Dwight D. Eisenhower who said,
“The Sergeant IS the Army.” This kind
of power requires accountability and
restraint. Use it wisely; your folks are
counting on you. ❙
Communicate. Educate. Advocate.
DISCIPLINE IS NOT SO MUCH ABOUT HOW YOU
CORRECT AS IT IS ABOUT WHAT YOU EXPECT.
Discipline, though unfairly maligned
with a negative connotation, is THE
essential ingredient in ALL successful
teams. In fact, discipline is most often
the pride of the champion.
David Conley, President
FAA Managers Association, Inc.
www.faama.org
5
Landmark Legislative Victory for
FAA Managers Association
By Louis Dupart, Managing Partner, The Normandy Group, LLC
As I write this article, we are in the middle of the World Series. It is a
great series and you have to watch every game to see who will be the
ultimate victor. For those of you who have followed the FAA Managers
Association’s (FAAMA) federal employee legislative agenda, we have
been in our own World Series since 2002, playing out each year with
down-to-the-minute finishes, but never concluding the final game
because time has run out.
F
AAMA has played hard to win;
we have had success in both the
House and Senate, but unfortunately, with time expiring, Congress
has left town with legislation unfinished, just like leaving men on base. In
the spring of each new year, we again
take our turn at bat, knowing that once
more we have a chance to close out the
final game and win.
CHANGES
President Signs
FAAMA Sought
Legislation Into Law
FAAMA President David Conley said,
“FAAMA has worked long and hard
over several years with congressional
legislators and other government
employee associations to support
key provisions in this bill that provide
wide ranging benefits to federal employees and the American taxpayer.”
Conley concluded, “These changes
were badly needed, especially at a
time when nearly 60 percent of FAA
managers are eligible to retire. This
is a major step for taxpayers to get
more for what they are paying and
for federal employees to get more
of what they’ve earned.”
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FAAMA is a Winner in 2009!
This year, we brought the game and the
series to a climactic finish. It is rare to see
anyone hit a Grand Slam Home Run, but
the FAA Managers Association blew the
ball out of the park on Tuesday, October
27. President Obama signed into law
the FY2010 Defense Authorization Act,
Public Law 111-84. This Bill contains
four key reforms to the federal employee’s pay and retirement systems that
will impact virtually everyone in the
FAAMA:
• Credit FERS employees for unused
sick leave.
• Extend locality pay to employees
in Alaska, Hawaii, and the U.S.
Territories.
• Allow FERS employees to redeposit
annuity upon returning to
government.
• Allow for the part-time reemployment
of annuitants without offset to salary.
This is a major victory for FAAMA as
well as for all members of the federal
employee community!
How Did This Happen?
How did this happen? Through teamwork, perseverance, and a focused
leadership that never lost sight of the
common objective – comprehensive
federal employee reforms. From 2002
through this year, we systematically
looked at each year’s legislative successes, at our game plan and, yes – at
our errors – to tweak our strategy to
ultimately yield the lasting changes that
will impact each member of FAAMA.
In November and December of every
year, after receiving input from the membership, the FAAMA leadership hones
its federal legislative priorities, and Tony
Tisdall and Dan Cunningham, coupled
with the Normandy Group, then work to
achieve them.
We came extraordinarily close to
achieving one of these goals in 2007.
Immediately before the November
elections, then-Senator Ted Stevens
(R. Alaska) was able to gain Senate
support for extending locality pay to
employees outside of the Continental
United States.
The Locality/COLA issue was the last
remaining legislative item on the House
Floor in December 2007, but disputes
between Republicans and Democrats
after the recent election prevented them
from finding common ground. We
played hard, but victory escaped us.
2009 Began With a Very
Directed Strategy
This year we began anew with a very
directed strategy to build on FAAMA’s
longstanding goal of passing comprehensive federal employee pay reforms.
Countless meetings on Capitol Hill with
key Members of Congress, especially
Congressman Jim Moran (D. Virginia)
in the House, who represents the
Washington suburbs in Nothern Virginia,
led him to embrace our request for help.
“ In 2006, the FAAMA took the
important step of creating the
Government Managers Coalition
(GMC), comprised of all major federal managerial and supervisory
organizations, to work collaboratively on collective issues. The GMC
represents over 200,000 federal
employees.”
Two years ago, Congressman Moran
appreciated us educating him about the
annuity redeposit issue for returning
federal employees, the impacts on worker
productivity due to the FERS sick leave
issue, and the desire of annuitants to
work part time, as well as the issues surrounding federal employees outside the
continental United States.
Many visits by FAAMA President
David Conley and Vice President Steve
Smith coupled with the FAAMA legislative team of Tisdall/Cunningham yielded
the introduction of the Bills in the
House by Congressman Moran that were
centered on credit for FERS sick leave –
and along with them came the other key
provisions that now are part of the law.
Government Managers Coalition
Was Created Because the Issues
Transcend One Agency
Also, it is important to note that FAAMA
leadership realized that it did not have
enough horsepower on its own to affect
all of the legislative changes desired. It
is easy to work the FAA or Department
of Transportation on legislative matters,
but these issues went well beyond one
Agency or Department.
In 2006, the FAAMA took the important step of creating the Government
Managers Coalition (GMC), comprised of
all major federal managerial and supervisory organizations, to work collaboratively on collective issues. The GMC
represents over 200,000 federal employees. This decision, in effect, improved
our bullpen to allow us to bring in relief
pitchers with specialized skills to attack
the obstacles that we encountered to
final passage.
As we became more comfortable
working with each other, the GMC had
a “force multiplier” effect to complement
FAAMA’s strong efforts in the House by
reaching out to key House Members of
Congress with whom FAAMA did not
have an existing relationship.
Agile Leadership and Creative
Legislative Strategies Move the
Bills Forward in 2009
In June, using a creative strategy, our bills
passed the House as part of the Defense
Authorization Act. Our attention switched
quickly to the Senate. Ted Stevens, who
lost his bid for reelection, was no longer
present to help us as our lead batter.
We encountered many new obstacles,
especially in the form of conservative
Republican budget hawks like Senator
Tom Coburn who objected to the inclusion of federal employee issues in the
DoD Bill. They had nothing against
FAAMA or the GMC; they just did not
want to spend more money even for
important federal employees in the face
of ever growing federal deficits.
about the author
Louis Dupart
Louis Dupart is the Managing Partner at
The Normandy Group, a well-respected
government relations firm that provides
valuable services to a host of diverse clients
such as Fortune 500 companies, small and
medium-sized businesses, colleges and
universities, hospitals, local governments,
and not-for-profit organizations.
Mr. Dupart also served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Inter-American Affairs at the Department of Defense for thenSecretary of Defense Richard Cheney. Mr. Dupart has excellent
contacts throughout the Congress and the Administration,
including the National Security Agency, Central Intelligence
Agency, and the U.S. Department of State, formed through his
years in service on Capitol Hill, the U.S. Department of Defense,
and with the Central Intelligence Agency.
Mr. Dupart has more than 20 years of government and legislative experience including 11 years on Capitol Hill as the Chief
Counsel for the House Intelligence Committee and the Senate
Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Antitrust and Business
Competition.
Mr. Dupart has excellent relations with the European Commission
and its principal competition agency, Directorate General for Competition. He has a Bachelor of Arts cum laude from Wagner College,
a JD from American University, and also attended the University of
Geneva and the Graduate School for European Studies in Geneva,
Switzerland.
www.faama.org
7
Once again, an agile leadership
turned to its bullpen of Senate relationships, and we worked with the Federal
Managers Association (FMA), a GMC
Member, to get Federal Workforce
Subcommittee Chairman Akaka and his
Republican counterpart Senator George
Voinovich, a moderate Republican, to
forcefully work their Senate colleagues to
include these important provisions in the
final bill to be sent to the President for
signature. FAAMA conducted key meetings, and countless telephone calls to key
Senate staff to underscore our support
for this reform legislation.
REWARDS
Excerpts from a March 19, 2009 article by
Joe Davidson in the Washington Post:
House Committee Does
Right by Retirees
The House Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform
won kudos from federal employee
and retiree organizations... as it approved measures designed to improve
retirement programs for Uncle Sam’s
workers...
“The FERS ‘use-it or lose-it’ system
for sick leave hampers productivity
and increases training costs,” said
Rep. James P. Moran Jr., the Northern Virginia Democrat who has long
pushed the measure along with Rep.
Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.). “We need to
be incentivizing the accrual of sick
leave, not encouraging employees to
call in sick in the weeks leading up to
retirement. Our federal workforce is
the best in the world; they deserve a
benefit designed to reward, not punish, those who play by the rules.”
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www.faama.org
In the “Ninth Inning,” Luck Cleared
the Path to Success
As we entered the ninth inning and
approached the annual FAAMA Gathering
of Eagles in Las Vegas, the final outcome
hung in the balance. As is so often the
case, prior preparation and hard work
paid off with the lucky inclusion in the
DoD Authorization Bill of a longstanding
Democratic priority: updating federal
hate crime legislation to include crimes
based on sexual orientation.
These provisions became the focus of
efforts to block the DoD Authorization
Bill. Reforms to the federal employee
provisions no longer seemed so important. The focus became stopping the hate
crimes legislation. Fortunately, Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid succeeded in
winning a motion to proceed on October
22 by a vote of 64-35, which cleared the
path to success.
Groundbreaking New Federal
Provisions are Now Law
If you read the press surrounding the
passage of the DoD Authorization Bill, you
will not see much, if any coverage of the
federal employee provisions, but they truly
are ground breaking. In the years to come,
as you work with your staffs and employees, you now have the tools to manage and
motivate them to “be all you can be.”
This would not have happened without a strong FAAMA team that never
quit, always played hard, and never lost
sight of our collective objective, using
every member of the team and creating
new team members through the GMC to
take you to success.
Summary of Each Key Provision
Below is a brief summary of each key
provision and how it affects members of
FAAMA and other federal employees:
CREDIT FOR UNUSED SICK LEAVE:
The legislation affords employees under
the Federal Employees Retirement
System (FERS) a credit for unused sick
leave at the time of retirement, a benefit
currently enjoyed by members of the
Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS).
Those who retire before January 1,
2014 will receive fifty percent of their
unused sick leave credited toward their
annuity, after which point FERS employees will receive full credit on par with
their CSRS counterparts.
LOCALITY PAY PARITY:
The legislation also extends locality pay
parity to federal employees working in
Alaska, Hawaii, and the U.S. Territories.
The legislation will phase-out the COLA
and phase-in locality pay over a period
of three years, combined with an annuity
buy-in aimed at stabilizing the current
retirement eligible workforce.
RETIREES RETURN TO GOVERNMENT SERVICE:
The Legislation enables federal retirees
to return to government service on a
limited, part-time basis without having
to take a reduction in compensation up
to 1,000 hours per year.
REDEPOSIT OF PREVIOUSLY CASHED-OUT
ANNUITY:
Finally, the legislation allows FERS
employees who leave the federal government the option to redeposit their previously cashed-out annuity if they return
to government service. This means that
for purposes of determining annuity
benefits, these employees will not lose
credit for previous years of service when
returning to the federal workforce. ❙
LEADING ON THE FRONT LINES
A Call for Leadership
An address by J. Randolph Babbitt, October 19, 2009, at the FAA Managers Association
Gathering of Eagles, Las Vegas, NV
Good morning, and thanks for the invitation. I enjoy being on the
front lines. This is where the real business of aviation gets done –
by the men and women at each and every seat in this room. Back
at headquarters, we can push programs, plans and projects. We
can initiate policies and directives. But when it all comes down to
it, the buck stops and starts with you. But we’ll talk more about
that in a bit.
Y
ou know, there was a time
when McDonald’s was the
American icon. I suppose you
can debate that with the people from
Pepsi or Coke, and I guess Wal-Mart or
Sears, but in any event, there’s a new
kid on the block. And they’ve entered
the business world with a business
plan that sells you something that you
can get almost anywhere – everywhere
– for less than a buck.
Their business model, though, is a
departure from the norm. Their plan
is to sell you the same thing for three
dollars, or four dollars if you’re a connoisseur. I’m talking about coffee,
specifically, Starbucks coffee.
If you know anything about the
Starbucks story, back in 2007, they hit
a wall. The company that had taken
America – and the world – by storm in
the late 80s suddenly no longer was the
in-place to be. They had gone from what
people were calling a “cultural touchstone” and instead had become a place to
be avoided.
The question: why? Well, Starbucks
was never solely about coffee. As a matter of fact, places like Dunkin Donuts
and McDonalds can get you some pretty
good Jet A for about half the price. No,
Starbucks was about the experience.
McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts are
places to get your stuff and go. Starbucks
is a place to see and to be seen. A place
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt delivered the keynote address at the 29th Annual FAA Managers
Association Convention and Training Conference.
to smell the aroma. A place where college
students study. A place where no matter
how tall, grande or vente or skinny or
latte or soy or espresso you might be, it
was the place to be.
It was never a place to get your stuff
and go. There was always a line. It was
never about quick. It was always the
experience. Their marketing included
words like “community” and “neighborhood.” If you think about it, it’s the same
reason why people pay a hundred dollars
for a concert ticket when they can get the
same music on a 15 dollar CD with better quality sound. The experience is what
you’re paying for.
Starbucks hit the wall when it tried to
be convenient. They got away from what
made them successful. Like the cashier
who remembers what you drink before
you say it. Like the barista who always
gets it right even though you ordered
something that sounds like coffee Morse
code. They got away from “the experi-
www.faama.org
9
FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt: “I expect the core of leadership to come directly from you. Leadership isn’t a slogan – it’s a lifestyle.”
ence.” In trying to ram through espressos
and customers and expansion plans, they
went from being extraordinary to being
just plain ordinary.
Stock prices fell, but then Starbucks
regrouped. They closed some stores.
They placed greater emphasis on training
employees. They put the community and
neighborhood back in Starbucks, and
they even used “stealth stores.” That’s
when they take the name “Starbucks”
off the door. Then they get to see if
people value experience or just the name
Starbucks. Say what you will, but now
Starbucks’ stock is at a 52 week high.
A couple of weeks ago, I spoke via
satellite with a class of our emerging
leaders located at CMEL in Palm Coast.
They wanted my thoughts on leadership.
I told them about how the agency has
been calling for a NextGen for air traffic
control. I told them that it’s time for a
new NextGen.
A NextGen for Leadership
We need a NextGen for leadership. I
think that over the years, we’ve focused
almost exclusively on getting the passenger from point A to point B. Since we’ve
set records for safety and efficiency in a
system that’s exponentially more complex
than anyone else’s, I’d say we’ve gotten
that down very well.
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But in so doing, we haven’t paid
enough attention to our real strength –
our own people. Like Starbucks, I think
we need to refocus. As everyone in this
room knows, aviation is a business
where even small details have big consequences. Starbucks learned that too.
“ As an agency, we need to make
a course correction. We all know
aviation is changing, and our
workforce is changing right along
with it. As our workforce changes
with all of the new hires, it’s
important that our managers – us,
you and I – understand the generational differences and how to
manage a diverse group.”
When it comes to aviation, even
one degree over the course of a
long fl ight can mean the difference
between looking for LAX and landing
at Palmdale. That’s OK only if you’re
looking to see Kobe Bryant play for the
Palmdale Lakers.
As an agency, we need to make a
course correction. We all know avia-
tion is changing, and our workforce is
changing right along with it. As our
workforce changes with all of the new
hires, it’s important that our managers –
us, you and I – understand the generational differences and how to manage a
diverse group. As managers, you’ll really
need to be change agents. You need to
spend the extra time with the folks with
whom you work.
You need to go the extra step to
ensure that they understand the path the
agency’s on now with NextGen and facility collocations and consolidations. And
by no means is that a complete list.
I’m looking to you for help in making
it happen. I expect the core of leadership
to come directly from you. Leadership
isn’t a slogan. It’s not a program. It’s a
lifestyle.
Look at the things that the people of
this agency have been able to accomplish. Seventy thousand flights a day
– as a matter of routine. A safety record
that is second to none. In the 40s and
50s, we had a crash a couple times a
month. Now, we have stretches of nonfatal commercial service that stretch
beyond two years, and we think that’s
still too often.
And when we have a problem, we
issue a call to action. We did that for our
runways. The result? Nationwide, serious
incursions are now down by 50 percent.
We did the same thing with a call to
action in New York. Long delays – the
ones that really get under your skin – are
down there too. I issued a call for professionalism to the airlines, and the chief
pilots couldn’t get in line fast enough to
help us raise the bar.
As an agency, we know how to
get things in gear. Let’s be candid here,
friends: people are not gears. I recently
found that Bombardier does a particularly
good job of recognizing this. Their
aerospace group went from being shellshocked by layoffs and cuts all the way to
being the place to be at Bombardier.
They did it by energizing the workforce. It was energized from top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top and every place
in between. Each employee at all levels
took responsibility for making that
division the best place to be.Well, it
worked. And I think it worked because
it wasn’t a program. It wasn’t a policy.
It was an awareness by everyone at
all levels all the time. These people were
inspired to blaze a trail all by themselves if need be. But from what I saw at
Bombardier, no one had to go it alone.
They all recognized that theirs’ was a
workplace in trouble, and together they
fi xed it. They weren’t busy on placing
blame. They were busy about fi xing
what needed fi xing, whether it was their
“fault” or not.
A Vision for Greatness Plus an
Energized Workforce
It’s amazing what happens when you get
a vision for greatness by an energized
workforce. All of this leads me to say
simply that the people of the FAA have
wants and needs, but what they want
most of all is to do a good job, a job that
matters, and to feel like they are making
a contribution.
When I look at the surveys, I see that
people complain about morale, but to
a person, they love their jobs. When I
go into the field in Western-Pacific or
Southwest or anywhere else, to a person,
they tell me about how great their jobs
are. The turnover rate from this agency
is very, very small. That tells me that
this is a good place to work. You can
always spot a bad place to work because
people leave.
“ That anecdote reminds me of an
unwritten rule – I call it the 10-8010 rule. It goes like this: There are
10 percent who will disappoint
us always. Don’t let them absorb
50 percent of your time. Instead,
remember the 80 percent who will
give 110 percent all the time and
the 10 percent who will give 120
percent 24/7.”
So what is the disconnect? I think
part of it is that we’ve lost sight of people
being our greatest resource. There’s also
a tendency to think that leadership is
something that happens only in the box
at the top of the org chart.
I’m looking for you to set examples for
each and every one of the people with
whom you work. Notice, I didn’t say
your people or the people who work for
you. These are our colleagues. They work
with us, not for us. If anything, we all
work for the taxpayer.
We need to respect everyone as individuals. Respect our many similarities
and differences. Both of these make us
stronger. Respect what everyone does,
because even though they may not be
on the boards five days a week or out
inspecting aircraft, chances are they’re
doing something that is indeed critical to
supporting those that do.
When you operate in a way that draws
a positive response from those around
you, it will catch on. That’s leadership.
We have a mission, and an energized
workforce will set records for finding
new and better ways to get the job done.
You’ll also notice that energizing people
will spur leadership at all levels, not just
in the managerial or supervisory ranks.
When that happens, our culture will
really take a step up.
There will be naysayers. True story.
I heard about a manager who said
a simple hello to an employee. No
response. When he said, “Hello” again,
he was ignored again. So the manager
sits down and says, “What’s wrong?”
The employee said, “I don’t talk to people who wear neckties.” Simple enough.
The manager takes off his tie and asks,
“What can I do to make things better
here for you?” And with that, without
a word, the employee stood up and
walked away.
That anecdote reminds me of an
unwritten rule – I call it the 10-80-10 rule.
It goes like this: There are 10 percent who
will disappoint us always. Don’t let them
absorb 50 percent of your time. Instead,
remember the 80 percent who will give
110 percent all the time and the 10 percent who will give 120 percent 24/7.
Those last two groups are where we
need to spend the bulk of our effort.
Those are the employees who really get
what public service is all about. That’s
where our energy should go.
Let me remind us all that as managers – as leaders – we need to do the
right thing, even when no one is looking – especially when no one is looking.
I’m looking for a personal commitment
from you to always push for greatness.
Always push to energize. When someone else scores a touchdown, be the first
one to cheer.
We need to get back on course, folks.
Starbucks learned that lesson. And I
think we’re on course to make things
right. And as Nike says, just do it. ❙
www.faama.org
11
PROFILE
| REP. James P. Moran, Jr.
Representative James P. Moran, Jr.
(D-VA. 8TH)
Northern Virginia Congressman Jim Moran believes that the U.S.
federal workforce is the greatest civil service in the world, providing
critical government support and services for all Americans. Thanks
to him, the three key federal employee provisions he championed
were included in the FY2010 Defense Authorization Act and
subsequently signed into law by President Obama.
EXCERPTS
Excerpts from an October 8, 2009 statement
by Congressman Moran:
Defense Authorization
is Major Win for Moran
Initiatives
Congressman Jim Moran, Northern
Virginia Democrat, celebrated the
inclusion of several key provisions in the Defense Authorization
package, which passed the House
281-146 today. Among the Moranbacked initiatives are provisions to
equalize federal employee pension
benefits and expand protections
against hate crime.
Both reforms are a long time in
coming. “We’ve spent six years on
the pension issue and almost two
decades on hate crimes,” remarked
the Congressman, after the late afternoon vote. “I look forward to a rose
garden ceremony in the near future.”
MAJOR WIN FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES
The bill, which institutes changes to
the way the government processes
employee benefits, represents a significant step forward in the Congressman’s agenda on behalf of federal
employees. His district of Northern
Virginia hosts one of the largest
populations of federal workers in the
nation, estimated over 10,000.
12
www.faama.org
“T
his is a major victory for
federal employees,” said
Moran. “These revisions
to the federal retirement system are
long overdue. We’re putting in place
reforms that promote conserving sick
leave and incentivize both CSRS and
FERS employees to return to government service later in their careers –
making it easier to recruit and retain
top talent when we need it the most.”
Last month, Congressman Moran
spearheaded a letter to the Defense
Authorization conference committee signed by every member of the
Washington regional delegation calling
for inclusion of the provisions.
He also is the original author of the
FERS Redeposit Act (H.R. 828), the FERS
Sick Leave bill (H.R. 958), and the PartTime Federal Employees Act (H.R. 1198).
The provisions were included in the
Defense Authorization at Congressman
Moran’s request.
Working to Support the Federal
Workforce
Throughout his two decades of service,
Congressman Moran has demonstrated
vigorous leadership in support of federal
employees and military retirees, fighting
to promote and protect the federal civil
service while helping it adapt to the
new challenges government faces in the
21st century.
As a member of the National Capital
Region delegation, Congressman Moran
works closely with Congressmen
and women from Virginia, D.C., and
Maryland to represent the interests
of the federal workforce. He understands that for the federal civil service
to continue to succeed, it must be
able to recruit and retain high quality
personnel.
In the 111th Congress, Representative
Moran is continuing his strong advocacy
on behalf of federal workers, restoring the
negotiating rights of employees that had
been prevented from organizing, working
to allow federal employees to use their
pre-tax earnings to pay for health insurance premiums, focusing on improving
the federal hiring process, and restructuring the personnel systems to adequately
reward higher performing employees.
During his tenure in Congress, Moran
has led the charge to make the federal
workforce competitive with private
employers’ compensation packages.
Recently, he successfully fought to:
• Convince the Department of
Defense against furloughing civilian
employees during the budget standoff
in December 2007.
• Defeat the Bush Administration’s
effort to impose mandatory quotas on
the outsourcing of federal jobs to the
private sector.
• Provide an additional vision and
dental care benefit for federal
employees that helps defray the
rapidly increasing costs of health care;
• Maintain pay parity between federal
civilian and military employees despite
the Bush and Clinton Administrations
efforts to provide lower federal pay
raises;
About James Patrick “Jim” Moran Jr.
Born May 16, 1945 in Buffalo, NY,
Moran grew up in Natick, MA, a western
suburb of Boston. He graduated from
the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate
School of Public and International
Affairs with a master’s degree in Public
Administration in 1970 after receiving
a B.A. in Economics from the College of
the Holy Cross in 1967.
Following graduate school, he was
accepted into a prestigious financial
management internship program through
the Department of Health, Education,
and the Workforce (HEW; now known
as the Department of Health and Human
Services).
The internship became a full time
position, and after five years as a
Budget Officer with HEW, he joined the
Library of Congress as a senior specialist for budgetary and fiscal policy.
The Congressman finished his career
as a federal employee with the Senate
Appropriations Committee as a professional staffer from 1976 to 1979.
Jim Moran’s elected public service
career began in 1979 with his election to
the City Council in Alexandria, Virginia.
Jim served as Vice Mayor of Alexandria
from 1982 to 1984, and was elected
Mayor in 1985.
In 1990, Jim ran and won the
honor of representing Virginia’s 8th
Congressional District in the U.S. House
of Representatives. Due to his popularity
as mayor of Alexandria, he defeated the
10-year incumbent Republican by
seven points.
Congressman Jim Moran was elected
to his tenth term in the U.S. House of
Representatives in November 2008. He is
a member of the powerful Appropriations
Committee, where he serves on the
Defense, Interior, and Labor Health and
Human Services Subcommittees.
Congressman Moran recently was
elected by his colleagues to serve in a
leadership role as a member of the House
Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.
The Steering Committee serves a critical
and influential function in the caucus by
deciding which committees Members will
chair and serve on in the House.
Congressman Moran has been
named “High Technology Legislator of
the Year” by the Information Technology
Industry Council for his work to avoid
a Y2K computer crisis, and was named
to the “Legislative Hall of Fame” by the
American Electronics Association for his
work on a range of technology legislation.
Jim Moran has also has been a lead
advocate of reducing harmful emissions, protecting green space and green
infrastructure, and restoring streams to a
more natural state. In 2008, he received
near perfect ratings from the League of
Conservation Voters and other similar
scores from organizations committed
to animal protection, gun control and
human rights. ❙
EXCERPTS
Excerpts from a Sept. 10, 2009 press release:
Moran Letter to Defense Authorization Conference Committee: Preserve House-Passed Federal Employee Provisions
Congressman Jim Moran, Virginia Democrat, led an effort backed by
the Washington Metropolitan Congressional Delegation requesting that
House conferees participating in negotiations regarding the FY ’10
Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 2647) fight to retain the federal employee provisions that were in included in the House-passed bill. These
provisions mirror legislation introduced by Congressman Moran and
were included at his request.
“We’ve been working for a number of years to enact these commonsense
federal employee reforms,” said Moran. “The House-passed Defense
Authorization bill provides our best opportunity yet to bring needed incentives that will increase worker productivity and help recruit and retain
the best and the brightest back to the federal civil service. I look forward
to working with my colleagues to see that these provisions survive the
House-Senate conference committee process.”
Letter cosigners include:
Reps. Frank Wolf (R-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Eleanor Holmes Norton
(D-D.C.), Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD),
John P. Sarbanes (D-MD), Donna F. Edwards (D-MD), Gerald E. Connolly
(D-VA).
KEY EXCERPTS FROM THE LETTER INCLUDE:
“These provisions are intended to remedy historic inequalities in retirement
benefits for federal employees and to improve the efficiency and effectiveness
of the federal workforce.
“...the House has adopted these provisions twice, as they were initially part
of the Federal Retirement Reform Act. Unfortunately, they were not included
in the Senate-passed version of the Defense bill.
THE LETTER SPECIFICALLY REQUESTS HOUSE CONFEREES TO PRESERVE
THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS:
• Provide annuity credit for unused sick leave for FERS employees;
• Change the computation of certain annuities based on part-time service;
• Expand the class of individuals eligible to receive an actuarially reduced
annuity under CSRS;
• Authorize the re-deposit of retirement funds under the FERS system;
• Change the retirement credit for service of certain employees transferred
from D.C. civil service to the federal service;
• Alter the retirement treatment of secret service employees; and
• Phase in the use of locality-based pay to replace cost-of-living adjustments
for certain federal employees
IT’S YOUR SERVE
◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆◆
29th Annual FAA Managers Association
GATHERING OF EAGLES
|
CONVENTION AND TRAINING CONFERENCE
By Laurie Zugay, Director of Communications, FAA Managers Association
T
he 29th Annual Gathering of
Eagles convention in Las Vegas,
Nevada was overwhelmingly
successful. The convention set attendance records on three fronts: FAA
Managers Association (FAAMA) members, corporate sponsors, and vendors.
The 2009 Gathering of Eagles supplied
both a dynamic training opportunity and
an occasion for valuable networking with
other aviation professionals. Leaders in
the aviation industry displayed the latest
NextGen technologies – our future. The
intense training sessions, which received
FAA training credits, centered on the
concept of leadership that serves our
country, our community, our customers,
our crew, and our mission.
President’s Reception with
Administrator Babbitt
On Sunday evening, the Convention
opened with the President’s Texas Style
Barbeque, hosted by FAAMA President
David Conley. The Barbeque was an
opportunity to network with other FAA
leaders and to informally chat with FAA
Administrator Randy Babbitt. For many
of us, meeting with Administrator Babbitt
in a casual setting was very enlightening.
Administrator Babbitt is a down-toearth, personable, approachable man with
a wealth of experience and knowledge.
He was a commercial pilot for Eastern
Airlines, President and CEO of the U.S.
Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), and
also held a number of President and CEO
positions in the aviation industry.
Administrator Babbitt championed
the “One Level of Safety” initiative to
improve safety standards across the
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www.faama.org
aviation industry. Also, he received the
Laurels Award for outstanding achievement in Commercial Air Transport
from the highly acclaimed publication,
Aviation Week & Space Technology.
DAY 1: SERVING Your Country
BIGGEST EXHIBIT IN FAAMA HISTORY
Convention attendees were greeted by
the largest Exhibit Hall in the history of
FAAMA’s annual Gathering of Eagles.
Vendors displayed their products and
services using flat screen automated
technologies with associated handouts.
Air traffic airspace modeling, flight
tracks and trajectories, full scale tower
simulator displays, and futuristic data
communication technologies were but a
few of the exciting tools of our future.
FAA senior executives supported the
Convention by staffing or providing staff
for several booths, including but not limited to, a Human Resource booth staffed
by Assistant Administrator for Human
Resource Management Ventris Gibson
and her team of HR executives, manag-
ers, and specialists; Civil Rights; Office
of Safety; and more.
MEMORABLE OPENING CEREMONY
The Opening Ceremony was a moving
and reverent beginning for the week
with the singing of the National Anthem
by Ms. Tione Johnson, a nine-year-old
artist who has performed in “Annie” and
has appeared a number of times on the
Ellen DeGeneres Show.
OPENING REMARKS
We were honored to have opening
remarks delivered by U.S. Representative
Betsy Markey of Colorado’s 4th District.
Rep. Markey noted that the FAA was one
of the first agencies to respond to her
state’s request for help in ascertaining
whether there really was a small child
flying high above Colorado in a helium
filled balloon that, to some, appeared to
be a flying saucer.
Rep. Markey acknowledged the FAA for
performing a very challenging job so well,
so professionally, and so courageously. She
stated that the FAA Reauthorization Bill
and NextGen technologies are a top priority. Relating to the Gathering of Eagles
theme, “It’s Your Serve,” Rep. Markey said,
“Leadership is about having the courage
to make bold decisions and to stand up to
our challenges.” She said, “I have faith in
your courage.”
ADMINISTRATOR BABBITT DELIVERED
credibility, and transparency; and, leadership is about the ability to work with
others throughout the FAA to accomplish
our mission.
REPEATING THE OATH OF OFFICE
Before the formal training sessions
began, Ventris Gibson led the assembled
group in repeating their Oath of Office.
KEYNOTE SPEECH
The highlight of the Convention was
Administrator Randy Babbitt’s attendance and his keynote presentation.
Administrator Babbitt began by acknowledging that the front lines are where our
business gets done; that leaders must be
change agents; and that we must spend
time with the new workforce we have
hired, explaining NextGen to our employees, and empowering people to act.
Adm. Babbitt spoke about the FAA’s
workforce survey results that indicate
this Agency ranks near the bottom of
federal places to work. His goal is for us
to take the FAA from the worst to the
first. This will take the proactive efforts
of everyone, especially members of
FAAMA. Adm. Babbitt said, “Leadership
is a lifestyle. Set the example. Do the
right thing all the time even when others
are not looking.”
PANEL OF FAA LEADERS
The morning’s panel discussion was provided by Ms. Ventris Gibson, Associate
Administrator for Human Resource
Management; Mr. David Grizzle,
FAA Chief Counsel; Ms. Kathryn
Vernon, Northwest Mountain Regional
Administrator; Mr. Jurgen Tooren, Acting
Deputy Assistant Administrator for
International Aviation; Mr. John Pipes,
Senior Vice President for Strategy and
Performance; and, Mr. Bob Tarter, Vice
President of Safety Services, Air Traffic
Organization.
Mr. Pipes stated that within 150 days
there would be policy on save pay within
the field for career progression positions.
Of significance to the Convention theme,
the panel discussed that leadership is a
privilege and with it comes responsibility; leadership is about accountability,
TRAINING: RANDY PENNINGTON:
ON MY HONOR, I WILL: PROVEN PRINCIPLES
FOR INTEGRITY DRIVEN LEADERSHIP
Mr. Randy Pennington, Chairman of the
National Speakers Association, with an
MS in psychology, conducted the first
training session. He began by discussing
the concept of “Leadership is an Honor.”
Integrity-driven leadership is the art of
influencing the actions and outcomes
of others in a way that builds trust and
achieves results.
In fact, according to Mr. Pennington,
organizations with high trust outperform
those with low trust by 186 percent. He
encouraged FAAMA members to:
• Know what you stand for, whether
it is honesty, integrity, courage, or
fairness.
• Have a cause greater than yourself
and deliver what you promised in the
best manner possible.
• Have the courage to take
responsibility for the tough decisions.
As Pat Summitt, Coach for the University
of Tennessee Lady Vols, said, “If you
don’t want the responsibility, don’t sit
in the big chair. That’s the deal.” Ask
employees to participate, because people
support what they help to create.
Mr. Pennington also discussed the
5-90-5 rule. You know this rule, 5 percent
of employees are disgruntled and they
like being that way–you’re not going to
change them. Ninety percent of employees come to work and do a good job. The
remaining 5 percent are the employees
who always go above and beyond. As a
leader, you know your employees. Spend
most of your time on the 95 percent and
realize that you are not going to change
the unhappy 5 percent.
DAY 2: SERVING Your Community
TRAINING: MICHAEL STAVER:
LEADERSHIP ISN’T FOR COWARDS: HOW TO
LEAD COURAGEOUSLY IN A TURBULENT AGE
Tuesday’s training was presented by
Michael Staver, CEO, The Staver Group,
who has an MS in psychology. His lively
training session was alternately funny,
inspiring, and introspective. Mr. Staver
first asked the group to look at the
excuses everyone, including FAAMA
members, use to avoid taking action.
These excuses may include:
• I don’t have enough time;
• It will never work;
• We’ve always done it this way;
• We don’t want to;
• I can only do so much;
• It is not my job;
• There isn’t enough money in the
budget;
• It is above my pay grade;
• It is stupid, etc.
PLAN AHEAD!
Plan to Attend the 2010
FAAMA Gathering of
Eagles!
LAS VEGAS, VEVADA
The 30th Annual FAAMA 2010
Convention will again be held in Las
Vegas. FAAMA will submit the training
agenda to the FAA for approval of excused time during training sessions.
However, it is smart to plan ahead
by submitting an annual leave
request to cover your attendance.
As an incentive for attending the
Convention, some FAAMA Chapters
reimburse some or all of their members’ expenses. Make plans now
– don’t miss the 30th Annual FAAMA
Gathering of Eagles Convention!
www.faama.org
15
LEFT TO RIGHT: Tony
Ferrante, Director, Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service; Stephen Smith, Vice President, FAAMA; nine-year-old singer Tione Johnson;
& Fanny Riviera, Assistant Administrator for Civil Rights.
Then, Mr. Staver declared that leaders do
not use excuses.
He asked the group to examine their
respective “Spheres of Influence,” specifically by concentrating on those things
over which we can directly influence.
At the same time, it is vital to recognize
that there are other issues over which we
have absolutely no decision, no say, and
no input.
According to Mr. Staver, “Build a
bridge, tunnel under, or build a road
around those issues outside of your
Sphere of Influence.” In other words,
focus and take action on those issues you
can do something about. Accept the fact
that while there are issues which you
simply cannot change, you still have a
responsibility to lead others through those
issues, because you “sit in the big chair.”
Mr. Staver also discussed “Selective
Perception” which he defined as a mindset
which we all have. It validates what we
believe to be true, and excludes information that we perceive to be wrong, even
when the information is right. As soon as
the brain finds what it perceives to be the
truth, the brain eliminates, or quits listening – if you will – to all other information.
This phenomenon can be described by
the phrase: “Don’t confuse me with the
facts – my mind already is made up.”
Mr. Staver also spoke about dealing
with the negative perceptions of others. He
advised that leaders need to acknowledge
negative perceptions and then provide the
facts. Specifically, when approached with
negativity, acknowledge with, “I realize
it probably seems that way and let me
explain this further,” or, “You might be
right, but here is another way I would like
you to consider this.”
Acknowledge the negative perception
and lead others through the negativity
to get to a course of positive action. This
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takes courage. Courageous leadership
requires us to step outside of our comfort
zone as we make difficult decisions – difficult decisions for which we are responsible
– decisions that involve our employees,
our procedures, and our customers. (See an
ogies for data communication between
the aircraft and the air traffic controller.
Newer data communication equipment
will harmonize with European standards
and will be compatible worldwide.
article by Mike Staver beginning on page 19.)
We then received a briefing from Abigail
Smith and Mike Patsfall, ATO Workforce
Services and Talent Management. Both
confirmed the upcoming policy for
save pay within field facilities for career
progression.
LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE BRIEFING
That evening, the Normandy Group
LLC, a well-respected government relations firm represented by Louis Dupart,
Managing Partner, and Krista Stark, a
Founding Partner, presented a highly
informative session which included
information about four pending legislative bills that FAAMA has championed
for several years concerning locality pay,
FERS sick leave, rehired federal retirees,
and redeposited annuities.
DAY 3: SERVING Your Customers
AIR TRAFFIC SAFETY OVERSIGHT
SERVICE (AOV) UPDATE
The morning began with Tony Ferrante,
Director, Air Traffic Safety Oversight
Service, providing a briefing on the credential program and the specific duties
of AOV.
CREW RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Carl Trent, of the Air Traffic Organization
(ATO) Safety Services, provided a briefing
on Crew Resource Management (CRM)
which is teamwork enhancement training
for operational personnel.
THE STATE OF EEO
Fanny Rivera, Assistant Administrator
for Civil Rights, briefed the group on the
Agency’s positive progress in the area
of EEO cases resolved and Alternate
Dispute Resolution.
NEXTGEN COMPONENT – DATA COMMUNICATION
Gregg Anderson of Air/Ground Solution
Development described the new technol-
ATO WORKFORCE SERVICES:
HUMAN RESOURCES UPDATE
Ventris Gibson, Assistant Administrator
for Human Resource Management,
described President Obama’s draft
Executive Order concerning Labor
Management, which is posted on the
FAAMA website. She briefed the group
on the recent loss of the Abbey case
which mandates that the FAA pay time
and one-half, instead of credit hours or
compensatory time, for work over 40
hours in a week.
Ms. Gibson also discussed the recent
Superior Contribution Increase arbitration that the Agency won. She noted that
she and John Pipes will put together a
team to take a new look at and reevaluate management pay. According to Ms.
Gibson, this is a top priority.
FEEA SCHOLARSHIPS
Steve Bauer, of the Federal Employee
Education & Assistance Fund (FEEA),
said that 19 students – children of FAAMA
members – received a $1,000 FEEA scholarship (see page 27 for complete article).
FEEA, the only charitable organization
solely for federal employees, provides
scholarships and emergency funds during
disasters and other emergencies. During
the convention, FAAMA members contributed approximately $28,000 to FEEA.
LEFT TO RIGHT: Left to Right: Gregg Anderson, Air/Ground Solution Development, NextGen Data Communication; Rep. Betsy Markey; FAAMA members crowd the exhibit hall;
and former FAAMA President Steve Baker receiving the Past President’s Award.
PRESIDENT’S AWARD BANQUET
Attendees welcomed back Judy
Schneider of the Congressional Research
Service. Ms. Schneider, an expert on
Congressional matters, marries in-depth
knowledge of working with Congress
with a hilarious sense of humor.
Following the elegant banquet, FAAMA
President David Conley presented several awards honoring FAAMA members
and others for their outstanding contributions and leadership.
DAY 4: SERVING Your Crew
TRAINING: DR. KENT KEITH: SERVANT
LEADERSHIP: FINDING MEANING BY
IDENTIFYING AND MEETING THE NEEDS OF
motivated to make life better for others,
not just for themselves. This difference
in focus and motivation is what really
distinguishes servant-leaders, regardless
of their titles, roles, or positions.”
NEW ASSOCIATION OFFICERS
During the afternoon, the candidate
for Vice President, Steve Smith, and the
candidate for Treasurer, Tom Dury, gave
acceptance speeches and took the Oath
of Office. Additionally, newly elected
Regional Directors took the Oath of Office,
including: Heather Mullett, Great Lakes;
Mark Guiod, New England; Lori Scharf,
Northwest Mountain; and Rich Baker,
Eastern.
YOUR CUSTOMERS AND COLLEAGUES
LANDMARK LEGISLATIVE DECISION
Dr. Kent Keith, CEO of the Greenleaf
Center for Servant Leadership, and a
Rhodes Scholar, examined the concept of
servant leadership which begins with “the
natural feeling that one wants to serve.”
According to Dr. Keith, “Servantleaders do most of the things that other
leaders do – they provide a vision, they
motivate, they manage, they communicate. What sets servant-leaders apart from
other leaders is that they are focused on
others, not just themselves, and they are
The 29th Annual Gathering of Eagles
ended on a high note with FAAMA
President David Conley announcing a
landmark accomplishment for FAAMA
in its continuous challenge to ensure
government workers are properly recognized and compensated for their service
to the people of the United States.
FAAMA and The Normandy Group
have worked for several years with congressional legislators and other government employee associations to support
four key bills that provide wide ranging
benefits to federal employees, including:
1. FERS-covered employees will receive
50 percent credit for unused sick
leave for the next three years and 100
percent starting in the fourth year.
2. Federal employees in Alaska, Hawaii,
and the U.S. Territories will shift
from the cost-of-living allowance to
locality pay which will be computed
in retirement annuity.
3. Part-time re-employment for retired
federal employees will be permitted
without penalizing their retirement
income.
4. Federal employees who vacate
the federal government will gain
an approved process to redeposit
annuities if they decide to return to
the government workforce.
The four bills were incorporated into
the $680 billion Department of Defense
(DOD) Authorization legislation for 2010
which passed with a 68-29 vote – what
a significant and landmark ending to the
29th annual Gathering of Eagles! ❙
Note: On October 28, 2009, President Obama signed
the DOD Authorization legislation for 2010 into law. See
article on page 6.)
AWARDS
2009 FAAMA Awards
PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE, our Association’s highest honor,
to Bob Hildebidle, Regional Director, South Florida, in recognition of his
dedicated service, unwavering support, and endless sacrifice which embodies his commitment to excellence and to our Association. This individual is
one who sets the standard of leadership and encourages others to be part
of this Association.
LEADERSHIP AWARD, in recognition for outstanding leadership and commitment to excellence, to the National Air Traffic Supervisors Committee
(SUPCOM) Chair, Robert M. Clyburn, and the SUPCOM National Executive
Committee.
AMBASSADOR’S AWARDS, in recognition of enthusiastic and exceptional
service which embodies the values of our Association and its members, to
Dave Chappuies, Western-Pacific Regional Director; to Jack Allen, Atlanta
Chapter President; to Tony Tisdall, Director of Legislative Affairs; to
Kathleen Mifsud, Publisher, Managing the Skies magazine; and to
Andy Taylor, 2009 Convention Chair.
TOP RECRUITER AWARD to Andy Cook, Chapter President, ZHU.
PAST PRESIDENT’S AWARD to Steve Baker for outstanding service as
FAAMA President from 2004-2008.
SERVICE AWARDS to Mike Wayne for service as New England Regional
Director 2003-2009; to Keith Lindsey for service as Alaskan Regional
Director 2007-2009; and to Ralph Walters for service as NorthwestMountain Regional Director 2004-2009.
Darryl Glover and GEICO sponsored the 2009 FAAMA Awards
presentations.
2009 Exhibition Highlights
A Selection of Commercial Exhibitors
ADACEL SYSTEMS, INC. www.adacel.com
A
B
Adacel has more ATC simulation systems
distributed worldwide than any other firm.
ADVANCED ATC, INC. www.advancedatc.com
Training programs designed to exceed
minimum FAA requirements.
C
D
E
F
ADVANCIA AERONAUTICS, LLC
www.advanciaaero.com
Driving the Federal support services industry
to new heights by consistently delivery stateof-the-art services and products.
OPTIMAL SOLUTIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES
(OST) www.ostglobal.com
Commitment to customer satisfaction
through process improvement, discipline,
and quality.
OST held a daily drawing for digital photo
frames – five were awarded to attendees. The
grand prize – a 37˝ LCD Flatscreen HDTV –
was won by FAAMA Chapter 157 member
Philip R. Cannon of Peachtree City, GA.
PLANTRONICS HEADSETS
www.plantronics.com
G
ATAC CORP. www.atac.com
H
Experts in aviation simulation and analysis,
ATAC provides world-class modeling, simulation, and analysis for the entire range of the
aviation domain.
AYDIN DISPLAYS www.aydindisplays.com
I
J
L
www.raytheon.com
Advanced training solutions for air traffic
control professionals.
CROWN CONSULTING, INC. www.crownci.com
ROBINSON AVIATION (RVA), INC.
Supporting the FAA in all of its major business units with services in multiple areas.
www.rvainc.net
SRA INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Specializing in vertical rack mount and wall
mount enclosures; consoles; and larger-size
complex enclosure assemblies.
www.sra.com
Premier professional liability insurance
benefits for the entire federal community.
N
O
P
LIVINGSTON FEDERAL EMPLOYEE
RETIREMENT PLANNING
[L] ATCOTS [M] RVA [N] SRA International, Inc. [O] STR Speech Tech Ltd.
[P] Systems Atlanta, Inc.
Dedicated to solving complex problems of
global significance for transportation and
air traffic management.
STR SPEECH TECH LTD.
www.speechtech.com
A world leader in the design of superior
speech technology programs and systems.
SYSTEMS ATLANTA, INC.
www.livingstonfederal.com
www.sysatl.com
Personalized financial service unique to
federal retirement.
The leading supplier of Integrated
Information Display and Dissemination
Systems (IDS) for air traffic control and
airport/airline operations.
NEW BEDFORD PANORAMEX CORP. (NBP)
[A] Adacel Systems, Inc. [B] Advanced ATC, Inc.
[C] Advancia Aeronautics, LLC [D] ATAC Corp. [E] Aydin Displays
[F] Emcor Enclosures [G] FEDS [H] Livingston Federal Employee
Retirement Planning [I] NBP [J] OST [K] Platronics Headsets
Training new air traffic control specialists at
en route and terminal facilities.
www.emcoreenclosures.com
FEDERAL EMPLOYEE DEFENSE SERVICES
(FEDS) www.fedsprotection.com
M
RAYTHEON AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER
OPTIMUM TRAINING SOLUTION (ATCOTS)
Specifically designed for Air Traffic Control,
and manufactured in North America.
EMCOR ENCLOSURES
K
Plantronics air traffic control headsets are
the industry standard for clear, accurate
communication.
www.nbpcorp.com
NBP is a world leader in the airport remote
monitoring, control, and approach lighting
systems.
FAA Managers Association CORPORATE MEMBERS
BLUECROSS BLUESHIELD FEDERAL EMPLOYEE
PROGRAM WWW.FEPBLUE.ORG
FEP is your partner for good health. Go to MyBlue at
www.fepblue.org/myblue/index.html or www.fepblue.org
to find resources that help FEP members stay healthy
and informed, like WalkingWorks, the Blue Health
Assessment , and Customer eService.
SM
PHOTO: Nanette Hayes, Senior Consultant with the BCBSA, “The Blue Cross and BlueShield
Federal Employee Program,” at the 2009 FAAMA Convention.
GEICO WWW.GEICO.COM
Working for the federal government has its perks. With
GEICO, federal employees can get immediate coverage
by phone; low down-payment and convenient payment
plans; and round-the-clock claim service. Also, government employees can save money on car insurance with
GEICO. Call 1-800-841-1601.
PHOTO: Daryl Glover, Federal Liaison, GEICO, addressing the 2009 FAAMA Awards banquet –
awards presentations were sponsored by GEICO.
Leadership Isn’t for Cowards:
How to Lead Courageously in
a Turbulent Age
By Michael Staver, CEO, The Staver Group
What is the most important leadership trait for surviving the
world you lead in? You might guess intuition (for knowing where
to take your group next) or persuasiveness (for getting others
to go along with you) or resourcefulness (for getting more bang
from very limited bucks). May I suggest, that if you think that,
you would be... wrong. The most critical leadership trait – the one
without which none of the others matter – is something you’re
more likely to associate with soldiers or firefighters than with
leaders. Courage.
H
ere’s the thing about
operating in a challenging environment: there are
serious consequences for making the
wrong move, the safety net just isn’t
there. And because demands are so
fi erce and customers are so savvy,
you may have to make some pretty
courageous choices to get the job
done. Otherwise you’re a nonentity –
and your career and maybe even your
organization may fail.
In the FAA, failure may not be defined
the same as in the private sector because
let’s face it…your organization isn’t going
away. But rest assured, your relevance
is being observed and failure for you is
measured on a level of much more significance... safety.
Fortunately, there is some good
news. Courage is not a quality that
you’re born with or without. It can be
developed and nurtured. And if you
commit to leading with courage, and
consciously work toward that goal every
day in every decision you make and
every action you take, acting courageously will soon become an automatic
response.
What is Courage?
What is courage? Why does it matter so
much, and what can you do to bring it
out in yourself and in others? Courage is
the willingness and ability to face what
needs to be faced and to do what needs
to be done such that you are confident
that your values are being consistently
executed in every aspect of the culture
you influence.
• To what extent do you create an
environment that strikes a balance
between intolerance for failure and
openness to examine areas of the
work that may not be working?
• To what extent do you accept
responsibility for your leadership
decisions and its affects while
avoiding lobbing the ball over the
wall by suggesting that you are just
handing down policy that comes
from above.
When you are on the front lines your
followers have to know that they can
trust that you are truly leading. Your
leadership is not about regulations and
policy or about checklists and inspections. Certainly these are things that
must get done or your mission is lost.
However, at the core, those things are
“managing.” The courageous leader
knows it’s about those we lead. Leaders
know that they are constantly observed.
Leadership is the extent to which
you influence others to accomplish
things beyond which they think they
are currently able to accomplish.
Leadership requires an understanding that those you influence are always
experiencing the culture that you create. Most people leave a job because of
the leader and most stay at their jobs
because of the leader.
It is most often the kind of environment you create that either makes life
better or worse for employees. Any
rational adult knows that all is not going
to be perfect at work. Your response to
those good times and bad times is what
employees watch for. The question that
should be at the forefront of your mind is
what is it – other than an employee’s pension or seniority – that keeps them in that
job? What is it that makes them loyal? Are
your followers committed or compliant?
The critical point is, whatever the
culture you create will, in some way,
have a direct impact on the way customers are treated. Believe it or not, you ultimately are the most influential person
www.faama.org
19
Mike Staver, CEO, The Staver Group: “You live in a world where everyday the measurement is in risk and how you as a leader minimize the risk.”
among your followers. They look to you
to determine how to respond to events.
They watch to see if you have their back
in times of conflict. They wonder if you
can be trusted to provide them with the
tools and sometimes the protection to
get their jobs done. Finally, they watch
to see if you are fair and consistent.
Fairness Defined
Fairness is not about treating everyone the
same. It has more to do with being certain
that the standards you apply are the same.
• Are you available to your employees?
• Do your decisions reflect an unbiased
consideration of the intended and
unintended consequences?
• Do your followers clearly understand
how performance is measured and is
that standard applied consistently?
In your world, performance is measured
pretty clearly: SAFETY. You live in a
world where everyday the measurement
is in risk and how you as a leader minimize the risk. It is how a leader knows
others are trusting the FAA with their
lives and ensures the work is performed
to perfection – SAFELY.
In order to do that, your followers
must know and understand that they
have the tools to accomplish that result.
Fundamentally your job as their leader
is to remove any obstacle that may be in
their way.
20
www.faama.org
• To what extent are your followers
provided with REAL opportunities
to develop their skills?
• To what extent are you available
to address the needs and concerns
they have such that they are able to
completely focus on what is in front
of them?
There are many industries where
momentary distractions or disengagement would go unnoticed. Yours is not
one of those. As a front line manager
in an environment where so much is at
stake, it falls to you to do three things
– be observant, be diligent, and be
responsive:
BE OBSERVANT.
Look for those things in attitude or
behavior that may impact the culture
in negative ways and deal with them
immediately. Look for those attitudes
and behaviors that may impact the
culture in positive ways and reinforce
those immediately. Observe how your
team interacts and be certain that their
energy is working in the same direction.
BE DILIGENT.
Diligence has to do with attentiveness to
those things that will have the best and
highest impact on the performance of
your followers. Are you providing opportunities and expecting them to take
advantage of opportunities to improve
not only the work they do but the person
they are? In high pressure environments
it is clear that those on the front lines
who have opportunities for personal and
professional development fare the best.
BE RESPONSIVE.
Nothing will cause you to lose credibility
faster than being non-responsive. If you
are absent in mind or a poor communicator, your followers will marginalize your
influence. While they may do what you
say, you will have minimal significant
impact. If they know they can trust you
to respond to them, even if the response
is less than ideal, your credibility will
improve.
Those three things – observing,
diligence, and responsiveness – will help
your personal credibility as a leader.
Your employees look to you, the front
line manager, for technical competence.
However, what they really want to know
is... is this person relevant to my work?
Does this person have any REAL impact
in my life here at work.
Judy House, the best boss I ever
reported to, used to say to me, “Mike, the
higher you move in an organization the
less freedom you have.” In any endeavor
where you have people looking to you
for leadership, they are watching you and
waiting to see how you will respond to
each situation you face.
Every day, we work with employees
and encourage them to live and work
courageously. In these turbulent times, it
is critical that there be models in organizations for how to live, work, and interact
within the workplace. Courage is not just
about living boldly – it is about the ability
and willingness to take a stand and live
that stand in the choices you make.
If the people who work with you were
given truth serum and asked to write
down the three words that best describe
the experience of working with you,
what would those three words be? Here
are some tips on how to demonstrate that
courage and then hold others accountable for living and working courageously
in the culture you call work.
Courageous leadership
• Stays focused on desirable results and
is unwavering in pursuing it.
• Removes the obstacles that stand in
the way of achieving the result.
• Acts decisively and takes responsibility
for the choices they make.
• Avoids excuses and the people that
make them.
• Listens openly and non-judgmentally.
Here are four things you can start doing
today
• Clarify expectations in your mind as
to performance and cultural fit.
• Communicate expectations that may
be ambiguous.
• Collaborate in setting specific and
measurable performance standards.
• Follow-up to hold people
accountable.
ATTACK: Six Steps to Developing
Courage
For developing courage, I designed a sixstep process that seems to work very well.
A: ACCEPT YOUR CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES
I have found that most leaders either
overestimate or underestimate the health
of their current culture. Very few people
have a realistic grasp on it. You as a
leader need to look reality in the face
and accept it.
By the way, this does not mean you
should “settle.” Accepting that you have
a less-than-ideal culture is the first step
toward changing that culture for the
better. Don’t make it worse than it is or
better than it is, simply accept the truth.
Ask yourself this question: What are you
pretending not to know?
A: ACKNOWLEDGE PROGRESS
Many leaders are so goal-oriented that
they can’t really see the individual steps
of the process. Determine the desirable
results, determine the benchmarks,
and be certain that those benchmarks
are acknowledged and celebrated when
they are achieved. Celebrate them
with the same energy and enthusiasm
as you would if the goal were already
accomplished.
“ A courageous leader is willing
to own the results of his or her
choices. Don’t blame the higher
ups or Washington or any other
outside conditions for circumstances inside your culture. As a
leader, they’re your responsibility.”
C: COMMIT TO LIFELONG LEARNING
If you are leading, you’re learning. If
you’re not learning, you’re not leading,
regardless of your title. So many leaders
get into a leadership role and have the
sense that they have “arrived.” That’s
the death knell for leadership success.
You must commit yourself to learning on three levels: learn about yourself
first, your people second, and your
industry third. The extent to which you
do these things, in that order, is the
extent to which you’re going to exhibit
courage.
T: TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
A courageous leader is willing to own
the results of his or her choices. Don’t
blame the higher ups or Washington
or any other outside conditions for
circumstances inside your culture. As a
leader, they’re your responsibility. That
doesn’t mean every problem your group
faces is your “fault,” of course. But if
you fail to do anything about it, that is
your fault. Responsibility is not about
blame; it is about response. Own what
is yours.
T: TAKE ACTION
You are never going to have all the data
necessary to make the kinds of decisions you need to make as a leader. You
have to act in spite of that fact. And even
if you do have the data, you must be
courageous enough not to feel that you
have to have every “t” crossed and every
“i” dotted before you make a decision.
Just make sure every action you take is
in line with where your heart is, where
your values are, and where your culture
is – or more accurately, where you want
your culture to be in the future. Analyze
the pitfalls and act quickly.
K: KINDLE RELATIONSHIPS
Courageous leaders are constantly developing people, engaging people, caring
about people’s progress. This does not
mean you should gather your employees
around in a circle, have them put their
arms around each other, and lead them
all in singing Kum Ba Yah. Nothing
could be further from the truth!
Courageous leadership doesn’t mean
softening your approach with people.
It actually means toughening your
approach. It means confronting people,
challenging people, encouraging people,
not letting them get away with being
less than you know they can be.
Remember, courage can be developed
and nurtured. As a front line manager,
your employees are looking to you to have
the courage to face what needs to be
faced and to do what needs to be done. ❙
Copyright 2009/2010 All Rights Reserved The Staver
Group www.thestavergroup.com
www.faama.org
21
SUPCOM Defined
By Robert M. Clyburn, National Chair, Air Traffic SUPCOM
D
id you know that the legacy
FAA Managers Association
has an offshoot organization
known as the Supervisors Committee
(SUPCOM)? Created more than three
decades ago, the original intent of
SUPCOM was to provide a vehicle and
venue that allowed lower level managers
in air traffi c operations – specifi cally
supervisors – access to higher level
managers in the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA).
Gaining Direct, Unfiltered Intelligence
The assumptions that drove this action
included the recognition that information is
filtered as it moves up through the organization to the extent that high level managers
might not hear the real issues or problems
because the filters did not allow unattractive
or bad news to make it to the top.
SUPCOM created a communications
network that provided entry level managers
access to higher level managers, and in so
doing, created an opportunity for describing challenges and/or providing unfiltered
information to upper management. That
access continues today. The relationships
are solid at many levels, as are the lines of
communication and the SUPCOM communications network.
The SUPCOM Communications Network
What is the role of SUPCOM in the FAA
Air Traffic Organization (ATO)? Today,
SUPCOM brings relevant issues to Air
Traffic Managers, District Managers,
Directors, Vice Presidents, Senior Vice
Presidents, and the Chief Operating Officer.
We use our SUPCOM communication network to deliver messages from FAA stakeholders to field Front Line Managers.
SUPCOM’s organizational structure is
similar to that of the ATO. Included are
officers at every level of the ATO management team, from the Air Traffic Manager/
District Manager up to the Senior Vice
President. At each of those levels, we coach
22
www.faama.org
and expect our officers to develop relationships with their individual stakeholder.
Relationships provide influence opportunities. We chose this strategy because
we recognize that we have very limited
positional authority. In fact, our effectiveness resides in, or is the result of, personal
authority that accompanies appropriate,
healthy relationships. Consequently we
prioritize the value of relationships.
Recognizing Common Goals
The outcome we desire is for every SUPCOM
officer and their individual stakeholder to
recognize that we share common goals. We
believe these goals can be attained through
collaboration, developing a shared vision,
and effective teamwork.
We encourage our officers to make
and to honor commitments to the facility
leadership team. We do not ask for commitment to an individual per se, but to a
cause. For example, an oath is taken by
civil servants to uphold the Constitution.
The oath is not made to an individual.
In the facility, the commitment could
be to support any actions or initiatives that
are aligned with FAA/ATO values, mission,
or vision. Or, it could be a commitment
to support local leadership activities that
foster or promote building an effective
management team.
We promote the idea that each level of
the management team needs the other to be
successful. Specifically, no level of management can be independently successful. We
increase effectiveness and make organizational success more likely when we operate
as a team.
The yield from healthy relationships
and effective teamwork is trust. Trust is
extremely important to us, on par with
credibility. The combination of trust and
credibility provide a foundation that allows
the information and perspective shared
with stakeholders to receive the consideration deserved.
Leadership and Communication
The SUPCOM moniker includes the words
“leadership” and “communication.” We
take both terms at face value, prioritizing
the value of each throughout the organization. The result has been favorable for the
FAA, SUPCOM, and field managers. Living
the virtues and priorities that build character also opens “opportunity” doors for
participation in strategic planning activities and initiatives and workgroups in the
FAA/ATO.
Of late, we have been included in
revamping manager pay to developing
learning and resources related to a safety
culture. We assisted with the development
and now deliver the “meet and greets” in
Oklahoma City for new hires.
We were on the Terminal Services best
practices workgroup, on the design teams
for the Leading Edge Forums, the training
procurement process, performance management system resource enhancements,
Quality Assurance/Quality Control workgroup, the fatigue study, and the Strategy
2013 initiative. We were represented on the
ATO management contract negotiating team
with the bargaining unit representing the
air traffic controllers.
Our philosophy includes looking for gaps
in the FAA/ATO, and where possible, we fill
the gaps. For example, implementing organizational culture change creates misalignment – it is unavoidable. Organizational
misalignment begs effective leadership. We
have a gap between the leadership needed
and what currently exists.
Adding Value
We have people, resources, knowledge and
skills to help fill this gap. Additionally, the
notion of “adding value” has become the
manner in which we conduct our business.
Value is added when costs are reduced, or
service is improved or enhanced. We also
promote the leadership concept of living
transparently. We have adopted openness
and candor as our creed. Doing the right
thing (leadership) is at least as valuable as
doing things right (managing resources).
Operations Supervisor Workshop (OSW)
We continue to enhance and deliver the
Operations Supervisor Workshop (OSW)
which is the “nuts and bolts” of how to be
successful in the role of air traffic operations
supervisor or technical operations supervisor. Feedback from OSW participants is
consistent – participants say it is the best
training they have received in the FAA.
OSW is required learning for every air
traffic operations supervisor, once every
three years. The workshop is delivered
exclusively in each of the three Service
Centers – Atlanta, Dallas, and Seattle.
We conduct approximately 35 workshops
annually and recently have enhanced our
topics on leadership, performance management, and safety culture.
SUPCOM is a Resource for Management
Obviously today’s SUPCOM organization
is more than a communication network.
We serve as a resource for the management
team. In many facilities and districts, the
SUPCOM officer serves as a member of the
facility and district leadership team as a
trusted agent. In this role, we participate in
meetings with the Air Traffic Manager and
District Manager and 2nd level managers
on issues that impact the facility or district. We provide input from the perspective of the Front Line Manager. This can be
particularly beneficial when working issues
related to operations or our workforce.
Our long term goals include finding
improvements in the FAA/ATO management team’s ability to lead, communicate,
and manage resources. The driver for this
goal is the recognition that supervisors
cannot be independently successful. In
fact, no level of the management team can
be successful alone. We must all succeed.
By linking all levels of management as
the picture of success, we are obligated to
achieve organizational outcomes that we
have sought for many years – timely and
accurate communication, shared vision,
higher levels of trust, and ownership of
issues at all levels of management.
While we speak from the vantage point
of the entry level manager, many of our
Front Line Managers have decades of
experience from which to draw. Unlike
many organizations, both public and private, we have a significant need for Front
Line Managers to remain satisfied in their
supervisor role for many years.
The Importance of Front Line Managers
The air traffic operations supervisor, known
as the Front Line Manager, is viewed by
many as the lynchpin to success for the FAA/
ATO air traffic management team. Front
Line Managers are not generally encouraged to seek a higher level management role
because the needs met by supervisors are
critical to organizational success and effectiveness. Additionally, a supervisor can take
years of experience with them if they leave
their position.
Front Line Managers also have attained
knowledge relevant to organizational goals
and the FAA mission through investments
in non-technical learning. For example,
today’s ATO/FAA manager is expected to
lead effectively. Leadership knowledge is
non-technical learning that has significant
impact on operations and our workforce.
We are building a stockpile of nontechnical knowledge related to leadership in our SUPCOM resources. We have
learned the benefit and value of personal
development and growth and we challenge
and expect all of SUPCOM officers to feed
themselves in areas of leadership, teambuilding, communication, effective administration of performance management, and
safety culture transformation.
SUPCOM is a Resource
Please note that SUPCOM is your resource.
We have dedicated people, passionate
about our mission, who possess knowledge
and skills that can be leveraged to achieve
shared goals. We also have access to tools
that can provide insight or clarity on issues
that are a priority for the ATO/FAA.
Safety culture serves as an example.
Through the development and delivery of
an Operations Supervisor Workshop topic
on safety culture, we garnered much information on the subject and the obstacles
and challenges that must be overcome to
achieve success, which is organizational
transformation. We are willing to share
this information.
The ATO Office of Safety recently held
a meeting that provided messaging and
learning needed to achieve a common
vision and align the Office of Safety workforce. SUPCOM participated in the safety
culture presentation, and while there,
we made the case for effective leadership
as a necessity to successfully transform
our blame culture to that of an informed,
vibrant, positive safety culture.
A Culture Engulfed in Change
The ATO/FAA is an organization engulfed
in change with the new NextGen technology and in changes in labor-management
relations, and the performance management
system. Organizational priorities recently
have changed. We do not care so much what
our employees wear to work, but we care
much about how they perform when they
are at work.
We are changing our culture related to
safety by abandoning decades of thinking
and behaviors related to that of a blame culture. Instead, we’re learning new ideas and
behaviors related to identifying and mitigating risk. Have all of us learned the new ideas
and behaviors in an informed safety culture?
Not yet; but, in time we will. And SUPCOM
is in a position to assist.
The FAA/ATO would like to leverage
leadership skills to attain organizational
goals. But, which skills have the most
value, and what do they look like when
they are employed effectively? Our owners and the aviation community hold high
expectations for our managers and leaders
in the FAA/ATO.
The stakes are high and every level
manager is expected to successfully
lead through this change environment.
SUPCOM would like to assist. Please call
on the SUPCOM officer at your level in the
FAA/ATO and inquire as to how we can
facilitate and/or support success for you
and your management team. ❙
www.faama.org
23
Assume Positive Intent: An Insider’s
Look Behind the Front Lines
By Bob Hildebidle, Front Line Manager, Service Area Office for Eastern Terminal Operations,
FAA Miami ATCT/TRACON
The day begins as almost any day begins in the control rooms
and towers of one of the nation’s air traffic control facilities. Each
worker gets an assignment and goes about their task. Weather
briefings are obtained, airport configurations are discussed,
outages, preventative maintenance, and resources are evaluated.
A
ll of this is accomplished as
Americans across the country
wake up and many prepare for
air travel. Not far from the bustling airport terminals where pilots are conducting their pre-flight requirements and
passengers look for their gates, plans
are coming together for another day
on the front lines for those who serve
our industry on nights and weekends,
holidays, and overnight shifts. The 24/7
element of the aviation community
that never stops seldom gets a second
thought until something goes wrong.
Leadership –
the Most Important Element
The professional men and women who
keep the airplanes moving and the
National Airspace System they serve are
led by the front line management team
of supervisors. Managers in these positions require time to develop their skills
and abilities to attain maximum effectiveness. Perhaps the single, most important element required is leadership.
A lot has been written and said about
leadership, much of it by educated professionals who understand the qualities and
methods of effective leadership. Seldom
is the topic addressed by one of the group
who receives the training, and obtains the
experience, and is in a position to practice
leadership skills on the front lines.
Usually when we think of leaders we think big. The President, the
Administrator, or even the local facility management team quickly comes to
24
www.faama.org
At the 2009 FAAMA Convention, Bob Hildebidle received the President’s Award of Excellence, the highest honor FAAMA
can bestow on an individual, given in recognition of dedicated service, unwavering support, and endless sacrifice,
demonstrating commitment to excellence by an individual who sets the standard of leadership for the Association.
LEFT TO RIGHT:
FAAMA President David Conley, Bob Hildebidle, and Vice President Stephen Smith.
mind. The key leaders carry a heavy load
as the world that concerns them is large.
For the supervisor on the front lines, it
is different. Our area of concern is where
the services we provide affect the pilot.
But first, a look at the term “leadership” from a traditional perspective is in
order. The term is built from the word
“lead” which is loosely defined as “to
guide or direct, to influence, to tend
toward a certain goal, or result.” It is
important to start at the beginning when
trying to connect the ability to lead with
reaching a goal or obtaining a result.
In the air traffic business on the front
lines, our goal is to always provide for a
safe, orderly, and expeditious environment
for our customers. The flying public has
placed a trust in us to do that, and quite
frankly, we do it well most of the time.
Where Does The Front Line
Manager Fit In?
One of the most important ingredients
of effective leadership is the ability not
only to influence the people or the envi-
ronment where we supervise, but also the
levels of management above us as well
as those alongside of us. There are two
separate and distinct ways to influence
people. The first is direct influence where
you invoke your credibility and personal
capital in order to achieve
a result.
The second is more subtle. It is
the ability to indirectly affect another
through your actions, methods, and
behaviors. As front line managers, we
must always be mindful that people
watch us and look for clues to who we
are and what we represent. The question
really becomes, “How do we gain this
ability to influence?”
Establishing and Maintaining
Credibility
It all begins and ends with our ability to
develop relationships through communication and working hard to continually
establish and maintain the credibility
with those you lead. These professional
and personal relationships help provide
an understanding of expectations by all
involved. They are built on trust and
respect so that neither party feels the
need to look for hidden agendas or be
distracted by ulterior motives.
So how do we get there? We get
there one person at a time. Many years
ago, an air traffic controller who I did
not directly supervise, approached me
with a situation that was bothering him
for some time. He asked if he could talk
with me about it and I obliged. It was
a powerful and personal work-related
story and one that I could help with. As
our conversation ended, I asked why he
picked me. His response has stuck with
me. He said, “Because you’re fair.”
Although many, if not all of us consider ourselves to be fair in our dealings
with others, I wondered why he viewed
me as such. So I asked. His answer was
simple. He told me he didn’t think I
played favorites, and that I was consistent with my actions. In that experience,
in that one simple exchange, is a lesson
for all of us. Be fair and be consistent.
Being Courageous, Fair, and Consistent
And because excellence is our goal, we
need to be courageous enough to take on
a problem whether it is a performance
issue or a conduct issue. To be courageous, fair, and consistent is a model for
success not only in the air traffic world,
but also in our quest to be the leaders
that our citizens expect us to be.
The air traffic control area is similar to
the surgery room in any big hospital. That’s
why they call it the “operation.” Things are
buzzing with activity from the demands
placed on the airspace, equipment, and airports by the many aircraft flying through
the skies at any given time. Things are
never quite the same from one day – or
even one shift – to the next.
Front Line Managers as First
Responders
With personnel differences and the
potential conflicts that come along
with it plus emergencies, weather concerns, wind shifts, equipment problems,
and resource management, there almost
always is something that needs attention. I view front line managers as first
responders much like the ambulance
crew that shows up at the accident scene.
They never really know what the
need will be until they get there, so they
must be ready for anything. It helps to
be cool under pressure and to have the
confidence to know enough about a lot of
things so that the supervisor can do his/
her best to stabilize the area while the
specialist handles the specific situations.
The list of things that may need
attention is endless. In addition to the
items mentioned earlier are labor management situations covered by contract,
losses of separation where either the
controller or pilot makes a mistake,
incidents and accidents, and even
employee injuries at work. The front line
manager’s most important responsibility
is maintaining a safe environment that
supplies employees with enough support to accomplish the mission. The last
thing we want is for people to have too
many airplanes, or not enough help, or
not enough training to do their jobs.
If a supervisor continuously demonstrates total engagement in the operation
and mission, employees will be more
likely to view that supervisor as credible.
If you give employees the help they need
and do that all the time, you will create a healthy environment conducive to
relationship building. You truly lead by
example by doing things that are expected
of you all the time every time. “Do the
right thing even when nobody is looking.”
Technical Knowledge is Critical
Another critical area in establishing credibility is to be technically knowledgeable
in all aspects of the operation. Employees
need to know they can rely on you as
a source for answers. This is especially
important as the millennial generation is hired into the workforce. These
vibrant new employees are bright and
excited about their blossoming careers
and depend on us not only for information; but also for leadership, mentoring,
and coaching. There is an opportunity
for front line managers who have daily
contact with these aspiring professionals to make a positive difference in their
careers for years to come. These people
are watching how we conduct ourselves.
Leading by example means many
things, including being on time and
ready for work. It means treating other
managers and employees professionally,
and stopping or correcting rumors, gossip, and negativity. It means conducting
ourselves as professionals and treating
others with courtesy and tact.
It is as simple as exchanging a greeting
at the beginning of the day and as meaningful as saying “thank you” for a job well
done at the end. Being honest sometimes
is difficult when giving feedback, but in
reality, you may be doing employees a
huge favor by pointing out something in
their technique that needs attention.
Let’s get back to the notion that
developing relationships will put us
in a better position to be successful.
Should we see our employees as people
first or workers first? My belief is that if
you treat a person as people should be
www.faama.org
25
treated, the employee will follow. If they
are treated with dignity and respect and
have no reason to distrust you, they will
trust you. The vast majority of people
want to perform to the best of their ability. The people we lead do not want to
make mistakes, and it is part of our job
to help them be successful.
Integrity in the Workplace
The other word heard often when
describing an effective leader is “integrity,” defined as: “rigid adherence to
a code of values.” Values come in two
forms. First, we all have a set of personal values which we prioritize. Some
examples are honesty, loyalty, and
compassion. The second set of values is
the one in our professional lives that is
established by our employer. These values serve as reminders during our daily
work. FAA has established four values
worthy of consideration:
• Safety is our Passion.
• Quality is our Trademark.
• Integrity is our Character.
• People are our Strength.
These four simple values can combine
with personal values to help serve as a
professional compass anytime you enter
the world on the front lines as a supervisor. After eighteen years serving in this
operational environment, I’ve learned
a few things that may benefit everyone.
Sometimes things get chaotic. By referring to the values listed above, we can
develop a professional compass to help
gain the most success.
Assume Positive Intent
There is a phrase that I’ve heard that
always has a way of bringing me back to
the good in people. My manager reminds
us to “assume positive intent.” Every time
I hear the words, it makes me stop and
re-evaluate the situation and give his
advice a chance to work. This can happen
whether it is with a new FAA program
or policy, a manager’s decision, or an
employee’s position on an issue.
In the true spirit of team building we
should be looking for ways to not only
improve ourselves, but also to help others improve themselves. This often will
be the result when we offer constructive
feedback. Also, be tolerant of feedback
offered by others when it is your turn.
So another shift comes to an end, and
it is time to go home. A briefing is passed
to the next supervisor who will now face
the challenges ahead. Flights have been
arriving safely at their destinations as the
citizens we serve move about their business. For many, the thought of what goes
on behind the scenes on the front lines is
the farthest thing from their minds. For
others, it is the only thing that matters. ❙
SCHEDULE
FAAMA 2010-2011 Leadership Training Seminar Schedule
By Hal Albert, Membership Education Committee Chair, FAA Managers Association
The FAAMA Membership Education Committee
is pleased to announce the 2010–2011 Leadership Training Seminar (LT) schedule. The two-day
curriculum includes sixteen hours of intensive
Leadership training featuring customer-driven
operations and safety culture management.
We are pleased that our Lead Facilitator is again
retired US Marine General and San Francisco
Tower District Manager, Mr. Walt Smith. General
Walt is supported by Front Line Managers Ms.
Terri Waterman of Salt Lake ARTCC, and Mr.
Kevin Maggiore of Miami ARTCC.
The FAAMA LT Seminar is now official FAA
Management Training, has a FAA course
number, and qualifies as part of your fortyhour continuing management education plan.
Therefore, FAAMA LT Seminars qualify for
official off-site training “time-and-attendance”
status. Please note that Air Traffic Managers
are encouraged to assign “off-site training”
status to attendees. However, training status
assignment is at the ATM’s discretion.
At Minneapolis and other select sites, we are
adding Generational Mix training to our curriculum. As in 2008, Ms. Ventris Gibson, Assistant
26 managing the skies Nov/Dec 2009 www.faama.org
LT SEMINARS WILL BE CONDUCTED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES AND LOCATIONS:
dates
locations
February 8 - 10, 2010
Minneapolis, MN
March 8 - 10, 2010
Salt Lake, UT
April 2009 (dates TBD)
ATCSCC, Herndon, VA
May 10 - 11, 2010
Miami, FL
June 15 -16, 2010
Atlanta, GA
September 21 - 22, 2010
New York Metro area
December 7 - 9, 2010
Los Angeles Metro Area
April 21 - 23, 2011
Leadership Academy Prototype Class
Additional seminars may be added to the schedule.
Administrator for Human Resource Management or Members of her Certified Generational
Mix facilitator staff will join us.
NEW ENROLLMENT PROCEDURE
Only FAAMA members from the “local commuting area” may attend a specific seminar.
Local commuting area Members may request
enrollment via email addressed to the Regional
Director where the seminar is to be conducted.
A limited number of seats may be offered to
FAAMA Members from select “first-tier” facilities
(travel expense reimbursed by the Membership
Education Committee budget in accordance with
FAAMA Travel Policy). Finally, upon a “space
available basis,” a few seats may be available
for non-members.
If you have Members who may want to attend a
seminar, please contact your Regional Director.
Attendance selection will be based upon a
“first requested–first served basis.” For
additional information, please contact Hal Albert
at HAlbert@faama.org.
Join FAAMA Today!
NEW MEMBER PROFILE
Who is eligible to join?
Membership is open to: (1) individuals who occupy federal
supervisory, managerial or non-bargaining unit staff positions,
and (2) federal non-supervisory, non-managerial, or bargaining
unit eligible personnel who profess interest in the purpose and
goals of the Association.
What are the dues?
Association dues are assessed at 0.45 percent of the member’s
base pay rate per pay period. Twenty-five percent of these dues
are returned to members’ individual chapters as quarterly rebates.
To join, complete both the (1) FAAMA Member Registration
Form below and the (2) Standard Form 1187 (download a
PDF at www.faama.org/join) – then fax, scan or mail to:
FAA Managers Association, Inc.
2957 Heirloom Lane
Greenwood, IN 46143-6668
Secure Fax: (720) 920-1552
Email: tdury@faama.org
Al Ybarra
My career as an Air Traffic
Controller started with the
Air Force where I served
for nine years. During
my tenure with the Air
Force, I spent four years in
Germany, one year in Saudi
Arabia during Desert Storm, and four years at
Nellis AFB, Las Vegas, Nevada.
After I separated from the military, I accepted a
position with the Department of Defense, working
at Wheeler AAF as a Tower Supervisor on Oahu,
Hawaii. In 1997, I was offered a position (which I
accepted) with the FAA working at Hilo, Hawaii on
the Big Island. Although the facility was small, it
was one of the few remaining TRACABS in the FAA.
It offered the benefits of an approach control and
VFR Tower experience all in one. While working full
time, I also was able to attain a Bachelor’s degree
in Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical
University, including an MBA from the University
of Phoenix.
FAAMA Member Registration Form (please complete):
first name
last name
After living in paradise for four great years, I
decided it was time to move back to the mainland.
I am originally from San Antonio, Texas and wanted
to move somewhere near the coast. Fate led me to
Corpus Christi where I worked until I transferred to
Houston ARTCC in July 2005. In January 2008, I was
promoted to Front Line Manager.
company
address line 1
address line 2
city, state/province, zip
FAAMA was brought to my attention by two individuals, David Conley and Andy Cook. I can still
remember the discussion I had with Mr. Conley
regarding the importance of becoming a member
and getting involved with helping to shape my
future as a manager.
country
home phone
business phone
As a member of FAAMA, I firmly believe that the
mission of the association can only be achieved
through active participation and fostering strong
relationships with our peers. With these two
dimensions in place we can affect meaningful,
positive change. I look forward to my future in
FAAMA with pride and enthusiasm.
cell phone
persoanl email address (please do not use @.GOV)
business email address
faama chapter number (if known)
faa facility
faa position
www.faama.org
27
Look Who’s a Winner
By Anna Vredeveld, Director of Communications & Director, Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund
Nineteen students won FAA Managers Association (FAAMA)
scholarships this year, including an artist, fly fisher, competitive
paintball player, and marine mammal trainer assistant. The
winners each earned $1,000 toward their tuition bills in the
2009-2010 school year.
T
Congratulations to
the scholarship winners!
top row, pgs. 28-29, left to right:
Jaclyn Wood, Christina Cerovsky,
Kyle Serreyn, Emily Ancinec,
Sydney Green, Kathryn Dury,
Shaun Forbes
bottom row, pgs. 28-29, left to right:
Crystal Darby, Nicolaus Hawbaker,
Heather Kennedy, Joseph Rydeen,
Lauren Bohrer, Cameron Cahill,
Mary Kowal, Bryan Sloan
28
www.faama.org
he Federal Employee Education
and Assistance Fund (FEEA), a
nonprofit charity that operates
without government assistance, administers the FAAMA-FEEA scholarship
program. Students who apply for the
scholarship are also eligible for FEEA’s
other awards, including the FEEA
general scholarship and the $5,000
FEEA-National Treasury Employees’
Union scholarship.
Now an annual tradition, FAAMA
raises money for the program at the
annual Gathering of Eagles convention in Las Vegas. Steve Bauer, FEEA
Executive Director, says, “We raise more
money at the FAAMA convention than at
any of our other fundraisers or conventions. FAA employees really know how
to take care of their own.” In addition
to the money raised at the convention,
three of the scholarships awarded were
funded by a generous donation from
the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal
Employee Program.
Students competed for the FAAMA
scholarships by submitting detailed
applications in early 2009 that included
transcripts, recommendation letters,
student essays, and information about
their school and community activities.
Nineteen students were chosen and they
represented 14 states. Their sponsors –
all FAA employees – averaged 25 years
of service.
Each year, FEEA raises money for
its scholarship program through the
Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The
scholarships available in each region
are determined by CFC donations in that
area. FAA employees can contribute in
this year’s CFC using Pledge #11185.
About the Scholarship Program
Candidates for the FAAMA scholarship
must have a 3.0 grade point average,
study at an accredited university, and
be FAAMA members, their spouses or
college-age children. Winners are chosen
for their academic achievement and community service. Applications are available from January to March each year at
www.FEEA.org.
Meet The Winners
morgan ammons of Fayetteville,
Georgia, was sponsored by her mother,
Penny Ammons, of the Atlanta Air Route
Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). Morgan,
a junior, is enrolled in the nursing program at Auburn University. A gifted athlete who competed in gymnastics teams
for most of her younger life, Morgan has
a passion for health and fitness. She is a
frequent volunteer through her church
and aspires to help others through a
health career.
emily ancinec of Freeland,
Michigan, was sponsored by
her father, Gary Ancinec, of
the Detroit Terminal Radar
Approach Control Facility (TRACON).
A sophomore at Bowling Green State
University, Emily is Chief of Staff for the
student government and serves as a resident advisor in her dormitory. She is also
involved in church and its multimedia
team along with being a part of Dance
Marathon for the Children’s Miracle
Network. She is studying political science in hopes of becoming a Senate
staffer or lawyer.
lauren bohrer of Sayville, New York,
was sponsored by her father, Todd Bohrer,
of the New York ARTCC. Maintaining a
busy schedule of work, school and service, Lauren is working toward a master’s
degree in marine science at the University
of North Carolina at Wilmington where
she is also a teaching assistant for undergraduate biology labs. Already she has
interned at a local aquarium where she
assisted marine mammal trainers during
animal performances.
cameron cahill
of Madison,
Connecticut, was
sponsored by his
father, Thomas
Cahill, of the Yankee TRACON. An
incoming freshman at Paul Smith’s
College, Cameron is an avid mountain
biker, skier and fisherman. He also holds
a recreational lobster license. Cameron
participates in many mission trips and
fundraisers and holds the rank of Life
Scout from the Boy Scouts of America.
christina cerovsky of Fayetteville,
Georgia, was sponsored by her father,
Roger Cerovsky, of the Atlanta ARTCC.
An incoming freshman at Georgia State
University, “Christie” is a dedicated
student with interests in music, foreign
language, English literature and science.
She also finds time to serve as a volunteer in her local soup kitchen. Christie is
majoring in biology and was awarded an
assistantship in biology.
crystal darby of Fernandina Beach,
Florida, was sponsored by her father,
Evan Darby, Jr., of the Jacksonville
www.faama.org
29
ARTCC. A junior at Liberty University,
Crystal works 30 hours a week, and participates in many activities at her church
and on campus, while attending college
full time as an honors student. Among
her many talents, she is a cheerleading
coach and certified Starbucks barista.
kathryn dury of Greenwood, Indiana,
was sponsored by her father, Thomas
Dury, of the Indianapolis ARTCC. Not
many high school students have their
own businesses, but “Katy” founded her
own dog-sitting business while working two other jobs and attending school
full time. Skilled at transforming her
passions into concrete projects, Katy also
founded the 4 Paws Club at her high
school, which brings high school volunteers to area animal shelters. Katy is a
freshman at William Woods University.
shaun forbes of Deland, Florida,
was sponsored by his father, Glenn
Forbes, the acting North Florida General
National Airspace System (GNAS) manager in the Tampa District. A sophomore
at the University of Miami, Shaun is
studying management science and health
administration. He also works as an
academic tutor for athletes and for the
university’s alumni association. Shaun
has twice interned at the U.S. House of
Representatives.
sydney green of Pembroke Pines,
Florida, was sponsored by her mother,
Karen Green, of the Miami ARTCC. A
freshman at Harvard University, Sydney
is an accomplished student athlete who
excels at both basketball and academics.
Sydney received a Silver Knight nomination from the Miami Herald. She also
earned a Gold Award for service from the
Girl Scouts of America – the highest honor
bestowed by this group. These awards
are befitting of Sydney’s regular volunteer
work as a tutor and a hospital aide.
nicolaus hawbaker of Brookfield,
Illinois, was sponsored by his father, Jon
Hawbaker, of the Phoenix Air Traffic
Control Tower. A four-time winner of
the FAAMA-FEEA Scholarship, Nicolas
30
www.faama.org
is working toward his medical degree at
Loyola University. Nicolaus volunteers
regularly at a free health clinic in inner
city Chicago, and he is the vice president of his school’s local chapter of the
Christian Medical and Dental Association.
ashleigh hruz of Mattituck, New
York, was sponsored by her father,
Peter Hruz, of the New York ARTCC.
A starting freshman at Binghamton
University, she also participated in the
Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training
Corps. Volunteering regularly as a reading buddy, counselor and Sunday school
teacher, Hruz has given hundreds of
hours to children in her community.
heather kennedy of the Minneapolis
ARTCC sponsored herself for a scholarship. Currently a senior at Park
University, Heather is working toward a
bachelor’s degree and plans to go on for a
master’s in industrial and organizational
psychology. Heather volunteers with her
local fire department. She enjoys snowshoeing, fishing, gardening and canoeing.
mary kowal of Amherst, Ohio, was
sponsored by her father, Henry Kowal, of
the Cleveland ARTCC. Mary is a senior
at Boston University studying international relations and public health. Mary
works regularly at Habitat for Humanity
build sites, and she joined classmates
in a one-week building trip in South
Carolina. In her position as the grant
writer of her Habitat chapter, she also
aids with fundraising.
morgan price of Lees Summit,
Missouri, was sponsored by her father,
David Price, of the Kansas City ARTCC.
Morgan is a chemistry major at Spelman
College interested in a career in dentistry
or another health-related field. While
maintaining her rigorous course load,
Morgan maintains a job and also works
as a resident assistant.
lindsey roetzel of Haslet, Texas,
was sponsored by her father, Anthony
Roetzel, of the Central Service Center in
Fort Worth, Texas. Now a freshman at
Texas A&M University, Lindsey participated in an agricultural studies program
at her high school where she raised a
prize-winning sheep, judged horses and
showed sheep and steer. Lindsey has
also volunteered in a range of interesting
ways, including caring for animals at an
animal shelter, cleaning riding trails and
leading trail rides at a local ranch.
joseph rydeen of Little Falls,
Minnesota, was sponsored by his father,
Carl Rydeen, of the Minneapolis ARTCC.
A three-sport athlete and captain of his
football team, Joe was recognized by
his high school as an exemplary scholar
athlete. In addition to his sportsmanship,
Joe participates in a church program
focused on feeding low-income families.
He also shares his abilities by coaching
younger players at summer camp. Joe is a
freshman at the University of Minnesota.
kyle serreyn of Lakeville, Minnesota,
was sponsored by his father, Paul
Serreyn, of the Minneapolis ARTCC. A
freshman at Creighton University, Kyle
has completed 25 triathlons and other
multi-sport events. He also volunteers as
an animal handler at his local zoo.
bryan sloan of Hilliard, Florida, was
sponsored by his father, Lloyd Sloan, of
the Jacksonville ARTCC. Following in
his father’s footsteps. Bryan is studying
air traffic management at Middle Georgia
College. After three separate hurricanes
in 2004, 2005 and 2008, Bryan participated in clean-up and repair projects in
Florida and New Orleans. Among his
other activities, he plays on a national
competitive paintball team.
jaclyn wood of Manchester, New
Hampshire was sponsored by her father,
Randall Wood, Jr., of the Boston ARTCC.
A freshman at Plymouth State University,
she is working toward a bachelor of fine
arts. Jaclyn has won numerous regional
awards, and one of her artistic pieces was
recently entered into a national competition. She sings and dances and performs
in an elite teen theatre company. ❙
Why the Federal Program is a
Smart Choice for Members of
the FAA Managers Association:
The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program was designed
specifically for members of the Federal Family. It is sponsored by the
Federal Government and backed by two of the country’s top insurance
companies. The Federal Program is designed to help protect enrollees
against the high costs of long term care. Personal access to registered
nurse care coordinators, and home care provisions are just a few of the
reasons why the Federal Program may be the smart choice for you.
Call for a FREE rate quote and more information.
Your friends at
The Federal
Long Term Care
Insurance Program
1-800-LTC-FEDS (1-800-582-3337)
•
TTY: 1-800-843-3557
•
www.LTCFEDS.com/FAAMA
Note: Certain medical conditions, or combination of conditions, will prevent some people from being approved
for coverage. You need to apply to find out if you qualify for coverage under this Program.
www.faama.org
31
32
www.faama.org

Leading on the Front Lines

Transcription

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