Advocates for Aviation Leaders · FAAMA 2012 Convention THE ADVOCATE FOR AVIATION LEADERS ......

T H E A D V O C A T E F O R A V I A T I O N L E A D E R S

Advocates for Aviation Leaders

FAA ACT ING ADM IN I STRATOR

Michael HuertaFAAMA PRES IDENT

David Conley

Jan/Feb 2012 • Vol.10 No.1

Featured

08 �Benefits�of� Non-Cognitive� ATC�Skills�Training Reducing Time to Certification

16 ��Consultative�Agreement�Signing

20 Do�you�have�the�Leadership�Trait�Required�for� Tough�Times? 2011 Leaders

22 ��Adding�Levity� to�Leadership

Departments

06 Washington�Watch A Seat at the Table

13 FAAMA�Interview David Grizzle, ATO COO

25 Money�Talks Your Annual Financial

To-Do List

26 Spotlight�on�an�Aviation�Leader James Grayson

Advertisers 02

The�Federal�Long�Term�Care�Insurance�Program� www.LTCFEDS.com/FAAMA

32 FAAMA�2012�Convention www.FAAMA.org

THE ADVOCATE FOR AVIATION LEADERSJanuary/February 2012 • Vol.10 No.1

FAA MANAGERS ASSOCIATION, INC. #3154410 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016Tel 202.741.9415 | www.faama.org

MISSIONWe promote aviation safety and efficiency, advocate for our members' interests, prepare the managers of today to be the leaders of tomorrow, and support the highest ideals of the Federal Government.

OFFICERSPresident, David ConleyVice President, Stephen SmithSecretary, Julie FidlerTreasurer, Tom Dury

DIRECTORSDirector of Administration, VacantDirector of Communications, Laurie ZugayDirector of Legislative Affairs, Tony TisdallDirector of Membership, David ChappuiesParliamentarian, Andy TaylorMembership Education Committee Chair, Hal AlbertPolitical Action Committee Chair, Dan CunninghamCorporate Relations Representative, James GraysonAlaskan Region, Darla GerlachCentral Region, Joyce DavisEastern Region, Rich BakerGreat Lakes Region, Heather Mullett New England Region, Bruce HallNorthwest Mountain Region, Lori ScharfSouthern Region, Billy ReedSouthwest Region, Michael (Hitch) CombeWestern Pacific Region, Vacant

PUBLISHERKathleen Cummins Mifsud

MANAGING EDITORLaurie Zugay

STAFF EDITORSPam Adams, Anita Engelmann, and John Sideris

CONTRIBUTORSLouis Dupart, April Rutkowski, Kathleen Cummins Mifsud, Mike Staver, Tim Gard, Kelly Boodell, Michael Klesius, Glenn Livingston, and Michael Livingston.

PHOTOGRAPHYCover photograph and photos pages 4, 6, and 12-18 by Kathleen Cummins Mifsud; photos page 9 by Monica Cunningham.

DESIGNSagetopia, 703.726.6400, www.sagetopia.com

EDITORIAL & SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIESManaging the Skies1775 East Riviera Drive, Merritt Island, FL 32952Telephone: 202.251.0386Email: [email protected]

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 sub-scription rate is $49. Please address your inquiries to [email protected] and [email protected].

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.

© 2012 FAA Managers Association, Inc. All rights reserved.

CORRECTIONIn the November/December 2011 issue of Managing the Skies, the URL identifying the location of photog-rapher Terence Chang’s time-lapse photos of the San Francisco airport used on the cover should be http://bit.ly/sfoTrails.

08 13

24 Heros�in�the�Tower

26 No�Place�for�Bullies� in�the�Workplace

29 FAAMA-FEEA�2012�Scholarship�Program�and�Application

31 Corporate�Partners�&�Leadership�Training�Schedule

4 MANAGING THE SKIES | JAN/FEB 2012

Save the Date // Oct. 14-18, 2012

Plan now to attend by submitting an annual leave request to cover your attendance. As an incentive for attending, some FAAMA Chapters reimburse some or all of their members’ Convention expenses. Make plans now – don’t miss the 32nd Annual FAAMA Gathering of Eagles Convention – in an all-new, exciting new setting.

Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is a Southwest-themed hotel encircling Lago Dorado – a glimmering 22-acre lake – that evokes the spirit and romance of Spanish-colonial Mexico. From the welcoming spring-fed Fountain of the Doves to the hidden treasures of the Mayan-ruin themed Dig Site pool, guests enjoy an unforgettable experience at the Coronado Springs Resort.

Plus, there are virtually unlimited options for seeing and doing much more:

• Walt Disney World theme parks are just minutes away from the hotel, and a handy shuttle bus runs from the hotel to the parks.

• Carnival, Disney, and Royal Caribbean International cruise lines sail from Port Canaveral, just 65 miles east of the hotel.

• Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex where you can find amazing NASA exhibits is 62 miles east of the hotel in Orsino, FL (near Cape Canaveral).

Make this a family vacation! Coronado Springs Resort will honor the FAAMA Convention room rate for the weekends

prior to and following the Convention.

32nd Annual Gathering of EaglesDisney Coronado Springs Resort | Orlando2012

The 32nd Annual FAAMA 2012 Convention is mov-ing to an exciting new location in Orlando. FAAMA will submit the training agenda to the FAA for approval of excused time during training sessions.


FAAMA is a not for profit corporation — not a govern-ment agency group. FAAMA is not an internal Agency organization. We raise our own funds, follow our

own path, are free to lobby Congress, and are free to create alliances with like-minded orga-nizations within and outside of government.

We actively and success-fully lobby Congress. FAAMA has an active Legislative Committee that represents FAAMA issues to members of Congress who can sup-

port our causes. The force of FAAMA advocacy was demonstrated in December 2009 with the successful passing of comprehensive federal workforce legislation. With the addition of an Executive Director in 2011, we are expanding FAAMA’s voice and reach in our nation’s capitol.

FAAMA collaborates with our Agency. With the for-mal signing of a Consultative Relationship between the Association and the FAA in December, 2011, FAAMA achieved

a new level of collaboration with the Agency. FAAMA members have an opportunity to par-ticipate in Agency workgroups or serve in lead-ership roles where they can influence a positive outcome that benefit the aviation community.

FAAMA supplies superb information. There is a great deal of information available relevant to what we do, who we are, and what is happening within the aviation indus-try. FAAMA provides current infor-

mation through the award-winning Managing the Skies magazine, the dynamic Association website, and through the efforts of Association leadership. If members have questions, FAAMA can find the answers!

Networking opportunities are unsurpassed. Local FAAMA Chapters provide networking oppor-tunities that otherwise may be missed. FAAMA-sponsored events such as Chapter Leadership Training

and the annual Gathering of Eagles Convention offer a wealth of networking opportunities both in local areas and in Washington, D.C.

These five reasons for

joining FAAMA build a

strong case for why being

a member is a positive

and beneficial experi-

ence for professionals in

all FAA lines of business.

Spread the word about

the benefits of FAAMA

membership to your FAA

friends and colleagues

so that they may have a

clearer picture of what it

means to be a member.

12

3

4

5

Top5Reasons for Joining FAAMA

THE ADVOCATE FOR AVIATION LEADERSwww.FAAMA.org

JAN/FEB 2012 | MANAGING THE SKIES 5

T he city is full of hungry applicants, but without invited access, the only room is outside with the valet. In fact, you will

not be considered a player until you have a seat at the table. This table, with limited seating, is where policy is formed and legislation is drafted.

You cannot reserve a seat by using Open Table® with a few key strokes at the computer. You earn your seat by providing effective educa-tion to members of Congress and their staffs on why your organization merits an invitation.

Success is elusive and only flows to the most dedicated. Of course, everyone believes that they have com-pelling reasons to afford them a seat.

Being granted a seat signals to everyone that you have arrived and that your comments and positions have to be measured, addressed, and folded into whatever ultimate policy derives from the discussion. Indeed, former CIA Director Richard Helms once remarked that his stature and effectiveness in Washington increased dra-matically once President Johnson asked him to have lunch together once a week. No one knew precisely what transpired at their lunches, but they all knew that Director Helms had the ear of the most important policy maker of all.

On November 17, FAAMA President David Conley joined Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Deputy Chief Operating Officer Rick Ducharme from the FAA; Department of Transportation

(DOT) Inspector General Calvin Scovel III; Government Accountability Office (GAO) Representative Gerald L. Dillingham; and National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Paul Rinaldi at a House Aviation Subcommittee Roundtable to discuss terminal and runway safety.

For several years, the Subcommittee has held closed-door round tables with senior officials that provide Subcommittee Members an oppor-tunity to talk with the participants about key aviation issues at the FAA. These meetings are informal and off the record. This format pro-vides a free atmosphere for candid discussions of developments at the FAA. It also signifies whose opinions the Aviation Subcommittee values and is seeking. For the outsiders, it signifies who the real players are.

We sought an opportunity to join this select group. Our work paid off when Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Petri offered President Conley an opportunity to appear. Ranking Member Costello, who most recently spoke at our October 2011 Convention, endorsed our appearance.

Given that this was our debut, FAAMA President David Conley put in place a senior advi-sory team, led by former FAAMA President Steve Baker, to prepare him for this “off the record” session. Steve immediately tasked the team with identi-fying key issues and developing a short,

A Seat at the TableWashington, DC is the ultimate exclusive dinner partyA message from the Executive Director

Being granted a seat signals to everyone that

you have arrived...

Washington Watch

� �Left�to�Right: David Conley, FAAMA President, and Louis Dupart, FAAMA Executive Director, and Managing Partner, The Normandy Group; at far right, Krista Stark, Founding Partner, The Normandy Group.



crisp message for the Committee. Four FAAMA members assembled in Washington to hone the message for David to deliver off the cuff.

Earlier this year, FAAMA testimony on the Hill regarding the Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP) seemingly caught FAA senior leadership by surprise, even though it was pro-vided to them days before the hearing. So as not to catch FAA off guard with this event, we held a consultative call with Rick Ducharme prior to the roundtable.

When the session opened at 11 a.m., David was prepared and delivered our message flaw-lessly. No one was surprised by FAAMA’s mes-sage, and we continued to stay on point. Our message included the following key topics: the FAA needs to create more supervisory posi-tions; we support ATSAP, but we need to align it with accountability; and finally, we addressed morale. The FAA simply needs to re-establish the esprit de corps that used to permeate the Agency.

Post roundtable, we received positive feed-back. More telling, there were a series of phone calls with FAA leadership in which they acknowl-edged that the Association is a key player, and that our views are important and are being fac-tored into decision-making at the FAA.

This also is evidenced by the recently signed Consultative Agreement between the FAA and FAAMA. Given this invitation to such an elite, private event, and our continued presence in the media concerning legislation important to our members, the FAA Managers Association surely will be considered a “regular” to the future din-ner parties of Washington, DC. £

The�Advocate�For�Aviation�LeadersLouis Dupart, Executive DirectorFAA Managers Association, Inc.

2011

¢ Gold Award, MarCom Creative Communicator Awards

¢ Bronze Spotlight Award, LACP

¢ Gold Award, Hermes Creative Awards, AMCP

¢ Silver Communicator Award of Distinction, IAVA

2010

¢ Platinum Award, Hermes Creative Awards, AMCP

¢ Platinum Award, MarCom Creative Communicator Awards

¢ Inspire Top 50 Communications Materials, LACP

¢ Silver Spotlight Award, LACP


¢ Bronze Inspire Award for Excellence, LACP

2009

¢ Platinum Spotlight Awards Encore, LACP

¢ Spotlight Top 50 Communications Materials, LACP



¢ Silver Spotlight Award for Excellence, LACP


¢ Bronze Award, Summit International Awards

2008



¢ Silver Inspire Award for Excellence, LACP

¢ Inspire Top 50 Communications Materials, LACP


2007

¢ Platinum Inspire Award for Excellence, LACP




¢ Top 50 Publications of 2006, LACP

2006


¢ Gold Award of Excellence, 2006 Print Media Communicator Awards


¢ Bronze Inspire Award for Excellence, LACP

2005



2004

¢ Top 100 Publicity Materials of 2004, LACP


AMCP: Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals

IAVA: International Academy of Visual Arts

LACP: League of American Communication Professionals

Managing the Skies AWARDS

Advanced�ATC,�Inc.�(AATC),�a�private�air�traffic�control�academy�located�at�Wiregrass�Georgia�Technical�College�in�Valdosta,�GA,�offers�an�accelerated�Control�Tower�Operator’s�Certificate�Program.�This�program�consists�of�intensive�academic�curriculum�and�live�traffic�with�a�major�focus�on�advanced�tower�simulation�training.�

Applying the “REST Rule”AATC applies what is called the Recommended Effective Simulator Training (REST) Rule. Through application of the REST Rule, AATC has found that, on average, students with little or no experience can work ATC level 12 traf-fic during the four-month mark in advanced simulation training while continuing to hone their skills for the remaining two months. Experiential learning in a simulator environ-ment for an extended amount of time can increase the student’s mastery of skill sets by as much as four times.

Monthly Measurement of Non-Cognitive Skill SetsMonthly measurement of non-cognitive skill sets is important, and AATC identifies nine specific areas of measurement. Non-cognitive skills are developed both through repetitive deliberate learning and through constant prac-tice or experience.

Just as specific simulation scenarios can be developed for a student to work on a certain job task – for example, issuing traffic alerts – instructors can modify those scenarios in a way that will require the student to display certain non-cognitive skills such as adapting to changing conditions.

Human Factors in Air Traffic ControlThe National Academy of Sciences dis-cusses human factors in air traffic control (Flight to the Future: Human Factors in Air Traffic Control, 1997). A study conducted by Ackerman et al. examined the power of a broad set of ability and personality traits to predict skill acquisition during different stages of training in a simulator.

Their results show that whereas cogni-tive and perceptual ability scales provided the strongest predictions, overall predictive power could be enhanced by pooling ability measures with measures of personality and self-concept.

Personality assessments measuring cogni-tive ability have been a common practice in air traffic selection processes. The traditional point of view equates skill with intelligence or aptitude. Intellectual ability usually is measured through written tests. A result is received and a person’s cognitive skill level is determined on the basis of the test score.

These results typically are used to con-clude how successful someone will be in a specific area of work. Yet, this does not fully describe how well someone will perform their job. Emotional intelligence and personality factors are just as – if not more – significant demonstrations of performance.

Non-Cognitive Air Traffic Control Skills Training

Reducing “Time to Certification”

April RutkowskiQuality Assurance

Specialist, Advanced ATC, Inc.

Benefits of




Applying Both Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skills SimultaneouslyThese non-cognitive skills are learned by repeti-tive practice and experience in real-life situa-tions. In order to produce a positive change in emotional intelligence, one must engage in ways that connect them socially. When a person is under a higher than average level of stress, ratio-nal thinking and decision making, along with many other non- cognitive skills, become more difficult to execute.

Sometimes this stress can get in the way of successfully performing cognitively as well. It becomes necessary – especially in the field of air traffic control – to be able to simultaneously carry out cognitive and non-cognitive skills in any and all situations.

Unlike cognitive ability, personality mea-sures in personnel selection have not been as prevalent. In any case, those who are in or around an air traffic control facility would likely agree that there are some common personality traits among controllers.

Personality as a Performance PredictorStudies show a favorable verdict for personality as a performance predictor. Different jobs require different attributes for success. This is especially true for air traffic control specialists. For control-lers, some essential non-cognitive skills for suc-cessful job performance include:

¢ Decisiveness,

¢ Self confidence,

¢ Willingness to work as a team,

¢ Adaptability to changing situations, and

¢ Thinking clearly in stressful situations.

Job performance, however, is not a single unified construct. It can most generally be divided into two dimensions: task performance and contextual performance. Task performance includes the behaviors associated with the exe-cution of a specific task such as using correct phraseology, providing separation, and scan-ning the control environment.

Contextual performance includes the behav-iors that contribute to the organizational effec-tiveness through its impact on the psychological, social, and organizational context of work such as composure, self-confidence, and working coop-eratively. Enhancing contextual performance while simultaneously carrying out job tasks will

enhance a student’s success as a controller and improve over-all job performance.

The Sixteen Personality Factor QuestionnaireThe Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) developed by Raymond B. Cattell is widely used in personnel selection and development. This assess-ment identifies personal quali-ties that influence behaviors in work settings such as problem-solving and interpersonal style.

A study examining the 16PF scores of FAA Academy trainees found that air traffic students exhibited less anxiety, higher self discipline and emo-tional stability, and were more assertive and self-reliant than normative samples.

The State-Trait Personality InventoryThe State-Trait Personality Inventory (STPI), a questionnaire developed by Charles D. Spielberger, is used mostly for research and clini-cal purposes. It is comprised of eight 10-item scales which measure anxiety, anger, depres-sion, and curiosity. This includes 40 state items and 40 trait items. A state item aims to assess one’s current emotional state while a trait item aims to assess ones emotional disposition.

Using the STPI, a study testing air traffic con-trol trainees found that the students exhibited less anxiety and anger than normative groups. It also was discovered that students who had higher than average anxiety and anger scores were more likely to fail at the FAA Academy. It is evident that air traffic controllers must possess certain work related characteristics to perform their job well.

Advanced ATC students in the simulator at Wiregrass Georgia Technical College in Valdosta, GA.


GRADUATE CUMULATIVE

AVERAGETABLE 1-1

LT. MAVERICKTABLE 1-2


Work Environment and Personal CharacteristicsPeople bring certain qualities to work while other qualities are generated by the work environment. A job specific task may elicit a certain characteristic, and a certain characteristic the person pos-sesses may determine the way the job task is carried out; therefore, there is room for growth within these qualities.

In order for someone to grow within their traits and continue to develop desired traits, initial assessment and continual tracking must take place. Developmental controllers are assessed in two ways prior to entering the air traffic control profession: (1) aptitude and (2) personality.

When the developmental is in the training process, specific job tasks and subtasks are continuously tracked and developed. The trainee is building upon and expanding their cognitive skills. Just as this is a crucial part of the training process, constant tracking and devel-oping of certain non-cognitive traits is equally important. This can be accom-plished by advanced simulation training.

Tracking and Training “Traits” and “States”In order to develop non-cognitive skill sets, it is important to understand that each student has “traits”, or habit-ual patterns of behavior and emo-tion. Additionally, each student has “states,” or immediate, transitory, cur-rent behaviors and emotions. During a simulation scenario, job tasks must be carried out under a multitude of cir-cumstances which may elicit a certain state for an individual.

Now they must perform a non-cognitive skill they are not used to performing; one that is not a trait that they possess. When circumstances draw out necessary behaviors or responses in a frequent manner, states tend to become more stable over time.

The key factor is consistency. Through constant simulation scenarios, students can develop their states into the neces-sary traits required of a successful air traffic controller.

Advanced Simulation Training Develops the Non-Cognitive Skill SetOver the last two and a half years, AATC has been tracking and developing the non-cognitive skill sets of its stu-dents during the advanced simulation phase of training. This phase lasts six months in total and includes 400 to 600 hours of simulation. Once each month, students are individually assessed on their non-cognitive skills performance.

The evaluation scale ranges from zero to ten; zero equates to an entry level skill set and ten meaning having mastered the skill set. Students are rated in nine areas of non-cognitive skill sets as identified by subject matter experts: 1. Personal Tolerance,

2. Working Cooperatively,

3. Professionalism,

4. Composure,

5. Flexibility,

6. Decisiveness,

7. Self-Confidence,

8. Prioritization, and

9. Execution.

Data from AATC graduates provides evidence that students who have com-pleted six months of advanced simula-tion training will develop non-cognitive skill sets beginning at an entry level performance and increasing to near or reaching a mastered level (See Table 1-1).

Most people are familiar with the “Top Gun Maverick Syndrome.” This character demonstrates a mastery of skills as a pilot; however his non-cogni-tive interpersonal skill set diminishes the effectiveness of the Team or Unit.

Table 1-2 demonstrates an example of this type of behavior in our simula-tion training. Data from current students is continually charted and evaluated to ensure continued development in all nine areas. Students have consistently demonstrated enhancing contextual per-formance while simultaneously enhanc-ing task performance.

Successful Controllers Possess Specific Non-Cognitive and Cognitive SkillsExamining historical studies in the selec-tion and developing of air traffic control specialists results in a continual theme. Air traffic controllers who possess cer-tain non-cognitive and cognitive skills perform at a higher level than others. Being able to evaluate these skill sets in a simulative environment and making proper facility placement or termination based on those skills should reduce the OJT attrition rate to zero.

The important factor in facility placement is to understand the REST Rule. Based on our experiences in a full time simulation training environ-ment, AATC feels very comfortable in saying that six months of ATC simula-tion is the most effective time period for this achievable goal. This is based upon students mastering the application and execution of FAA Order 7110.65, Air Traffic Control.

Ninety Percent Simulation Training Ratio Delivers Best PerformanceIn conclusion, AATC believes that simu-lation training time should be performed at least 90 percent of the time compared to just 10 percent OJT time. For example, a facility that averages two years time to certification (TTC) can reduce its cer-tification time to two or three months. Projected outcomes are zero OJT attrition and significantly reduced TTC. £

REFERENCES1. Dean, M. A., Russell, C. J., & Farmer, W. L. Non-Cognitive Predictors of Air Traffic Controller Performance. 24-25.2. Fiske, D.W. (1971). Managing Personality. Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers.3. Hilsenroth, M. J., Segal, D. L., & Hersen, M. (Eds.). (2004). Comprehensive Handbook of Psychological Assessment: Personality Assessment, Vol. 2. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.4. Impelman, K. (2007). How Does Personality Relate to Contextual Performance, Turnover, and Customer Service?. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Information and Learning Company

(UMI Microform 3300955)5. King, R. E., Retzlaff, P. D., Detwiler, C. A., Schroeder, D. J., & Broach, D. FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute & University of Northern Colorado Psychology Department. (2003). Use of Personality

Measures in the Selection of Air Traffic Control Specialists. (Report No. DOT/FAA/AM-03/20).6. Wickens, C. D., Mavor, A. S., & McGee, J. P. (Eds.). (1997). Flight to the Future: human Factors in air Traffic Control. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

On July 7, 2011, David

Grizzle became Chief

Operating Officer

(COO) of the FAA’s Air

Traffic Organization

(ATO). According to

U.S. Department of

Transportation Secretary

Ray LaHood, “David is the

right person to take on this

critical challenge. He has

a unique ability to manage

complex situations and the

leadership skills to bring

people together and get the

job done.”

FAAMA Interview

“ My top three priorities for the ATO are… have the right people in the right seats, watch

the right dials, and fulfill our commitments.”

David J. GrizzleChief Operating Officer, Air Traffic Organization

G rizzle, who became FAA’s chief counsel

in 2009, had been filling the role of COO

since mid-April. Before joining the FAA, he

worked with Continental Airlines and its affiliates

for 22 years.

“The Air Traffic Organization is involved in a

once-in-a-generation transformation. I could not

be more honored to be a part of the ATO team,”

said Grizzle.

As COO, Grizzle is responsible for leading the

FAA’s 35,000 air traffic controllers, technicians,

engineers, and support personnel who are respon-

sible for keeping our nation’s air traffic system

moving safely and efficiently, 24 hours a day,

seven days a week.

Previously, Grizzle served as the FAA’s Chief

Counsel, from June 2009 to April 2011. He led the

300-person legal team responsible for agency

regulation, safety enforcement and compliance

programs, airport and environmental matters,

and personnel and labor law.

Three months after becoming ATO COO,

David Grizzle graciously agreed to be interviewed

by Managing the Skies. Anthony Tisdall, System

Operations Air Traffic Control System Command

Center (ATCSCC), and Director of Legislative

Affairs, FAA Managers Association (FAAMA),

conducted the interview.

How does your background in airline management contribute to your ATO

leadership?

» Grizzle: For 22 years, I was a senior

executive at Continental Airlines. For the

majority of that time I was running marketing,

and then an activity called customer experience

– both of which involved a very close nexus to the

operation. Both were conducted in a large complex

organization. At the time, Continental was about

the size of the FAA in terms of employees. So, I

believe the experience of working in a large com-

plex aviation industry operation gave me a lot of

insights that I find invaluable in coming into this

Agency. Also, both organizations have very similar

missions – safe and efficient flight.

What new challenges are you facing at the helm of the ATO?

» Grizzle: The ATO is composed of a group of

consummate experts – in fact, the level of exper-

tise that is brought together in the ATO is like

nothing I’ve ever seen in any other organization.

So the challenge is to take all of that technical

expertise and equip the group with good manage-

ment disciplines so that we can harvest and har-

ness all this incredible energy and talent.

As the culture begins to change, will it impact service delivery?

» Grizzle: Absolutely. We are focusing on what

I call principles-based leadership which means

articulating the principles and themes we want

our managers to embody in leading their partic-

ular facilities. What they are doing is affecting

every aspect of the operation. I don’t think there

is any portion of our user group that will be unaf-

fected beneficially by the changes we are making.



What are the top three priorities for the ATO now?

» Grizzle: My top three priorities for the ATO

are captured by what I call “the three habits,”

including:

1. Have the right people in the right seats.

2. Watch the right dials.

3. Fulfill our commitments.

To explain that a bit further, we want to

make sure that we have identified exactly what

seats on the bus we need to have. Because we

want to make sure that we have the right peo-

ple sitting in the right seats, we’ve also made

some management changes.

Looking at the right dials means that we

need to know that we have the right metrics.

We are asking folks to develop good metrics to

guide our management behavior. Some of the

value areas of our product are safety, first of all,

and then efficiency or cost-effectiveness, and,

finally, which I call community or people val-

ues. How are we treating people?

We also have to fulfill our commitments.

From time to time, the ATO has made com-

mitments, but was unable to follow through. A

very big part of preserving and expanding our

credibility is to ensure that the ATO deliver on

all of its commitments. Whether it is some-

thing as large as bringing En Route Automation

Modernization (ERAM) on line or as small as

revising our supervisor pay scales, the ATO

must deliver. If we say we are going to do some-

thing – we are going to do it.

Are we getting to the level of detail that you want to see?– Tony Tisdall

We are focusing on improving the quality of the line controllers coming into the agency. We have just received a report from a blue ribbon panel com-missioned to look at the beginning experience and training of con-trollers. We want to improve not only the technical quality, but also the professional insights of the people coming into the agency – the people who ultimately will become tomorrow’s management leaders.

We also are conscientiously reviewing the training experiences and expecta-tions of people as they make their ini-tial move into FAA management. We will be making changes to our front-line management focus, but we don’t yet know what these changes will be. We need to dovetail more precisely with the changes we will be making in controller training.

Most of all, we want to prepare our employees to be leaders – not just managers. If we improve the quality of our feedstock and, at the same time, improve the quality of the experience once people have moved into lead-ership positions, we will be better able to replace our management as needed.”

Independent Panel Recommends Improvements in Air Traffic Controller Selection, Assignment, and Training

As part of the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association’s (NATCA) Call to Action on air traffic control-ler safety and professionalism, in spring 2011 the FAA commis-sioned an independent panel to review how to improve all aspects of an air traffic controller’s

experience at the FAA, including hiring, training, placement, and career development.

The panel reviewed the FAA’s process for selecting air traffic control-lers, the acad-emy training program, col-legiate train-

ing initiative programs, controller selection and placement in air traffic facilities, on-the-job train-ing, air traffic controller profes-sional standards, and the FAA organizational structure that oversees controller training and placement.

In September, the panel provided 49 recommendations in a 60-page report which the FAA is reviewing. Some of the recommendations include:

• Conduct more stringent evalua-tion and tracking of the cur-riculum used at collegiate air traffic control training programs around the country.

• Develop a standardized “advanced” training course controllers are required to take before they are sent to their per-manent field facility to ensure that every controller arrives with the same set of skills.

• Establish a yearly refresher training course for senior con-trollers who serve as field instructors for new controllers.

• Create mobile simulator labs to ensure that controllers in smaller facilities have equal access to simulator training technology.

Members of the panel were: Michael Barr, University of Southern California Aviation, Safety & Security program; Dr. Tim Brady, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University; Garth Koleszar, NATCA; Dr. Michael New, Aveos Fleet Performance, Inc; and Dr. Julia Pounds, FAA.

We want to prepare our employees to be

LEADERS

Grizzle on….Training & Careers

“

If we say we are going to do something – we are going to do it.

We are doing a good job of explaining how just culture works in a very practical way. There were a lot of misgivings when we put such programs as the Air Traffic Safety Action Program (ATSAP) and the Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) into place. People didn’t understand the full context of a just culture, out of which they came. A lot of folks thought they were receiving “get out of jail free” cards.

We also have become more ener-getic in explaining to people how these programs not only are appropriate in terms of recogniz-ing whether people are – in fact – at fault, but also in demon-strating that these programs are essential in providing the kind of information that enables us to make systemic changes.

Just culture is inextricably related to safety culture. And both of them get to the point where the highest objective is obtaining intelligence that enables an organization to make systemic change. ATSAP has done that, ASAP is beginning to do that, and, most important, we are doing a far better job of con-verting the system insights into actionable management behavior changes.

That’s ultimately where the rub-ber meets the road – where you take data and convert it into exe-cutable tactics to improve safety. This improvement is partly due

to the maturing of the program. Again, we have a constant com-munication challenge to enable both non-man-agement and management coworkers to understand why we are using these programs. There is still a sig-nificant amount of pessimism on both sides about whether the programs are intelligently struc-tured and operated in a trust-worthy manner.”

Grizzle Delivers Keynote Address on Professionalism

At the FAA European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) International Safety Meeting in June 2010, the FAA announced a new focus on professionalism as an ele-ment supporting the NextGen system. Then Acting Deputy Administrator David Grizzle keynoted the meeting.

In his address, Grizzle noted that the US is working with its counterparts in other nations to coordinate international development of NextGen. NextGen represents a sig-nificant culture change. The FAA is taking the underly-ing principles of NextGen and trying to let them become the principles that permeate

operations of the agency and of the industry

Grizzle explained that NextGen is not just about technology – it is about standards and operat-ing principles.

One of these is the principle of partnership. There is an element of collaboration in air traffic management that is elemental to NextGen and that simply does not yet exist in today’s air traffic manage-ment paradigms. Another ele-ment is performance based safety standards.

Instead of telling operators how to achieve safety, they will give them standards that must be met and permit the operators to choose their own strategies for meeting those safety standards. This gives rise to a new emphasis on professionalism.

Discussions of professional-ism can be uncomfortable because, like ethics, profes-sionalism can be somewhat difficult to quantify, and it can be somewhat difficult to define in a way that is uni-formly accepted.

Professionalism means that the individuals are princi-ple-based actors, and not

just followers of rules. This involves a mindset and atti-tude about the conduct of one’s life that is more per-vasive than the norm. This poses a challenge for the FAA and other aviation authori-ties about how we teach professionalism.

The FAA is trying to focus on a “just culture” paradigm. Part of the “just culture” paradigm is the idea that we do not punish people for good faith mistakes (assuming the accidental actor reports and proactively works with the FAA to seek preventative paradigms), but rather we try to learn from those mis-takes and use the informa-tion learned to prevent future problems.

This “just culture” paradigm is about focusing on behav-ior rather than outcome. But there will be a challenge in trying to convince people that identifying remedies and preventative paradigms is more important to long-term safety than allocating blame.

An important element of this “just culture” para-digm is rewarding energetic good faith reporting. If we encourage reporting, then we encourage data collection that supports a risk-based reporting environment.

Grizzle on….Professionalism

The FAA is trying to focus on a “JUST CULTURE”

PARADIGM

“

How can we assist you in achieving your goals at the ATO? – Tony Tisdall



Being involved in the Command Center, I’m well aware of your love for metrics. Do you think the previous set of metrics may not reflect exactly what we were doing? Are we getting to the level of detail that you want to see?

» Grizzle: I think we are generating some

metrics that we need to discontinue because

they are not affecting management behavior.

And there are other metrics that we simply do

not have. So we are in the process of develop-

ing metrics in four areas – safety, efficiency, fis-

cal responsibility, and community.

We are doing a wholesale review of the

metrics we have, and deciding which ones

we must have in order to manage the busi-

ness effectively. We are going to have to create

some new ones that simply don’t exist today.

In reviewing current metrics, we may con-

clude that some do not influence management

behavior, so we will discontinue them.

It has been a long time since we did a top-

to-bottom review of the specific areas we want

to manage, and then question whether we

have the right metrics to drive that manage-

ment behavior.

What do you value in organizations that you feel ATO has to work harder on?

» Grizzle: One challenge in making changes

in the ATO is that there are so many what I

will call “heirloom assets” within the organi-

zation. I have worked in broken organizations,

and fixing a broken organization is easy. You

simply swing a sledgehammer and even if you

break something, you are going to be better off

than before.

The ATO is not a broken organization so

anything you want to fix is going to be a chal-

lenge, because it is sitting next to something

precious that you don’t want to change at all.

So that is the challenge affecting change in the

ATO – there

are so many

things that are

precious.

In terms

of the areas

where we broadly agree we need to affect

change, we need to communicate better, we

need to trust one another better, and we need

to learn to collaborate more effectively. At the

same time, we are clarifying decisional rights.

Collaboration works best when it is clear

who has the final decision – who is the final

decision-maker?

So these three areas – communication,

trust, and effective collaboration – are the

three areas where I think everybody agrees

we need to do a better job without damaging

any of the precious cultural assets we have in

the ATO.

What sense of community are you trying to build in the ATO? Can you expand on that?

» Grizzle: Sure. It really goes to the ques-

tion of whether we are providing the elements

that a person needs to build a career confi-

dently at the FAA. Are we providing the train-

ing they need? Are we clarifying their role?

Are thoughtful performance reviews advis-

ing them where they’re doing well and where

they need work? Are we creating the additional

tools they need to move to the next position?

The types of metrics I expect to see us gen-

erating as we manage community have to do

with training availability, completion, job sat-

isfaction, and career movement. These

elements go together to provide

the pieces and individual needs

continued on page 18 �

Collaboration works best when it is clear who has the final decision.

“ … we need to communicate better, we need to trust one another better, and we need to learn to collaborate more effectively.”

“ One day we won’t turn on NextGen and flip off the legacy system. There will be a migration, so we have to keep both working at the same time.”


A cting Administrator Huerta signaled the importance of the relationship document to the Agency’s mission by signing the document while appearing with senior

FAA Officers David Grizzle, Chief Operating Officer of the Air Traffic Organization (ATO); Rick Ducharme, ATO Deputy Chief Operating Officer; and FAA Acting Assistant Administrator for Human Resource Management Tina Amereihn. A number of FAAMA officers and FAAMA Executive Director Louis Dupart also were present to witness the formal signing ceremony.

The FAAMA/FAA Consultative Agreement accomplishes several goals: it formalizes the commitment by the agency and FAAMA to work together for the good of the agency; it solidifies an agreement for consistent application in the field; and it creates an opportunity and atmosphere for collabora-tion and involvement.

In addition, FAAMA's relationship with the FAA provides a mechanism for improving managerial effectiveness, as well as the working conditions of supervisors and managers. At

Sign Consultative AgreementOn�December�14,�2011,�FAAMA�President�David�Conley�and�FAA�Acting�Administrator�Michael�Huerta�formally�signed�a�consultative�relationship�agreement�at�FAA�Headquarters�in�Washington,�D.C.,�reaffirming�the�longstanding�relationship�between�the�FAAMA�and�the�FAA.�The�Association�worked�for�more�than�a�year�on�this�important�document�which�ensures�that�both�parties�continue�their�collaborative�efforts.

FAAMA President David Conley & FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta

Sign Consultative Agreementthe same time, the agreement also helps identify and resolve problems affecting agency operations and employees, includ-ing supervisors and managers.

In signing the agreement, FAAMA President Conley said, “This is a step forward for our members. We congratulate and commend Acting Administrator Huerta for prioritizing the signing of this agreement. It signals the value and support that the FAA places in its management team at a time of change for our Agency. It is the right thing to do.”

President Conley added, “Now the work begins. FAAMA commits to working tirelessly and passion-ately to help the FAA keep the America’s National Airspace System the safest, most efficient in the world.” He also extolled the cooperative course that FAAMA and FAA has followed since the signing of the last agreement in 1998, and noted that it is one which “we'd like to continue on into the future.”

In signing the agreement, FAA Acting Administrator Huerta noted that one of the agency's goals is to promote “a much more cooperative and consultative working relationship” with its employees. “This is a great day,” he said.

FAAMA has advocated on behalf of FAA managers for over 30 years. Earlier this year, FAAMA was the first organization to establish an FAAMA Furloughed Employee Relief Fund for FAA employees affected by the August furlough. £

Observing FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta and FAAMA President Conley signing the landmark Consultative Agreement are (L to R): FAAMA Parliamentarian Andy Taylor; FAAMA Vice President Stephen Smith; FAAMA Political Action Committee Chair, Dan Cunningham; FAA Acting Assistant Administrator for Human Resources Management Tina Amereihn; FAAMA Executive Director Louis Dupart; Normandy Group Partner Krista Stark; ATO Chief Operating Officer David Grizzle; FAAMA Director of Communications Laurie Zugay; FAAMA Treasurer Tom Dury; FAAMA Secretary Julie Fidler; FAAMA Southern Regional Director Billy Reed; and ATO Deputy Chief Operating Officer Rick Ducharme.


FAAMA President David Conley & FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta


to build a career at the FAA – and not

simply see it as a job. That’s what I think

of as community.

Five years from now, how will the ATO look?

» Grizzle: First, I will modify my

answer because I resist talking about

time periods as far out as five years.

In most cases, I believe that if you

turn out to be right in a five year

plan you are more lucky than smart.

Circumstances change so much that it

is difficult to put together a plan with

any reliability that goes as far out as

five years. So, instead let me talk about

two years.

My two-year objective is to see the

ATO engaging in collaboration as a

matter-of-fact activity, not because we

think it is nice and civil, but because

we think it is an essential element in

decision-making. Also, we will com-

municate freely without regard to

hierarchy or the lane in which we are

working. We will be accountable to

one another because we recognize that

each of us is the customer of the other

person’s job output.

In terms of FAA reauthorization, what can the ATO do to push that agenda forward?

» Grizzle: Where the ATO comes in

specifically is continuing to deliver our

product in a way that instills confi-

dence – not just in the traveling pub-

lic, but also in our observers up on

Capitol Hill. We need to make clear

how we’re doing it and why we’re doing

it. Sometimes, I think our work is not

fully understood in other parts of the

government.

At the end of the day, we know

how we’ve done and that puts us in a

fairly small category. We have to do a

good job explaining how and what we

do, because we are a small part of the

government that is engaged in actually

putting out a product that comes out

every day.

With the focus on cuts in government spending, how will NextGen be funded? What timeline do we need to implement NextGen?

» Grizzle: Each of the components of

NextGen – depending on where it is in

development – has dates for comple-

tion, but people don’t fully appreciate

the enormity of these undertakings.

NextGen is a very significant, transfor-

mative undertaking. It is a bold initia-

tive that we now know we can do.

But we have to have dates such as

the 2020 date for Automatic Dependant

Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out

completion, because the amount of work

that has to be done is so large. So I am

confident that the dates we have put out

for NextGen completion will be met.

But the effort will involve an enor-

mous amount of work by virtually every

part of the FAA community. And we’re

going to continue to need the support of

Congress for funding our NextGen initia-

tive. And, we need the funding not only

to support our NextGen initiative, but

also to maintain our existing equipment.

We can’t lose track of the reality

that at the same time we are building

NextGen, we are maintaining a critical

legacy system. We do not have an either/

or situation. One day we won’t turn on

NextGen and flip off the legacy system.

There will be a migration, so we have to

keep both working at the same time. You

don’t change the engine in flight.

How positive is the ATO’s relationship with the many

unions present in the workforce?

» Grizzle: We’ve made a

lot of progress, but we are

not done, and we won’t be

done until all managers at

all facilities have experi-

enced sufficiently productive

collaborative experiences to

personally convince them

that better decisions result

from collaboration.

Some managers still

believe that if they collabo-

rate they surrender deci-

sional authority. Therefore,

they either don’t collaborate

at all, or collaborate in a

way that causes them to

forfeit their management

responsibilities. What we

Do you have a final message for Managing the Skies readers? I believe that FAAMA has the potential to become an integral part of the FAA career preparation and progression that we have been discussing in terms of the training offered, the networking provided, and the implied mentoring that occurs as people participate in the Association.

In addition, I want to see that full potential realized by a close working rela-tionship between senior management of the Agency and the management of FAAMA. I’m a FAAMA member, and hopefully, my membership and partici-pation demonstrates an active connection between senior ATO leadership and FAAMA members.

� continued from page 15


About� David�GrizzleBefore joining FAA, David Grizzle was with Continental Airlines and its affiliates for 22 years, retir-ing in 2008 from the posi-tion of Senior Vice President – Customer Experience. Prior positions he held at Continental and its affiliates include General Counsel, Senior Vice President – Corporate Development and Marketing Strategy and Vice President of Legal Affairs.

During a leave of absence from Continental start-ing in 2004, David served for 14 months with the U.S. Department of State in Kabul, Afghanistan as Attaché, Senior Advisor, and Coordinator for Transportation and Infrastructure.

In Kabul, he steered the American reconstruc-tion effort in the areas of aviation, roads, power and communications. He witnessed first-hand the challenge of following good development theory in a highly politicized aid environment and was able to contrast the theory and practice of nation-building.

David is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He is married to Anne Grizzle, a private family thera-pist, author, and poet, and they have three sons.

are asking is that they do both. We’re making

progress, and will be there eventually, but it

will require more successful experiences.

The concept is starting to work its way

down and is occurring at FAA labor-manage-

ment forums where we not only discussed col-

laboration, but also had collaboration training

that involved senior executives from every part

of the FAA as well as the leadership of every

union at the FAA.

The opportunity for collaboration has been

offered to everyone, but the actual applica-

tion of it does vary significantly from union to

union. As the process matures, and as people

begin to employ collaboration as a useful tool

– not just a mandated exercise – it will touch

every bargaining unit that we have.

As an FAAMA member, you know the Association is very concerned with supervisory level staffing. How can we assist you in achieving your goals at the ATO?

» Grizzle: Our efforts to change the ATO

culture and management practices will suc-

ceed or fail at the supervisor level. If the

controllers, the technicians, and the other

employees who are the majority of our

coworkers do not believe that what we are

saying is real, our efforts to effect change

will fail. Front Line Managers can make it or

break it for us.

They also are the ones who help us see

where we have problems at the middle-

management level. We know that our prin-

ciples or practices need to permeate every

part of the organization. It is not fair for

us to have expectations about what Front

Line Managers can achieve if they are not

supported by the people above them. As a

result, we put a lot of pressure on Front Line

Managers because we need them to be faith-

ful examples of the principles and practices

we are instilling.

There is a difference between rules-

based management and principles-based

leadership. At the FAA we have too often

focused on rules-based management, focus-

ing on rules compliance and less on lead-

ership by principal. Being a rules-based

manager takes an enormous amount of

work. Most of us get tired eventually, and

become “compliance officers.”

When we can go deeper beneath the

rules to discern the principles that underlie

the rules, we begin to get followers who are

doing the work for us because they want to

embody those principles. You begin changing

everybody’s direction as opposed to attempt-

ing to corral people back into the rules.

One of the challenges of this is that

rules-based management does not demand

as much of the individual as principles-

based leadership. Principles-based leader-

ship goes to issues of character, and many

people find that frightening.

One of the reasons why the issue of char-

acter is so important is that we have discov-

ered that whenever we have a problem in

the workplace, the problem frequently began

because of conduct not at the workplace.

Character is not something where you can

“punch in” and “punch out.” It has a do with

how you live in the entire 24 hours that also

happens to include your workday.

Do you have a final message for Managing the Skies readers?

» Grizzle: I believe that FAAMA has the

potential to become an integral part of the

FAA career preparation and progression that

we have been discussing in terms of the train-

ing offered, the networking provided, and the

implied mentoring that occurs as people par-

ticipate in the Association.

In addition, I want to see that full poten-

tial realized by a close working relationship

between senior management of the Agency

and the management of FAAMA. I’m an

FAAMA member, and hopefully, my member-

ship and participation demonstrates an active

connection between senior ATO leadership and

FAAMA members. (See pages 16-17 for a report

on the December 14, 2011 formal signing of a

Consultative Agreement between FAAMA and

the FAA.) £

Front Line Managers can make it or break it for us. They also are the ones who help us see where we have problems at the middle-management level.


Most people move into management roles because they are technically competent, but to excel as a person of

influence you must consider deeper and more challenging questions. Just to name a couple, “Why should they follow me?” and “How do I get my people to take on big challenges?”

If you are ready to see your leadership in a new light and if you are ready to challenge yourself to achieve higher levels of leadership competence, then this will have significant value for you. In my coaching work, I measure leadership traits in several ways: 1. The level of clarity regarding the heart and

soul of the leadership message.

¢ To what extent is your message clear and inspiring?

¢ To what extent is it understood and actionable?

¢ To what extent does it resonate throughout the culture?

¢ To what extent is it relevant to the culture, the customer, and the follower?

2. The degree to which the followers are engaged in the strategy.

¢ To what extent do the followers see how they fit in/contribute to the vision?

¢ To what extent do you ask for input from your followers?

¢ To what extent are you flexible in your strategy as long as the outcome is assured?

3. The degree of action orientation.

¢ To what extent does the leader work diligently to remove obstacles?

¢ To what extent is the leader relentless about quickness in decision making and execution?

¢ To what extent does the leader insist on accountability and results over effort?

There are two sides to leadership: scientific and artistic. The scientific side encompasses everything a leader has to do every day to execute the fundamental processes or systems of the business. The artistic side is all about answering questions like these:

¢ What are my values and how do I communicate them to the culture?

¢ How do I connect what I believe with my company’s mission?

¢ How do I create the right kind of culture for the people who follow me?

¢ What type of experience do I need to be creating for my followers so that they have the greatest chances for success?

A leader is a human being working to influ-ence others. As a leader, you have to be able to stay focused on no more than four centers of excellence. What are your areas of focus? They might look like this:1. Making this the best place to work.

2. Creating an exceptional member experience.

3. Maintaining a superior operation.

4. Assuring financial strength.

As a leader in tough times, you must hear the voices of:

Your employees/associates. You should be pushing your people all the time to get good information to you. You

Do You Have the Leadership Trait Required for Tough Times?If�you�are�going�to�be�a�leader�in�these�challenging�times,�it’s�best�to�have�clarity�about�the�reasons�a�person�should�follow�you.�This�requires�clarity�of�purpose�and�focusing�on�the�things�that�matter�most.�

About�the�AuthorMichael Staver is the CEO of The Staver Group. Together with his col-leagues, he provides keynote presentations, consulting programs, workshops, and execu-tive coaching ses-sions that help people lead with courage and authenticity. To learn more about his com-pany or to download a copy of his courage booklet, Leadership Isn’t for Cowards – How to Lead Courageously in a Turbulent Age, visit www.thestavergroup.com or call 904-321-0877.

©2011 The Staver Group

Mike StaverCEO, The Staver

Group



In early December, the The Center for

Public Leadership (CPL) and the Washington

Post and its On Leadership website honored

a group of American leaders chosen by a

committee of esteemed leadership experts

and practitioners, convened by CPL, repre-

senting government, business, academic,

and non-profit institutions.

The selection committee sought to identify

individuals who “motivate people to work

collaboratively to accomplish great things.”

The committee emphasized three key cri-

teria in its deliberations: setting direction,

achieving results, and cultivating a culture

of growth.

1. Sheila Bair, who led the FDIC through the financial crisis;

2. Chris Christie, the brash and dogged Republican governor of New Jersey who has managed to make dramatic cuts to state spending while enhancing his popularity with voters;

3. Jared Cohen, a wunderkind who was so successful helping the State Department use the power of Twitter and YouTube to spread American ideals around the world that Google hired him to run its internal “think/do” tank;

4. Freeman Hrabowski, who as presi-dent of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, has turned a commuter college into a nationally recognized incubator for minority talent in science and math;

5. Michael Kaiser, who as president of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has expanded its reach, ambition, and resources;

6. Nicholas Kristof, the Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times colum-nist, whose intrepid reporting and passionate advocacy have drawn the world’s attention to the abused, downtrodden and dispossessed;

7. Ahmed Zewail, the Nobel Prize win-ning chemist and physicist who has used his notoriety to try to further educational, economic and political development in the Arab world…

Characteristics�of�2011�Top�American�Leaders

Excerpts from a blog by Steven Pearlstein published December 4, 2011 in

Washington Post Wonkblog:

Seven�Who�Exceed�Defining�…At a time when inspiring leadership seems to be in such short supply, it’s worth celebrating those who are doing it and reflect on the reasons for their success. The seven are:

should be asking them about what it’s like to work for you and how you can make this a better and more productive place to work.

Your members. Until the mid-1990s, we lived in a pro-vider-driven economy. Basically, the provider of goods and services was in charge of the transaction. With the Internet came a shift in the mindset, and this is no longer true. What mechanisms do you have in place to get the voices of your members right in front of you?

Your balance sheet. Make certain that you have the courage to look deeply into your financials. What does the balance sheet say about what you value? What changes do you need to make today? If you don’t really

have control over your financials, how does your budget reflect your values?

The fact is that today’s leaders have a tough job. Sometimes the decisions you make aren’t popular. With a little planning and the courage to make the tough choices, your organization will thrive, even in tough times.

Let me leave all leaders with one more thought: they are who they are, both at work and at home. If they are trying to live in two separate worlds – being one person in their personal life and a different person in their professional life – they’re on the path to destruction. I help clients integrate what they actually believe with how they behave at work and how their culture behaves. Everything works together to create a life, their life in both good times and bad. £

7

1

5

3 42

6

Y ou’d have to live in a cave for the last 10 years not to have seen the evidence of how humor can help us physically and

psychologically, or how humor improves morale, self-esteem and productivity in the work-place. Very few dinosaur thinkers still believe the earth is flat or dispute the proven positive impacts of humor in today’s workplace.

In fact, today’s true business leaders openly recognize stress management as a valuable skill that can be learned and developed in the same way they cultivate negotiation or orga-

nizational skills. They know that if they are to remain effective as leaders, they must uti-lize all the tools avail-able to get the job done, to serve the customer, to perform customer

service, and not just survive, but thrive in today’s fast paced global economy.

The use of humor as a business skill isn’t about telling jokes or being a comedian. Not everything is funny and some things will never be funny. When I talk about having fun in my seminars, I am saying that real fun at work occurs when you are excellent at your job. That’s fun. When you can accomplish some-thing that few others in your profession are able to do, that’s fun.

As a necessity of business, I travel all the time and yet I love to travel. How? I’ve learned how to shift my perspective to change my perceived experience. When another trav-eler took my checked bag by mistake at a bag claim carousel several years ago, before the next trip I put a sign on the entire side of the bag announcing, “This is not your bag!” No one takes my bag by mistake anymore.

When other travelers moved my carry-on roller bag to another overhead bin without my permission, I put a rubber chicken in the bag so that the feet stick out and are easily seen by the person about to move my bag. No one has moved my bag without my permission since I started doing this. It’s a very unique “bag tag.” I have fun when I travel and, quite frankly, no one is going to stop me.

I think it’s really important to learn to act and not just react to everyday situational stressors. Humor is simply the combining of ideas not normally associated with one another. It is at the heart of creativity. When you stifle humor you inhibit creativity and derail innova-tion. Many problems have uncomplicated solu-tions, however if we are too narrowly focused we miss them all together. I don’t make light of serious situations. I want to use humor to shine a light on serious situations to reveal previously unseen possibilities.

Adding Levity Tim�Gard | CSP, CPAE

I’ve learned how to shift my perspective to change my perceived experience.

LeadershipThere�was�a�time�when�everyone�believed�our�planet�was�flat.�It�took�leaders�like�Columbus�to�take�a�stand�and�prove�“everyone”�wrong�by�taking�risks,�standing�tall,�and�doing�the�right�thing.�Along�the�same�lines,�there�was�also�a�time�in�the�working�world�when�everyone�believed�that�if�you�were�having�fun�or�enjoying�your�work,�then�you�weren’t�working.�It�took�leaders�like�Norman�Cousins�and�C.�W.�Metcalf�to�prove�“everyone”�was�wrong�again.�You�too�can�be�light�hearted�while�accomplishing�great�things.�


to T H E A D V O C A T E F O R A V I A T I O N L E A D E R S


Regardless of where you are in your own food chain, I suggest the following:

LeadershipEncourage employees to be the absolute best they can be. This is the #1 stress reliever. By being really, really good at your job it natu-rally reduces stress. Leaders should point the way toward obtaining all the tools for employees to be the best. Part of my everyday work involves planes, trains and automobiles. In fact, over the years, I have made the choice to become a “black belt” in airline travel.

I avoid placing myself in stressful travel situations whenever possible and I plan each trip knowing that there may be weather or other obstacles placed in my way throughout the journey. I even have my own coloring book (complete with crayons) I take on every trip. When I need to be left alone on the airplane, I’ve discovered that when I’m coloring a coloring book of cartoons of myself having fun, peo-ple will leave me alone. Works every time!

Recognize and celebrate humor as it occurs and always use humor to enhance and never diminish anyone. Think about this: we all smile and laugh in the same lan-guage. On a recent trip to Florida I woke up about 11:30 pm because my room had gotten uncomfortably hot. The air con-ditioning had gone off for some reason. I called the front desk and an excited voice answered. Before I could state the rea-son for my call, I was told, “A transformer blew up outside the hotel! The power is off. All we have is the back up generator!”

Before I could help myself I said, “Oh, no! Was it the Decepticons (in ref-erence to the recent blockbuster action movie “Transformers”)? What trans-former blew up? Not Bumblebee – he’s my favorite!” He answered, “No, not transformers – plural – just one.” I said excitedly, “It only takes one Megatron. He didn’t attack us, did he? Have you called Optimus Prime?” He paused and

said, “No, I didn’t call Optimus Prime, sir.” I got excited then and said, “What are you waiting for? We need help!” I discovered the next day the manager had comped my room for free to thank me for helping his employees make it through the situation with a smile.

Finally, establish your own fun celebratory tradition to close out your day. At the end of everyday it’s important you be able to leave work and not drag the entire situ-ational stress home with you. I suggest at the end of everyday, the last thing you should do is throw your arms in the air and do your best impression of a gymnastic dismount and then as you leave your cube or office, point at your desk and say, “STAY” and then go home. Leave work at work. It will all be waiting for you when you arrive the next day to, again, do that voodoo you do so well. £

Leaders promote hope. I believe that shifting our perceptions helps us create a more positive work experience and having fun at work helps us to renew and refresh ourselves in between negative or stressful situations. Choose to inject levity into your work life, and lead the way to success while smiling.

About�the�AuthorLaughter Becomes You. Tim Gard, CSP, CPAE: Tim Gard is a Certified Speaking Professional, member of the Speaker Hall of Fame CPAE (Council of Peers Award of Excellence), million mile flyer, author and past US Navy, state, county, and federal employee (not necessarily in that order). For more information visit him at www.timgard.com and www.comicvisions.com/dm and view his videos on YouTube to see why you should save him the middle seat on your next flight.


Let’s ImproviseIn the late summer of 1952, Bob Tracy, a 23-year-old U.S. Air Force technical sergeant, was manning the tower at Thule Air Base on Greenland’s northwest coast, 695 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The sun hadn’t yet set when he received a call from a Royal Air Force Lincoln bomber flying over the ice cap from Scotland. The crew was lost.

At extreme latitudes, a compass is use-less. “The magnetic north pole was actually southwest of us about a thousand miles,” says Tracy, now retired in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. For navigation purposes, the region was divided into a grid. “Each runway up there had a grid heading,” he says, “and you just got out on the runway and set your gyro[scope] on that grid heading. So that’s how you oriented yourself. With the maps.”

The crew had drifted off course, or thought they had. Tracy seems to recall that their gyro had failed. Once night fell, they’d be flying blind. They spoke of bailing out, or, if they could find the edge of the ice, ditching.

Tracy told them to drop those ideas. He had just written the standard operating pro-cedures for Thule, and the number-one rule, he says, was “You do not bail out unless the airplane’s on fire. Your chances of survival were almost nil before you froze to death.”

Thule was half-completed, and had only a low-frequency, non-directional radio beacon. The range of its ground control approach radar was just 30 nautical miles.

But Tracy knew the Air Force was build-ing a powerful radar station about four miles north, part of the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. Stretching across the far north, from Alaska to the Faroe Islands, these stations were

intended to detect a Soviet air strike coming over the pole. Tracy had heard the station was in its test phase.

He made some calls. “You’ve seen in the movies where they operate these field phones, where you turn the crank? That was our phone system, and all the wires were just lying on the ground, on the permafrost, all over the base. They weren’t even on telephone poles. It was a real hootie-cow operation.”

He reached some technicians who were able to operate the new station. “They got in their jeeps and went up there and fired up that radar.”

They found the Lincoln, more than a hun-dred miles north of the base. Using a method for an airplane with no gyro, Tracy vectored the air crew. “Start a standard-rate turn left now,” he said, working off the DEW Line crew’s information. The pilot would make a turn equivalent to one needle width on the turn indicator. “Stop turn,” Tracy said.

“A few of these put the airplane on a gen-eral heading pointed toward us,” recalls Tracy. When the Lincoln drew within 30 miles of the base, the approach radars took over.

Now there was a new problem: The sun had set, and the sky was overcast. With no working lights, the 10,000-foot runway was good for day landings only. “But there’s trucks all over this place, building the place,” says Tracy. The crews were eating dinner. Tracy and the base operations officer put out the call.

All the drivers scrambled back to their trucks, lined the runway, and turned on their lights. Minutes later, the Lincoln landed safely. It had an hour and a half worth of fuel left. “They’d been talking about ditching with three hours of fuel,” says Tracy, incredulous. £

* This is the first in a series of five articles about heroic air traffic controllers, reprinted with permission from Air &

Space/Smithsonian magazine, September 2011.

Heroes in the TowerStories about air traffic controllers that you probably didn’t see on the evening newsMichael Klesius | Air & Space Magazine

PART�I*

T hey have gotten some bad press this year, but there’s a

lot to love about air traf-fic controllers. While pilots get big credit for feats like landing airliners on rivers, air traffic controllers are tasked with keeping these pilots, literally, in line. From one month to the next, the 15,500 controllers of U.S. civilian air traffic regularly make countless little saves, and some big ones.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association rec-ognizes some of these saves annually with an award named for Archie League, who became the nation’s first air traffic controller when he was hired by the city of St. Louis in 1929. But the details of most control-ler achievements don’t get much news coverage.

Perhaps the stories will get you thinking, the next time you’re on a flight, about who’s looking out for you down below.

You do not bail out unless the airplane’s on fire.


Money Talks

T he beginning of the year is a good time to review personal finances. What are your financial, business or life priorities

for 2012? Try to specify the goals you want to accomplish. Think about the consistent invest-ing, saving, or budgeting methods you could use to realize them.

Think about putting more in your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The IRS has increased the annual contribution limit for 2012 to $17,000 from the previous $16,500.

Can you max out your IRA contribution at the start of 2012? If you can do it, do it early – the sooner you make your contribution, the more interest those assets will earn. (If you haven’t yet made your 2011 IRA contribution, you can still do so through April 17, 2012).1

We don’t yet know if the 2012 contribution limits on traditional and Roth IRAs will rise from 2011 levels. If the IRS leaves limits where they are now, you will be able to contribute up to $5,000 to your IRA next year if you are age 49 or younger, and up to $6,000 if you are age 50 and older.2

Should you go Roth between now and the end of 2012? While you can no longer divide the income from a Roth IRA conversion across two years of federal tax returns, converting a traditional IRA into a Roth before 2013 may make sense for another reason: federal taxes might be higher in 2013. Congress extended the Bush-era tax cuts through the end of 2012; their sunset may not be delayed any further.3

Some MAGI phase-out limits affect Roth IRA contributions. If the phase-out limits aren’t adjusted north for 2012, phase-outs will kick in at $169,000 for joint filers and $107,000 for single filers. Should your MAGI exceed those limits, you still have a chance to contrib-ute to a traditional IRA in 2012 and then roll those IRA assets over into a Roth.4

Consult a tax or financial professional before you make any IRA moves. You will want to see how it may affect your overall finan-cial picture. The tax consequences of a Roth conversion can get sticky if you own multiple traditional IRAs.

Consider the tax impact of any 2011 trans-actions. Did you sell any real property this year – or do you plan to before the year ends? Did you start a business? Are you thinking about exercising a stock option? Could any large commissions or bonuses come your way before the end of the year? Did you sell an investment that was held outside of a tax-deferred account? Any of these moves might have a big impact on your taxes.

Are you marrying next year, or do you know someone who is? The top of 2012 is a good time to review (and possibly change) ben-eficiaries to your TSP account, your IRA, your insurance policy and other assets. You may want to change beneficiaries in your will. It is also wise to take a look at your insurance cov-erage. If your last name is changing, you will need a new Social Security card. Lastly, assess your debts and the merits of your existing financial plans.

Are you returning from active duty? If so, go ahead and check the status of your credit, and the state of any tax and legal pro-ceedings that might have been preempted by your orders. Review the status of your employee health insurance, and revoke any power of attorney you may have granted to another person.

Don’t delay – get it done. Talk with a quali-fied financial or tax professional today, so you can focus on being healthy and wealthy in the New Year. £

Your Annual Financial To-Do ListThings you can do for the New YearGlenn Livingston and Michael Livingston | Livingston Federal Employee Retirement Planning

Glenn Livingston and Michael

Livingston are Representatives

with INVEST Financial

Corporation (INVEST) and may

be reached at 800.752.8992,

www.LivingstonFederal.com or

[email protected].

This material was prepared by

MarketingLibrary.Net Inc., and

does not necessarily represent

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nor their affiliates. All informa-

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CITATIONS1 irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id+229975,00.

html [10/28/10]2 us.etrade.com/e/t/plan/retirement/

static?gxml=ira_amt_deadlines.html&skinname=none [9/15/11]

3 post-gazette.com/pg/11032/1121982-28.stm [2/1/11]

4 irs.gov/retirement/participant/article/0,,id+202518,00.html [11/1/10]

INVEST Financial Corporation (INVEST), member FINRA, SIPC, is not affiliated with Livingston Financial Group. Securities, advisory services and certain insurance products are offered through INVEST and affiliated insurance agencies. #89009-010413


No Place for Bullies in the WorkplaceKelly Boodell | Civil Rights Director, Northwest Mountain and Alaskan Regions, FAA

In many instances, managers do not take complaints about

bullying seriously.

Safety is a common theme that the aviation profession readily embraces – especially FAA employees and managers.

Almost everyone agrees that when a person is distracted while at work, that lack of focus can compromise safety by creating a potentially unsafe working environment. Also, effective managers know that managing a diverse work-force presents unique challenges.

There are occasions when employees do not treat one another with the respect and professionalism that we expect from one another. Managers also understand that

employees are more likely to achieve their poten-tial when the workplace is free from inappropri-

ate behaviors and discrimination. However, when problems exist, it is not always easy to restore an unhealthy working environment.

Bullying is a Major Concern and Growing TrendThe presence of bullying behavior is a major concern and growing trend not only in our daily lives, but also in the workplace.

Bullying behaviors can be very destructive, often violate Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) principles, and certainly negatively impact employees while they are trying to perform their duties and feedback received by FAA Directors of Civil Rights supports this observation.

In many instances, managers do not take complaints about bullying seriously. This can be an issue because they have not observed the conduct themselves or because the conduct appears out of place for a specific employee who is considered exemplary in per-forming their duties. Managers may mistak-enly think that the conflict reported is just a personality conflict.

Bullying = Intimidation, Humiliation, Harassment, and MoreNonetheless, bullying is a pattern of inap-propriate and unwelcome behavior that a reasonable person would find intimidating, humiliating, and harassing. Bullying in the workplace is the repeated, health-harming mistreatment of a person by one or more workers that takes the form of verbal abuse, conduct, or behavior that is threatening, sabotaging, and that prevents work from getting done.

IntroductionFanny Rivera | Assistant Administrator for Civil Rights and FAA Diversity Advocate

The Office of Civil Rights is pleased to be a part of the FAA Managers Association’s publication, Managing the

Skies. Our office will work hard to bring you up to date on civil rights information. We will ensure that our

contributions are insightful and help FAA managers create a discrimination-free work environment for all

employees.

JAN/FEB 2012 | MANAGING THE SKIES 27 JAN/FEB 2012 | MANAGING THE SKIES 27

This is costly to employers. Bullies often choose their targets because they perceive them to be weaker or different. Bullying is a silent epidemic – a differ-ent form of harassment – and can create a hostile working environment.

Ignoring or doing nothing when bullying is reported is not considered a neutral act. If bullying rises to the level of harassment, a hostile work environ-ment may be found to exist. Raising managers’ and employees’ awareness is the first step to eradicate bullying.

What Managers Can Do To Address or Prevent BullyingThere are several things managers can do to address and prevent bullying in the workplace – minimizing its destructive impact on employees and their organization:

First, share clear statements about what conduct is – and is not – accept-able in the workplace with everyone. For example, prominently display Policy Statements or your Company’s Code throughout the organization. Take every allegation seriously. Believe the accuser until proven otherwise. If the alleged bully is your favorite, unless you put aside your favoritism, you will have trouble believing the allegation. However, employees are counting on you to do so.

Second, become the anti-bullying advocate within the management team. Catch and correct peer bullies. Model appropriate behavior for subordi-nates and colleagues.

Third, ask yourself, “Could I be the bully?” This is the hardest step of all. Look in the mirror. You could be the problem. Good managers do not use intimidating, dominating, or humiliating tactics. £

FAA�Office�of�Civil�Rights�Offers�Two�Classes�on�Workplace�Bullying

Within the FAA, the Office of Civil Rights (ACR) is dedicated to providing managers and employees with resources and tools that will support them in addressing issues that impact their ability to execute their mission safely. ACR provides two separate courses on Bullying; one that is designed for employees and the other for managers.

ACR recommends that managers and employ-ees consider taking either the Workplace Bullying for Managers or the Workplace Bullying for Employees. For information on these classes or other civil rights issues contact your Civil Rights Office or the EEO Training Institute.

Fanny Rivera Announces Retirement

At the end of 2011, Fanny Rivera announced

her retirement as Assistant Administrator

for Civil Rights for the Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA). In that capac-

ity, she was the principal advisor to the

Administrator on agency civil rights, equal

employment opportunity, managing diver-

sity and affirmative action matters. She

also served as the FAA Diversity Advocate

and led the agency’s efforts to create a

positive environment that supported and

encouraged the contribution of all employ-

ees and mirrored the Nation’s diversity.

Prior to her assignment as Assistant

Administrator, Ms. Rivera served as Deputy

Assistant Administrator for Information

Technology. She began her career in federal

service in 1973 with the Office of Personnel

Management in New York. Eleven years later,

she joined FAA’s Eastern Region Human

Resource Management Division, later head-

ing up that region’s Civil Rights office.

Upon graduating from the agency’s senior

executive service candidate development

program, Ms. Rivera was named Deputy

Regional Administrator for the Western-

Pacific Region, where she shared in the

responsibility for the general manage-

ment of a region with a population of

approximately 5,700 employees com-

prised of California, Arizona, Nevada,

Hawaii and the U.S. territories and pos-

sessions in the Pacific Rim. She also acted

as Regional Administrator for that region,

prior to accepting the Office of Information

Technology position in Headquarters.

Throughout her career, Ms. Rivera has

been recognized with numerous awards

for outstanding agency contributions,

including the Secretary of Transportation’s

Meritorious Achievement Award, the FAA

Administrator’s Award for Excellence

in Equal Employment Opportunity, the

FAA National Black Coalition President’s

Award, the Link Award for Southern

California TRACON, the GSA Award for

Leadership during the Los Angeles Civil

Uprising, a Citizen Citation from the City

of Baltimore, FAA GLOBE’s Civil Rights

Leadership Award, the FAA National

Hispanic Coalition President’s Award, and

the Secretary of Transportation “Find the

Good and Praise It” Award for her work with

the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise

Program.

Ms. Rivera holds a master’s degree in math-

ematics from the University of Miami.


James Grayson FAAMA Corporate Relations Representative

FAAMA welcomes James Grayson as our Corporate Relations Representative. James has been a

member of FAAMA since 2004 and presently is a Front Line Manager at the Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center. During his twenty-five year career, he has served in five lines of business/service units: Enroute and Oceanic, System Operations, Technical Operations, Strategy and Performance, and the Office of Communications.

During his time as a manager and member of FAAMA, he has assumed a prin-cipal role in three large scale initiatives for the Agency:

¢ He was a member of the Performance Based Air Traffic Management team whose work has helped the Agency and its partners to validate key concepts and technologies that will be cornerstones of NextGen.

¢ He served as the Project Manager for the Leading Edge leadership development program which brought high-powered leadership training directly to the Air Traffic Organization’s managers who were at or directly supported the service delivery point.

¢ Finally, he was tapped by FAA senior leadership and the Office of the Secretary of Transportation to help develop and stand up IdeaHub, an ideation social networking tool.

Corporate�Relations� is�a�Year-Round�EffortAs the FAAMA Corporate Relations Representative, James will be responsible for overseeing the ever-increasing partner-ships that FAAMA has in the corporate world. While the most visible way to see these part-nerships is at our yearly convention, The Gathering of Eagles, corporate relations is a year-round activity that brings benefit to all parties involved: the corporate partners, the FAAMA, and the members.

James’s efforts will be focused on leverag-ing the uniquely powerful and well-qualified membership base of FAAMA to retain and attract partnerships with companies both directly and indirectly related to aviation. He will draw on his diverse background to work with partners ranging from providers of products and capabilities to those who offer services for the Agency, the Association, and/or the membership.

James also will work closely with the Board of Directors, the Director of Membership, and the Convention Committee, to ensure a robust corporate presence at the convention and to serve as a recruit-ment tool for attracting new members in the Association’s quest for “2012 in 2012.” Lastly, he will work with the Membership Education group, providers of the FAAMA’s Leadership Training course, to develop corporate part-nerships to defray costs and open doors for expansion of the program.

James is looking forward to his new role and encourages everyone to develop, nurture, and share their relationships both internal and external to the Association. £

» What does FAAMA membership offer? FAAMA membership offers a wealth of unsur-passed networking opportunities and events such as the Chapter Leadership Training and the annual Gathering of Eagles Convention

» What can FAAMA members expect to gain from their participation?FAAMA members gain an opportunity to serve in leadership roles where they can influence a posi-tive outcome that ben-efits the entire aviation community.

Professional Profile

Grayson T H E A D V O C A T E F O R A V I A T I O N L E A D E R S

Spotlight on an Aviation Leader

1 The FAAMA-FEEA Scholarship Program is for current civilian fed-eral employees who are members of FAAMA and their dependent fam-ily members (spouse/child). Adult children and other relatives are eligible if claimed on the sponsoring employ-ee’s tax return.

2 The applicant or the applicant’s sponsoring federal employee must have at least three (3) years of civilian federal service by August 31, 2012. Past active duty time will count toward this requirement if included in the service computation date on the Standard Form 50. No additional consider-ation is given for service beyond the minimum requirement.

3 The applicant must be at least a college fresh-man by the fall 2012 semester.

4 All applicants must have at least a 3.0 cumula-tive grade point average (CGPA) unweighted on a 4.0 scale.

5 Current college fresh-men must have a mini-mum 3.0 GPA for the fall 2011 semester.

6 All applicants must be current high school seniors or college stu-dents working toward an accredited degree and enrolled in a two- or four-year under-graduate, graduate or postgraduate program.

7 Applicants who are dependents must be full-time students. Applicants who are fed-eral employees may be part-time students.

8 The applications of current federal employ-ees and their legal dependents will also be included in the gen-eral FEEA scholarship contest. Retirees and grandchildren who are not the legal ward of the FAAMA member are not eligible for the addi-tional program.

ELIGIBILITY & APPLICATION PROCEDURES

FAAMA-FEEA 2012-13 Scholarship Program

Application & Notification Procedures

All applicants must submit a complete application package postmarked no later than MARCH 30, 2012.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure the application package is complete and on time. This includes transcripts sent directly by a school. FEEA does not notify applicants when items are missing.

Applications with items missing after the deadline has passed are considered incomplete. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered or acknowledged.

Acknowledgement receipts are e-mailed to eligible appli-cants who submit a complete application by the deadline. Processing and e-mailing of receipts may take 8-12 weeks after the deadline, due to the volume of applications received. Applicants desiring earlier confirmation of delivery should use a mailing service that provides delivery confirmation. Please add [email protected] to your address book to ensure receipt of your confirmation e-mail.

All applications MUST include one self-addressed #10 envelope with current first class postage.

Applicants will be notified of their final status by October 31, 2012. Please be aware that our committees make every effort to deliberate and provide final results prior to the start of the school year, however, unavoidable delays do sometimes occur.

Mailing Information

Place all of the required materials, unfolded, in the same 9” x 12” (or larger) envelope. No Staples, No Paper Clips, No Folding.

Mail the complete application package to: FAAMA-FEEA Scholarship Program 3333 S. Wadsworth Blvd, Suite 300 Lakewood, CO 80227

Applicants desiring immediate confirmation of delivery should use a mailing service that provides delivery confirmation.

Make sure your application package is postmarked no later than MARCH 30, 2012.

Basic Eligibility Requirements

JOIN�FAAMA�TODAY!To join go to www.faama.org/join

FAA Managers Association2957 Heirloom Lane, Greenwood, IN 46143Fax: (720) 920-1552 | Email: [email protected]

JAN/FEB 2012 | MANAGING THE SKIES 29 Professional Profile

Please check the boxes to ensure your application package is complete:

¡ This FAAMA-FEEA Scholarship Application Form: A photocopy of the scholarship application form is acceptable.

¡ Essay: Typed, double-spaced, essay not exceeding two pages on the topic: How is the agency at which you (or your sponsor) work important in the daily life of an average citizen?

¡ Written Recommendation/Character Reference: Please submit ONLY ONE written recommendation/character reference from a supervisor, coworker, community leader, teacher or counselor. Must be submitted with application package.

¡ Transcript: The transcript must show a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. An official transcript is not required; photocopies of transcripts are accept-able. High School Seniors: Submit full high school career transcript AND report card showing Fall 2011 grades.

College Freshmen: Submit a transcript that verifies at least a 3.0 for the fall 2011 semester. Undergraduates & Grad Students: Submit complete post-sec-ondary career transcripts, including fall 2011 grades. Transcripts from all colleges attended MUST be included. Applicants not currently enrolled: Submit a transcript from the last school attended.

¡ Check here if your transcript is being mailed directly by the school – it must be postmarked by the application deadline of March 30, 2012 and it is still the respon-sibility of the student to ensure it arrives on time. An official tran-script is not required; photocopies of transcripts are acceptable.

¡ List and Briefly Describe Awards, Extracurricular and Community Service Activities: Please provide this list on a separate page. Copies of awards and certificates are NOT acceptable. A suggested format is available at www.feea.org/activityform.

¡ Copy of Most Recent Standard Form 50 “Notice of Personnel Action.” Form must be no older than January 2010. *If applicant is a federal employee, submit the employee’s own form. *If applicant is a dependent of a federal employee, then the sponsoring employee’s form should be submitted. *If a current SF-50 is not available you must submit a cur-rent pay stub and a letter from person-nel identifying your duty station, grade and service comp. date.

¡ One Self-addressed, Stamped, #10 Business-size Envelope with Current First Class Postage Properly Affixed. FEEA uses the envelope to notify appli-cants of their final status.

Do not fold or bind any pages with staples or paper clips. Place all materials, unfolded, into a 9 x 12 in. (or larger) envelope postmarked no later than MARCH 30, 2012.

Mail To: FAAMA-FEEA Scholarship Program, 3333 S. Wadsworth Blvd, Suite 300, Lakewood, CO 80227

FAAMA-FEEA 2012-13 Scholarship Application

APPLICANT’S NAME __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

COMPLETE HOME ADDRESS __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CITY _______________________________________________________________________________ STATE __________________________________ ZIP __________________________________________

LAST 4 DIGITS OF SOCIAL SECURITY # _____________________________________________ HOME TELEPHONE # ___________________________________________________________________

APPLICANT’S E-MAIL ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (Your application receipt will be sent to this e-mail address; please add “[email protected]” to your address book)

FEDERAL EMPLOYEE’S NAME _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

RELATIONSHIP TO APPLICANT: ¡ FATHER ¡ MOTHER ¡ SPOUSE ¡ SELF ¡ OTHER (SPECIFY) _______________________________________________________________

FEDERAL EMPLOYEE’S WORK TEL. # ________________________________________________ LENGTH OF FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT ___________________________________________________

FAAMA MEMBER # OR CHAPTER #: (Required for FAAMA applicants) ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FEDERAL AGENCY NAME ___________________________________________________________ DUTY STATION ________________________________________________________________________

FEDERAL EMPLOYEE’S E-MAIL ADDRESS ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

¡ Please check here if public release of the employee’s name and location is disallowed by the agency for security reasons. If this box is checked, Student winner’s name also will not be published.

APPLICANT’S UNWEIGHTED CUMULATIVE GRADE POINT AVERAGE (CGPA) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________(MUST be 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale)

COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY (Attending or planning to attend) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

COLLEGE CLASS STATUS AS OF FALL TERM 2012 : ¡ FRESHMAN ¡ SOPHOMORE ¡ JUNIOR ¡ SENIOR ¡ GRADUATE STUDENT (Must be at least a college freshman by fall term 2012)

Please complete the following. Incomplete applications will not be considered.



FAA MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

Corporate Partners

PLATINUM GOLD

BRONZESILVER

2012 FAAMA Leadership TrainingEffective leadership in a world-class organization(FAA�COURSE�NUMBER�30200354)

The FAA Managers Association Leader ship Training Sem inar provides 16 hours of out-standing opportunities to learn or refresh

your leadership skills. The seminar features a highly interactive format that provides steps for influencing leadership, the traits and principles of leadership, the levels and impact of leadership, and emotional intel-ligence. Check www.faama.org for the latest informa-tion on each seminar.

To EnrollAll federal managers are encouraged to enroll. FAAMA membership is not required although FAAMA mem-bers do have priority and enrollment is limited. To enroll now or for more information, please contact your FAAMA Regional Director or Hal Albert, FAAMA Membership Education Committee Chair, via email at [email protected].

+ January 17–18, 2012 .................. Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, Oklahoma City

+ January 31– February 1, 2012 ........................ Seattle Metro

+ February 13-14, 2012 ................. San Diego Metro

+ March 29-30, 2012 .................... Boston Metro

+ April 2012 (TBD)............................ Cleveland Metro

+ May 2012 (TBD) .............................. Atlanta Metro

FAA MANAGERS ASSOCIATION

32nd Annual Gathering of EaglesDisney’s Coronado Springs Resort | Orlando

October 14-18, 2012

Make plans now to attend the 32nd Annual FAAMA Gathering of Eagles Convention – in an all-new and exciting setting.

Inspired by the explorers who searched for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold, Disney's Coronado Springs Resort celebrates the character and traditions of the American Southwest and northern Mexico. Here, palm-shaded court-yards, and Spanish-style haciendas create the perfect climate for business and pleasure.

Conveniently located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Resort area, Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort is a stone’s throw from all four Walt Disney World® Theme Parks, championship golf, and Disney entertainment districts.

Disney Resort BenefitsAs a Disney Resort Guest, you’ll enjoy special benefits that provide everything from extra time in the Theme Parks and convenient transportation, to more magic all around.

Disney’s Magical Express Service – This exclusive complimentary shuttle and luggage delivery service conveniently takes you from the airport directly to your Disney Resort and back again when it’s time to return. To book, call 407-827-6777 or visit www.DisneyConventionEars.com/dme for more information.

Enhanced! Extra Magic Hour Benefit – Each day one of the Theme Parks opens an hour early or stays open up to three hours after regular Park hours for Guests staying at select Disney Resorts. This is a great way for you to maxi-mize the value of your Disney Theme Park Tickets based around your schedule! (Valid Theme Park admission and Walt Disney World® Resort ID are required.)

Make this a family vacation! Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort will honor the FAAMA convention room rate for the weekends prior to and following the Convention.

Advocates for Aviation Leaders · FAAMA 2012 Convention THE ADVOCATE FOR AVIATION LEADERS ......

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