A520.6.5.RB_LarsonKurt, Team Roles

Write a blog entry on task-facilitating and relationship-building roles. In your blog, reflect upon your understanding of how these roles enhance team performance.

Consider how you generally relate as a team-member.

I believe I rate extremely high as a team member who is a valued asset.  I am generally interested in the issues and problems the team is faced with. I like and enjoy the challenge of dissecting a problem into manageable slices and looking at how they relate to each other and the whole picture.  I enjoy forecasting how manipulating the pieces might change the outcome and look for the best outcome.

As a task facilitator, I look for the strong points in individuals and how that can be an asset toward resolution of a problem or completion of a task. I also look at those who may be lacking in certain skills, as a method of equally assigning work to individual groups with differing degrees of experience, education and interpersonal skills.

Do you actively engage your team to accomplish its mission?

                       

                        Since life is all about group work and since all members (including myself,) may not know all team members, I always make it a practice to go around the room and have everybody introduce themselves and state where they are from and what their primary job is. I believe this adds a method of breaking the ice initially and serves as a way for the team to gain some familiarity early on, since not working well with others can be a reason for failure of the team.

                        I also state the reason we are a team and the proposed agenda, itinerary and task or problem we are to formulate a solution. I take some time to solicit from the team if its members have been involved prior to with similar issues and to share how those were alleviated? Knowing they might not fit into our scenario, we may be able to adapt and manipulate to our advantage and avoid re-inventing the wheel.

                       

Do you work to improve the team cohesion and collaboration?

                        As a facilitator, I prefer to use Roberts Rules of Order for record keeping and a method of keeping meetings and topics on track, to avoid redundancy, group think and to accomplish the groups assigned task(s)  and as a way to maintain or improve the groups cohesiveness.

                        I utilize the Technical, Decision-making and Interpersonal skills that members bring to the team individually and collectively, in a manner to accent the group as a whole and not just a portion of.  In other words using the right mix of those skills is key to team success.

A520.5.3.RB_LarsonKurt, Forrestor's Empowerment

Review the article titled
In your blog, prepare a summary that compares and contrasts the concepts discussed to those discussed in the text.
To coin a phrase from the article, "empowerment is the stepchild of a grand heritage." The ideas of involvement and participation are different from that of empowerment, although empowerment is a direct descendant of the two.
As the term implies, empowerment is used as method to institute the freedoms and ability to make decisions, commitments, suggestions and not simply a part of making them. The root of empowerment is about enhancing allocated power, perceived or otherwise. Most of the shortfalls regarding empowerment are not a result of flawed conception. But rather the flawed implementation of empowerment by six missteps, which are common to most organizations that have experienced difficulty during the deployment phase, eventually causing the concept to run short of steam before it gets a chance to prove itself.

1. Precious empowerment mandates – much like some relationships, empowerment programs are shoved into the front line troops in hopes of grandeur and decision making extraordinaire… only to fizzle out just barely out of the starting gate as this sort of knee jerk and fast track empowerment can and actually takes power away from those who need it.

The text discusses setting up clear and concise performance expectations. Also it is important to realize we are not simply discussing an hourly wage employee, one third of all managers have failed in their new position after only 18 months. This is a direct coloration between not getting clear and concise expectations and the manager’s ignorance in thinking individuals should already know their expectations.

2. Over reliance on a narrow psychological concept – initially empowerment was considered to be sort of a distribution of power if you will and referred to as a commodity to be brokered much like the stock market. Ironically several organizations have spent considerable time and money in a feeble attempt to convince employees of the power they have vs. simply allocating it to them.

In the text it refers to a redesign of work in order to motivate workers. In other words, the more variety and skill sets utilized, the tasks are meaningful and worthwhile with little need for having to convince an employee of any perceived power since they would have naturally acquired it through the redesigned task.

3. One size fits all – most empowerment programs fail due to a failure to differentiate between its employees. Employees are uncomfortable with the new concept, as they have not been properly trained on its expectations and responsibilities. It is deployed prematurely and to the organization as a whole and not to those who can and will use it in a consistent and selective manner but also to those who will not.

Removing obstacles through proper aptitude required for the position and/or providing the necessary training, needed resources as well as cooperation and support from other work sections are all positive methods the text identified as important steps in assuring employee buy-in and commitment.

4. Negligence of the needs of the power sharers – Middle managers are the most at risk regarding the shedding of power they once held so dear and most executives have a hard time accepting that middle managers have a hard time due to anxiety issues by the possibility of a reduction in middle management via the empowerment program.

While it is the role of management to remove obstacles in order to provide a positive work environment those workers can excel at and become autonomous. It is equally important to foster middle and top level management to assure their new roles are tailored as well to the new work environment and organizational settings. In the text it discusses how much leader involvement is required and the risk of a manager being too assertive.

5. Piece meal approaches – Foundering empowerment programs are a result of the deployment of piecemeal systems with-in an organization with out addressing how they fit into the bigger picture. Much like a puzzle, without all the pieces in sync… the puzzle is incomplete.

The text discussed fostering a motivating work environment. Like training and supplying resources to properly accomplish the task, an effective manager will devote time toward gauging and strengthening their employee’s motivation. Conversely, managers who ignore their responsibility to their employees and provide no real leadership or setting of priorities can paralyze the work unit and in-turn could lead to failure of the whole organization as they tend to be interdependent upon one another.

6. Distortions of accountability – The implication that there is accountability for performance and those employees’ outcomes are a result of accountability. The heads of organizations for all intensive purposes are not accountable to anyone with-in an organization. The heads are accountable to the market place from which their products are distributed and no one much cares how they got it to market, only that it is in good supply at a fair price and is reliable. Conversely it is the employee who is in a position of accountability for precisely what they have with-in their control.


Much like life, there is no free lunch and empowerment is not free. The needed skills need to be acquired, technology created or adapted, relationships formed, cultures changed and policies and procedures modified or adapted.

There are four methods an organization might seek to build upon empowerment and in-turn expanding employees control and decision-making ability in their world would be through:

Competence – acquired through formal training, education, self-study or computer based learning,

Resources – and employees access to and control over tangible and monetarily,

Freedom – the freedom to make decisions and having the organization stick to them with unless the decision proves to be a threat to the organization,

Relationships – allow employees the opportunity to build relationships through a direct interface with customers, suppliers, and powerful peers and outside organizations including Subject Matter Experts.

For an organization to truly succeed in a joint venture of empowerment between management and employee. The best method may be to simply concentrate on the intended results and do not over focus on the deployment of power. As the article stated… "Trying to hard and to pointedly can sometimes undermine what you are trying to do."
Energy is created when goals and results are crystal clear and boundaries are set, as a way to channel the best use of available resources (including employees) and less on conflicts and tension by a lack of organizational clarity.
Remember the rational for empowerment, is to have an organization that is highly effective in its methods and operation. Creating the most opportunities for a product or service, that meets or exceeds customer wants and needs and out paces the competition. : " Empowerment: Rejuvenating a potent idea" by Russ Forrester (2000).　

A520.4.3.RB_LarsonKurt, Motivation Beyond Money

Yes, we all like to be paid, and paid well. But money is not among the three most important reasons why we work.

Andy Mulholland has shared his insights as to what those three things are.

Create a blog entry discussing each of the motivators identified in this video and discuss their impact on you; additionally identify 3 additional motivators that have a major impact on you.

In his short but informative video titled: The Three Things We Work for (Money Isn’t One of Them.) Andy Mulholland says that people “fundamentally work for three things. The balance between these three things will vary between the individual, but the first is people want interesting work. The second is for individuals to expand their skill set and the third being the most critical is for individuals to be recognized.

Andy went on further to expand that recognition does not equal to compensation above ones piers… it is referring to being valued for what they can do, accomplish and contribute. Individuals long for a combination of the three, so, if an employer is satisfying an employee’s needs through interesting work and expansion of skill sets, then the need for recognition should naturally take care of itself?

In other words, individuals wish to be a part of a growing and developing community. If an employer is able to tailor the operation around the first two caveats then the third, “recognition” should be automatic.

Myself like most professionals strive for the three previously discussed motivators - interesting work, expansion of ones skill set and recognition.

There are three additional motivators that are and have had a major impact on my ability to preform my duties, continuously take on additional responsibilities and evolve with-in the organization with an ever-increasing level of responsibility.

Establishing a clear performance of expectations. Nothing will breed mistrust and confusion than a supervisor who fails to establish a clear and concise set of expectations and levels of performance. If a supervisor does not set these standards by which employees can effectively accomplish their assigned and requested responsibilities, the employee will not know where the bar placed in relation to a project or task.

If a manager is inconsistent with specific goal setting or are ambiguous changing the rules midstream, employees loose trust, faith and confusion often sets-in as to the expectations and desired outcomes.

Another motivator for me is a manager’s ability to remove the obstacles that often inhibit performance. Being specific and realistic in goal setting. Looking at what is required vs. what resources are available to reach a specific goal, and willingness to acquire additional resources (including human,) if needed to effectively and efficiently reach desired outcome with-in economic standards or timelines. Also if the project is long running with continuous milestones, has the economy of scale been considered for the project or program?

The third and final motivator would be providing timely rewards and accurate feedback. I like to know that my efforts are appreciated and needed. And that I am not just preforming busy work, but work that is critical to our operation, and in the case of quality and safety, that would be making a crucial impact on our overall operational goal of reducing and mitigating risk to the lowest level possible. Or, in the case of the assumption of risk, it is being managed to a point that the operation can sustain operations, when risk is high and the missions requiring the assumption of the risk are infrequent but necessary.                   

A520.2.3.RB_LarsonKurt

Use your blog to describe an example of a successful conflict resolution that you have either witnessed or participated in.

The conflict was the need to accomplish a modification to an existing satellite communication system already installed on an aircraft, although a Design Engineering Representative had not approved the modification. This in itself was not the crux of the problem since our internal engineers had designed and submitted the modification for approval. The true conflict, was when the modification was not approved by the DER due to another unrelated issue, this rendered the aircraft un-airworthy due to an incomplete modification. The role of quality and safety, and the responsibility for oversight of a properly modified and legally configured modification capable of being returned to service in a safe and legal manner was mine to bear.

 

The other stakeholders were the science and engineering division who created the modification, flight operations responsible for operating the aircraft, the maintenance department responsible for the total airworthiness of all aircraft and the DER responsible for the approval and subsequent routing of all documentation to the FAA.

The result was many stakeholders wiliness to overlook not only our standard safety practices, but also those of our governing body the FAA. Many stakeholders attempted to override my stand fast decision to keep the aircraft in an un-airworthy condition until the modification was either removed in its entirety and the aircraft returned to the original configuration or wait until the DER submits the approved data.

The room for improvement would and was realized by the other stakeholders that safety policies and procedures are in-place for not only the safety of those in the aircraft but also those around the aircraft.

The true source of the conflict was that other stakeholders were worried about losing test range time for another scientific package due for operational testing and evaluation and, the willingness to overlook policies, procedures and regulations in order to get the aircraft to the testing range.

It was only after I contacted a counterpart at the local FAA and that individual’s agreement with me in my analysis and course of action did the stakeholders realize the seriousness of the current situation.

It is important to point out that at no time was the aircraft in jeopardy of operating in an unsafe manner; it would have been operating in a manner counter to policies, procedures and a legal manner.

The other issue discussed after this incident, was that it should not be necessary to involve outside entities to prove a point, or stop a momentum, which could set precedent for future poor decisions, all in the name of timing or expedience.

It was realized that there is a purpose for in-place checks and balances and that attempting to ignore, discount or re-interpret sound and prudent policies, procedures and regulations is counterproductive in time and the safe operation of aircraft.

As a result of this incident, it was decided the operation would stand-up a much needed Change Configuration Team (CCT.) The purpose of the CCT was to assess the work or modification to be accomplished, the approval of modifications and specifications, and the regulatory requirements that needed to be addressed prior to any work commencing. And an Estimated Time of Completion (ETIC,) would be required and again approved prior to work commencing along with its impact the modification scheduled may have with any scheduled mission(s). The team would also assess if the scheduled modification was necessary for any upcoming scheduled mission(s,) or could the modification be deferred until scheduled aircraft down time, and could the modification be accommodated into the down time?

The CCT took the better part of two months of policy review and revisions, before a mutually acceptable document was sent to the Commander for approval. The mutually agreeable caveat was that safety and quality would never be disregarded in order to meet customer needs or mission demands. In other words… like all aviation maintenance, it is the maintenance that drives the mission and not the mission driving the maintenance.

        

A520.3.5.RB_LarsonKurt, Supportive Communication

Create a blog posting describing how you can integrate supportive communication in your present position and describe the expected outcomes that may result from your efforts.

There are eight attributes to supportive communication.

1. Congruent – According to the text, congruence is communicated for precisely both verbally and non-verbally what is actually thought and felt.

Not incongruence – is a direct mismatch between what an individual is experiencing and what they are aware of, and more closely related to communication and the mismatch between what one thinks and feels and what is communicated.

In my work place, congruence would be an open invitation toward an individual(s) taking a pot shot at ones emotions, once this would occur, an individual would no longer be able to display dissatisfaction or feelings. Not incongruence is the definite order of the day for work place survival through a direct mismatch of what is felt vs. what is displayed are 180⁰ apart. Shame but that is the way it is and not many in my work place (including myself,) wish to die on that hill.

2. Descriptive, Not Evaluative – Considering my position of Aviation Safety this is a constant struggle in my organization. There are times I have trouble bringing an issue to a branch supervisor’s attention, as the dynamics of our organization are so varying between branches that it can at times be hypocritical in the methods I must utilize just to approach and not offend. I make it a point to let individuals know that what I do is an audit of the system, its policies and procedures and not of the people… easier said than done.

3. Problem–Oriented, Not Person-Oriented – As previously stated I utilize Problem–Oriented communication vs. Not Person-Oriented communication. One would be lead to believe that, that would be a proactive approach to pursue in the quest to identify and recommend changes to policy, procedures and methods.  Considering the previously stated dynamics of my organization, I am basically dammed if I do… and dammed if I don’t.

4. Validating, Not Invalidating – This is often a touchy subject in the field of aviation. From Quality Assurance to Safety to Aviation Safety Inspectors, all have a duty to audit and report non conformances to regulations, policies and procedures, methods and practices. By the very nature of our positions, we are dictated to in-fact validate the previously mentioned observations. The overall safety of the National Air Space (NAS) is predicated upon individual such as myself accomplishing our due diligence and reporting problems with recommended solutions. The issue of using analytical analysis often portrays an untrue superiority position on the part of the recipient. If we as aviation professionals were remiss in our appointed duties because of self-esteem or inferiority issues that others may possess.

5. Specific–Not Global – In my position of aviation safety I often see a non-conforming condition or procedure. If it is not of what I would call a dire need to correct on the spot, I might observe it for a moment and analyze just how it could be improved vs. a knee jerk reaction. I may ask the individual(s) what drives then to preform the specific function in the manner they are, chances are, the might not be aware of a potentially unsafe condition, or, there is an inhibitor keeping them from preforming the task in a more safe manner. I may recommend tailoring the task or make a formal recommendation later. Either way, I made a commitment to myself long ago to never forget where I came from and to always give the technician the benefit of the doubt first.

6. Conjunctive, Not Disjunctive – As a Subcommittee Chair I have an opportunity to persuade members and interested parties why our committee should take a particular stance or position on a topic. My fellow committee chairs and I use Roberts Rule of Order to facilitate a well-planned meeting and stay on focus with the topic at hand. I also utilize the teachings of Toastmasters of which I am a member. I maintain clarity of purpose in my discussions, I adapt myself to my audience, and I stay on message and do not abuse the opportunity to speak. And finally, I remember that my ideas and recommendations are just that and are not superior to others. And finally, unlike the chapter in the text suggests… I almost always refrain from using “umm” or “aaah” in my discussions and speeches. It is taboo in the Toastmasters International organization.

7. Owned, Not Disowned – I try to think when I communicate with an individual or group of individuals, that I am speaking in terms how a resume might sound, if I were reading it out loud. I speak in singular terms and to my audience directly, and not like TV interviews, where the person is speaking to some unknown and unseen individual off screen. I personally consider that to be rude and impolite behavior.

8. Supportive Listening, Not One-Way Listening – As an acknowledged “type A” personality, I am generally several steps ahead of the person whom is speaking to me. I have to constantly remind myself to listen to them and not judge their point until they have finished and there is time for rebuttal. I do not have a problem with finishing their sentences and that has never been a problem for me. I do make it a point to be the best listener that I can, which is not an easy thing to accomplish at times considering the locality of conversations and distractions. Our operation makes it a policy to let personnel have their say, and the ability to speak-up if something is observed that could have consequences upon our operation or safety. We acknowledge that everyone is part of the operation and should have an equal say and an equal ability to be heard.                       

A520.3.1.RB_LarsonKurt, Decision Making

The words that I chose to elaborate upon while watching the video are as follows on the left column and my response of their opposites are in the right column.

Cautious - Anxious
Logical - Flagrant
Self-Motivated – No Intestinal Fortitude
Rational – Wearing Ones Emotions on their Sleeve
Active - Lazy
Assertive - Reserve
Delaying – Jumping In

While I can certainly see the merits of both sides of the preverbal side of the coin regarding an even keeled and middle of the road approach to decision making. I can also through my life’s experiences see that individuals who often are either middle ground or in the column on the right are less apt to assume command and make a command decision in a crisis. My experience is those individuals do not think or act light on their feet and prefer to refer to group think as a method for not only making the wrong decision, but the unpopular decision.

Conversely, while I am cautious in my decision making process, it is often for lack of complete details that will be available in a timely manner and with-in the constraints of a situation. The former allows me to make the best decision with the best information available at the time of an incident or situation, and often lends itself well to my self-motivated and self-starting manner in which I make rational decisions. I am further more a very active participant in a situation or incident lending my expertise and experience to those in command, or, I am able to assume command of a situation based on the former. I utilize these skills in an assertive manner from which to obtain the best and most positive results to avoid a delay in rendering aid, assistance or support during an incident or situation which may directly or indirectly effect a positive outcome for collateral issues.