Operational experience of the front line is not the only element required to make an effective manager. I will share my experience to explain my resoning.
I was one that came up through the ranks - right place, right time - and demonstrated commitment and ability got me into management relatively young. I did have over 12 years direct operational experience in all aspects of the handling operation by then (with exception of ticketing). I had the benefit of excellent operational and supervisory skills training by the well renowned airline I was working for. I was a ground handling department head in a huge airline company.
Then we were outsourced. I was now a member of a very small management team running a handling business at a major international airport. Although I knew the operation inside-out, I was not so savvy in other management skills like HR, finance, contracting, sales and marketing etc. As I had some responsibility in these areas, I kind of picked it up as I went along. I thought I was doing a good job, my boss was very happy with me and we were expanding the business in a controlled way.
Realising our people were our major asset we engaged in several inititiatives inclusing the Investors in People award scheme. Amongst other things this included a 360 degree evaluation system - something that I believe is extremely valuable (although it was very painful at the time
). Having identified weaknesses and gaps in the management team we engaged a consulting company to provide a series of one-day training courses on management skills, self analysis and team building. This was in the good old days of the mid 1990's and we were in the black figures even if only just. The investment made in training was still a relatively high part of our budget.
Encouraged by what I had learned I enrolled in a college course: Certificate in Mangement Skills - degree level. Every tuesday afternoon and evening at college for a year. Very hard work with 15 assignments to be completed during the year on the 5 elements HR, IT, Operations, Finance and Personal Development. No easy task when you are working long hours already. I persevered and graduated successfully. I found I was much changed by the experience, I was no longer just a "technical expert" but I was also much more self confident and outgoing.
Shortly after I graduated I left the handling company (although not ground handling) to take a position in an international trade organisation. Here I had the opportunity to work on many consultancy projects around the world for over 8 years. I worked with a multitude of handling organisations, both independent and airline or airport based on a wide variety of projects including quality management, safety management, company restructuring and process re-engineering.
Pretty much everywhere I found managers and department heads that were promoted from the ranks - technical expertise abounded, but not one had received any real manangement training when they clocked off their last shift and took their seat in the mangement offices. Without fail, they were all very resistant to change. It was like looking in the mirror - been there, done that and got the T-shirt.
Of course the MD or CEO was a business manager, but in my opionion his/her team were all missing a few pieces required to see the bigger picture.
Sadly many companies see training as a cost rather than an investment. They do not select employees carefully enough. faill to train and motivate them, manage them poorly and suffer from high turnover.
The whole industry is in crisis. lurching from one problem to the next.
My simplistic solution:
Pay people enough to put bread on their table.
Select people according to their aptitude and train them sufficiently.
Properly manage and motivate them.
Involve them actively in safety and quality management.
Give them the tools they need.
Listen to them and don't forget to say thank you.
Airlines do see ground handling as a necessary evil, but unless they pay sufficient fees to allow the handlers to do more than merely survive, they may end up having to do it themselves again. That will be far more expensive!
Sorry was a long post, but if you have taken the time to read it I hope there was something useful in it
