I have followed this whole thread for sometime and there have been some most pertanent CRM issued raised. Some of these may or may not have applicability to the case in hand, depending on the established facts as opposed to the rumour and innuendo that has been giving here.
For a start, CRM entails the safe and efficient use of all available resources. This is an ICAO definition. It is not one that I have made up. Whilst good CRM implies safety, excellent CRM also implies that decisions are efficient as well.
Let me be crystal clear on one thing: Good CRM is not some warm-and-fuzzy-feel-good-Dr Phil-meets Oprah-in-a-hot-tub kind of I’m ok/your ok-psycho-babble, good CRM is a tool that allows the decision makers to make good decisions. This means that input from subordinates is encouraged and where this input has validity, it is to be accounted for. When it does not have validity, it can be safely ignored. How a Captain goes about doing this a called command style. Remember, a flight crew is not a democracy.
Command decisions are not put to a vote and are not about making people ‘happy’. Command decisions are about safety and efficiency.CRM training is (or should be)about reinforcing this concept. Unfortunately the trend in recent years has been to misinterpret what CRM training and philosophy is all about. The blame for this trend falls squarely at the feet of CRM program developers and trainers (of which I am one). The contemporary outcome of many CRM courses is that subordinate crew members feel that they now have a licence to usurp authority belonging to the Captain. That is a million miles from the desired outcome.
The issues of generational cultural differences (esp. Gen Y) need to be accounted for in CRM training so as there is no mistake whatsoever that the Captain is in charge and that the chain of command is Capt-FO-SO/FE then CM and cabin crew. A surprising number of CC pupils in CRM training(many with years of airline experience) think that the Cabin Manager is 2nd in charge of the airplane, after the Captain!
There have been several posting regarding the issue of respect. I refer to the notion that respect needs to be ‘earned’. In the airline industrial environment nothing can be further from the truth. The reality is that all airline crew are paid (that’s right, paid) to be respectful of each others’ professional position. It goes without saying that CC and the CM are thus paid to be respectful of the Captain and conduct themselves accordingly.
Disrespectful conduct is a CRM threat (communication barrier) and should be treated as a legitimate safety issue. Shoving a Crew Dec. under the door without a courtesy call on the interphone to say that you have done so is an example of discourtesy. So is (as previously posted) holding paperwork slightly out of reach and looking at the FO with a ‘WTF?’* look on your face. These behaviours are also examples of workplace bullying. If you check the company HR policies at any Western airline, you will find that bullying is a form of workplace harassment.
In this off-loading issue, the Captains decision needs to be evaluated in terms of safety and efficiency of the operation. It is plain that we are deprived of all of the relevant information to make a judgement on the Captain’s decision. The issue, at least, has raised some worthwhile discussion.
*I had a CM pull this stunt on me once and I plainly asked her why she was giving ‘that look’ to the FO. She could not give an answer. I told her that if she disagreed with or did not understand my requests she should seek clarification from me. After this, the behaviour stopped.