Nine NY TRACON controllers fired
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Looks like the FAA has hit upon a clever way to reduce overtime at N90 ... "If they don't work here, they won't use much overtime."
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More than just an ATCO
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What is it with most managers in ATC?
Many of them start out as controllers but as soon as they're out of the Ops Room seem to do their utmost to dump on their erstwhile colleagues.
Many of them start out as controllers but as soon as they're out of the Ops Room seem to do their utmost to dump on their erstwhile colleagues.
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What is it with most managers in ATC?
I contend that we get our managers from the wrong pool: burnt out or marginal controllers. We need to find other sources for our leadership (university trained managers, perhaps) and find other work for controllers who need to get away from traffic.
Lon More
This isn't an issue that's restricted to promotion in the ATC environment.
These days - and it doesn't really matter where you're employed - any managerial position is target-oriented. If you have targets that say "Cut costs by 30%", then you're under-performing (in the eyes of the levels above you) if you don't achieve that target. And given that your bonus is going to be directly linked to the degree of target achievement, you'll want to try for 40%.
It didn't take me long to learn that it's not what I considered to be important, but rather what they considered to be important.
Fact of life, as unpalatable as it may be
This isn't an issue that's restricted to promotion in the ATC environment.
These days - and it doesn't really matter where you're employed - any managerial position is target-oriented. If you have targets that say "Cut costs by 30%", then you're under-performing (in the eyes of the levels above you) if you don't achieve that target. And given that your bonus is going to be directly linked to the degree of target achievement, you'll want to try for 40%.
It didn't take me long to learn that it's not what I considered to be important, but rather what they considered to be important.
Fact of life, as unpalatable as it may be
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the qualities which make for an excellent controller ....make for a lousy manager
targets that say "Cut costs by 30%"
Lon More
but if you throw the baby out with the bathwater you cut a lot more than costs
Absolutely agree, but that's not your call. (What actually happens is that you achieve your targets, get promoted and then have to sort out the problems caused by myopic cost-cutting. Catch 22)
but if you throw the baby out with the bathwater you cut a lot more than costs
Absolutely agree, but that's not your call. (What actually happens is that you achieve your targets, get promoted and then have to sort out the problems caused by myopic cost-cutting. Catch 22)
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ATCEA;
You're thinking of the OLD days. We don't have the older controllers going for sup jobs anymore. For the last decade most of the folks going up and into management, have never had more than a year or two working traffic before bailing out and working their way up. So yes it is OUR fault for not going into staff and management (why bother.) and instead we get folks who NEVER knew how to work traffic and they are now the ones who make up the rules <sigh>. We are all doomed.
regards
Scott
You're thinking of the OLD days. We don't have the older controllers going for sup jobs anymore. For the last decade most of the folks going up and into management, have never had more than a year or two working traffic before bailing out and working their way up. So yes it is OUR fault for not going into staff and management (why bother.) and instead we get folks who NEVER knew how to work traffic and they are now the ones who make up the rules <sigh>. We are all doomed.
regards
Scott
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Got to agree with you Scott, and what makes it worse is that it's the same around the world, just a different accent. Everybody loves the benchmarking BS but one ends up chasing one's tail, no-one will stick their necks out and be the bench.
I am also astounded as to how a former average colleague from the floor forgets so soon, once they turn to the dark side, how it was on the floor.
The people above the sith apprentices are also control freaks and don't let anyone make a move without their approval, maybe it's because they don't have the same hold on ATC, since we can always say, "Here's a hat, you do it, what?, no license, that's what I thought - now get out of my radar hall!"
<african sigh> We are all doomed...
I am also astounded as to how a former average colleague from the floor forgets so soon, once they turn to the dark side, how it was on the floor.
The people above the sith apprentices are also control freaks and don't let anyone make a move without their approval, maybe it's because they don't have the same hold on ATC, since we can always say, "Here's a hat, you do it, what?, no license, that's what I thought - now get out of my radar hall!"
<african sigh> We are all doomed...
