Maintenance Management Qualifications?

[delldude]

Lots of posts here relating to inept and unqualified decisions made by our superiors.What does it take to be a supervisor or managerial candidate these days?
Its my understanding on west side they prefer people with degrees.Here in east its not neccessarily that way.

Past choices in PIT,one present manager repaired lawn mowers,another fixed trains....while another was an engineer.What type backround would be apropos?
Degrees or school of hard knocks?

 

[Kev3188]

What type backround would be apropos?
Degrees or school of hard knocks?

I vote for the latter. Someone with a proven track record of first hand knowledge of A/C maintenance is much more qualified to understand what is involved/how to run things than someone equipped with a shiny new degree and not much else.

 

[delldude]

But what of lacking people skills?

 

[Kev3188]

But what of lacking people skills?

Good point...


I guess I should restate my stance:


The ideal candidate would be a copmetent mechanic who has come up through the ranks, knows the operation inside and out, is respected (and ideally, but not neccessarily "liked") by the masses, and has the business acumen to successfully handle the operation.

 

[cmhqs]

I would vote for the college guy! When I was IND I remember this team leader from Purdue who had great people skills, very diplomatic, and very organized. He did have an ex military background but non aviation related. He was highly respected by us union guys. I have also had the opportunity to work for some guys who came up through the ramp and mechanic class who were not known for their great work performance. Though these people may have known the plane in and out they did not have the management skills to manage a strong union force. Not to knock people who have moved up; but there are a few people that I had worked for in PHX and IND that had both technical and people skills. For me it didn't really matter, I can work with just about anyone. I would prefer to work with someone with people skills.

 

[sentrido]

Someone with a bottom up attitude. Mechanics know how to fix an airplane, they need managers to provide an environment thats lets them do that as efficiantly as posible.

 

[pitguy]

Most of my peers have Bachelor’s degrees or MBA’s. However I have seen folks with a Master’s degree and they could not write a sentence properly. Allot of colleges are like organized religion and are in the business of making money. The sheepskin opens doors of opportunity that may not normally be open to you otherwise. While it is not always the best way to run an operation it is a fact.

I think one should possess a decent understanding of the technical aspect of aircraft maintenance along with good written and verbal communications skills. Also you must be a patient listener. Have good business savvy. Understand numbers and know how to manipulate them because you can not manage what you can not quantify. You must earn your respect from your employees through consistence honesty and integrity and not look to burn some one the first time they mess up. Also give people the benefit of the doubt. Most people want to do the right thing and will aspire to be the employee you want them to be. Another thing is sit down with each employee and tell them the expectations you have for them and find out what they expect of you. I have been several places and 95% of employees are good people that just wanted to be treated fairly and with respect.

 

[PITbull]

Most of my peers have Bachelor’s degrees or MBA’s. However I have seen folks with a Master’s degree and they could not write a sentence properly. Allot of colleges are like organized religion and are in the business of making money. The sheepskin opens doors of opportunity that may not normally be open to you otherwise. While it is not always the best way to run an operation it is a fact.

I think one should possess a decent understanding of the technical aspect of aircraft maintenance along with good written and verbal communications skills. Also you must be a patient listener. Have good business savvy. Understand numbers and know how to manipulate them because you can not manage what you can not quantify. You must earn your respect from your employees through consistence honesty and integrity and not look to burn some one the first time they mess up. Also give people the benefit of the doubt. Most people want to do the right thing and will aspire to be the employee you want them to be. Another thing is sit down with each employee and tell them the expectations you have for them and find out what they expect of you. I have been several places and 95% of employees are good people that just wanted to be treated fairly and with respect.

Very well said, pit. For the reasons you cite is why I believe you have achieved the success you sought in your own life.

 

[E-TRONS]

All the debate here is fine and dandy. But, in order to have good management you need to look at the VP level and up.

I have worked for some good managers that were forced to implement idiotic procedures that were contrary to efficient production. Why? Because the Sr. VP of MTC said so. Forget about the feedback from the floor. The MBA's know it all. Some of these exec idiots couldn't manage a brush fire!!
If the manager did not comply with the directive then his job was in danger. Managing with intimidation and job threats was what all the Sups and Managers at UAIR had to put up with.

So how can you have an effective and reasonable manager, supervisor, foreman, or whoever, when a gun is pointed at his head? But that is the philosophy of some MIT and Wharton graduates.

The worst offenders of this came over to UAIR from NWA!!! I have never in my life, dealt with such ineptitude and close-mindedness in my life. Absolute fools!

For those of you still in CLT Base, I am speaking of 3 individuals.........
One looked like "Tackleberry" from Police Academy. Another looked like "Johnny Cochran" who was caught telling the Sups (in an intercepted e-mail) not to do any favors for the mechanics because they'll "Break it off in you!" (actual words). The third one was an ex-truck driver in cowboy boots who had the reasoning skills of a stump! Any incentive a lead had to get his guys to really work was taken away by these brilliant leaders. <_<

I'm SO GLAD I took the voluntary separation !!

 

[pitguy]

Thanks PIT.



"You can either work for the idiot or be the idiot."

 

[EricLv2Fish]

I agree with Pit and Pitbull. In addition I would like to emphasize People Skills. Some people are born with them and comes naturally, others learn them, and the rest simply don't care, or worse have personal agendas. People are the greatest assets a company has, but sometimes are mistreated by managers who just don't have people skills or who have personal agendas. To the company's credit, all supervisors and above are required to go to class(s) to learn about people skills, but I think it's only a one day class. IMO at the very minimum a week to two weeks should be required, but hey there is an airline to run.

Someone who has the "born-in" people skills who has working experience and an education makes the best supervisors/managers.

 

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Lots of posts here relating to inept and unqualified decisions made by our superiors.What does it take to be a supervisor or managerial candidate these days?
Its my understanding on west side they prefer people with degrees.Here in east its not neccessarily that way.

Past choices in PIT,one present manager repaired lawn mowers,another fixed trains....while another was an engineer.What type backround would be apropos?
Degrees or school of hard knocks?

I have worked for both types. Some good, some bad! To be effective you have to have the trust, respect and support of your subordiantes. Personaly, I have tried to take the good points from the supervisors and managers that I have worked for and with and discard the traits that I did not like. I have always treated people the way that I would like to be treated. Most "bad" managers lack people skills. While a background in maintenance is needed, there are a very few that possess management skills that can still get the job accomplished. Most "bad" managers lack listening skills, they tend to jump to conclusions before they get all of the information. When you make decisions without hearing both sides of the argument, you lose respect. In the aviation field, the technicians are not trained or mentored in the art of management and decision making. Therefore when they win the promotion they lack the skills necessary to do the job. Having a battle of wits, so to speak, with an armed person. Managers are also at the mercy of upper management (my way or the hightway) types, and can be fired for any reason without recourse which is an additional pressure. Technicians for most parts have the union to protect them. Few companies "invest" in managers via management training other than cursory classes and then wonder why they have a high turnover rate. I had over 20 years of hard knocks before I earned my degree, and 23 years later I still learn everyday from hard knocks. I vote for both!

 

[diogenes]

For every one person who wants to be a manager, there are ten people being managed who want it to stop!

Scott Adams, Dilbert creator.

 

[fanlube]

Lots of posts here relating to inept and unqualified decisions made by our superiors.What does it take to be a supervisor or managerial candidate these days?
Its my understanding on west side they prefer people with degrees.Here in east its not neccessarily that way.

Past choices in PIT,one present manager repaired lawn mowers,another fixed trains....while another was an engineer.What type backround would be apropos?
Degrees or school of hard knocks?

I knew the lawn mower repairman as a foreman and I thought he did a pretty good job, always helped me out don't know if he has changed since becoming a manager!

 

[pitbase]

I knew the lawn mower repairman as a foreman and I thought he did a pretty good job, always helped me out don't know if he has changed since becoming a manager!

T



THEY ALL CHANGE.LOOK AT THE OTHERS.