Dennis Ramirez, the manager of the North American flight facility at a major corporation is presented with a career opportunity and a long list of management problems. The director of flight operations position has opened and in two weeks a company executive capable of promoting Ramirez will be visiting the facility. But at present, the facility is a hive of ―people problems. The chief pilot's micromanagement has caused widespread resentment, which has found an inflammatory voice in the office manager, bitter about not receiving the chief pilot position himself. An older pilot with a troubled personal life has poisoned morale and threatens flight safety. Another pilot, leapfrogged on the seniority list, is suing the company. The chief of maintenance has made himself redundant and disruptive, and another member of the maintenance staff takes his frequent grievances over his supervisor's head. Finally, older employees are resisting and reacting negatively to the installation of a new computer system. This is a composite case composed from real situations raised by participants in the Darden School of Business's executive education program on managing the corporate aviation function. Hence, all the situations in this case are real; they just didn't happen all at once for the same manager; the names have been changed, some situations modified, and equipment identification altered to protect anonymity.
1. What are the problems here? (Step One in the LPV)
2. Where do these problems come from? (Step Two in the LPV)
3. What would you do with each one? Why?