Kulsoom Basharat

PAPA 5315
Organizational Analysis
Introduction
I have worked on various projects at the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) for over five years. While it is easier to focus on the negative side of
things and people, its more valuable in knowing what is going right and wha t
kind of an organization promotes employees to thrive.
Through m y experience I have encountered mission-centric, highl y
committed, and empowered employees within the FAAs NextGen Office. While
making observations based upon the culture, communication st yle, and how well
they manage conflict, I have discovered how dedicated, knowledgeable, and
passionate these employees are.
Everyone believes that the work that they do helps keep airplanes fl y
safel y in the sky. Every day they strive to keep abreast of the latest technology
to advance their systems and programs and to keep people connected through
transportation as efficientl y as possible.
FAA employees realize that integrit y is the FAAs basic component. The
essential element to the success of FAA , are the people who work there. It is
vital to FAA employees to perform their duties honestl y, with moral soundness,
and with the highest level of ethics. The FAA administration understands that
success depends on the admiration, diversit y, teamwork, and commitment of
their workforce.

Kulsoom Basharat
PAPA 5315
Organizational Analysis
Identified Patterns of Behavior and Analysis
Mission Driven Employees
The first pattern of behavior I will share is how driven employees are to
fulfill the FAA mission . The FAAs continuing mission is to provide the safest,
most efficient aerospace system in the world. The FAA strives to reach the next
level of safet y, efficiency, environmental responsibilit y, and global leadership.
The FAA is accountable to the American public and holds safet y, integrit y, and
innovation in high regar d. Their priority is to work diligentl y so that all
airspace travelers arrive safel y at their destinations.
Every office within the FAA has their own vision that ties into the overall
FAA mission and goals. All Offices understand the significance of cross-agency
planning and coordination to ensure implementation of key initiatives . They
understand and value that they have to answer to the public , the Office of
Management and Budget, and Government Accountabilit y Office. Being held
accountable drives t hem further to ensure their time and the money allotted is
well spent.
The FAA works very closel y with Department of Defense, D epartment of
Transportation , and Transportation Securit y Administration and has developed
strong ties to be consistent with laws and ensuring safet y. As well as working
with unions, they serve as watch dogs - monitoring the funding and leadership to
hold them accountable.

Kulsoom Basharat
PAPA 5315
Organizational Analysis
In the past, FAA has come under attack in regards to Air Traffic
Controllers falling asleep while on the job or airline pilots being drunk in the
cockpit. The FAA has taken steps to address these acts and have made
organizational changes within to show accountabilit y.
As described in Chapter 4 of the Images of Organization book i, it is
fundamental for a large complex organization to have central leadership and
working at FAA I see that leadership provides the mission and vision and works
toward the bigger picture while the worker bees carry out the agenda. The
brain metaphor relates to this as there are many different elements that support
one another in order to function effectively.
In Chapter 6 of the Images of Organization ii book states:
You are not supposed to think. There are other people paid for thinking
here. (Morgan, 1997).
This quote does not resonate at FAA. While the employees at FAA do
operate in a succinct, machine -like manner and everyone is expected to operate
in a predictable way because lives are at stake, the safet y of people is
paramount and oversight can c ost lives and money, they are valued as subject
matter experts and are recognized.

The basic success criterion is not

encountering any tragic situations which would be if an airplane crashed, or if

there was a high -jacking situation. Day in and day out, that is the fundamental
goal. Everyone collectivel y works to ensure goals are met.

Kulsoom Basharat
PAPA 5315
Organizational Analysis
Employees recognize that creating transformational change does not just
come over night; rather it is a continued process that is fed by money and the
thirst for service to the people. FAA employees live by their mission. They have
the foresight to recogn ize the value of the work they perform, they have the
passion for serving their fellow citizens, they recognize and appreciate the
notion of creating a m ore competitive edge for their country, and have the
satisfaction that the future generations will be in good hands.
Highly Committed Employees
The second pattern of behavior I have observed is the commitment from
employees. Employees on a dail y basis demonstrate exemplary commitment
towards the FAAs mission and take ownership of their work as being a part of
the overall mission. Everyone appears to have a personal connection to the
vision, mission and what

FAA values. Althou gh highly passionate and

committed to the work they perform on a dail y basis, employees perceive their
work to marathon rather than a sprint.
Even though the Images of Organization book discusses that there is more
to a culture of an organization than meets the eye but I have noticed a robust
culture within the FAA. The FAA culture is filled with energized employees
with varying backgrounds in engineering, aviation (Air Force pilots), and
experienced/retired service men and women. Every day, every meeting, every
project is given importance, time, and thought -leadership.

Kulsoom Basharat
PAPA 5315
Organizational Analysis
I have discovered that there is a great willingness to assist one another
with concepts and pitching in to see goals com e to light. They have developed a
great camaraderie with each other and the chance of meeting someone who has
been with the FAA longer than ten years is very high. A great number of
employees joined the FAA right out of college and have stayed till retirem ent.
This reflects the lifelong investments they have made into the organization and
the work that they perform.
Employees take great pride in thinking creativel y and collaborativel y with
outside resources to discover solutions beyond todays limitations. From m y
direct working in the N extGen Office, I have encountered committed people who
work diligentl y to implement new capabilities that are expected to change the
way the s ystem operates, reduce congestion, and improve the overall experience
for passengers. They take pride in the work they do and factor in the
implications of the decisions they make at every turn.
The NextGen Office manages a portfolio of transformational programs.
Aside from NextGen, some of the FAAs other key responsib ilities include
regulating

U.S.

commercial

space

transportation

(import/exports);

regulating/monitoring air navigation and flight inspection standards, issuing,

suspending, or revoking pilot certificates, evolving and operating a system of
air traffic control and navigation for both civil and military aircraft and last but
not least researching and developing the airspace system and civil aeronautics .

Kulsoom Basharat
PAPA 5315
Organizational Analysis
There is no doubt that most FAA employees deal with high stress
situations and experiences, but they manage to carry out their responsibilit y and
focus on important decisions that need their attention.
So it is imperative that highl y trained and motivated employees are there
to carry out these responsibilities. Without their commitment and dedication so
many things would be impacted. Employees need to be able to solve problems
creativel y

with

each

stakeholder

and

engage

and

negotiate

to

reach

compromises.
FAA provides an assortment of resources for employees to utili ze when in
need

(such

as

social,

cultural

a nd

physical

activities )

and

encourage

involvement in groups to give a sense of communit y and an outlet for stress and
tension they made have due to work related factors .
Empowered Employees
The last but not the least pattern of behavior I would like to el aborate on
is empowerment of the employees. Employees feel in order to gain personal
success, the organization as a whole must be successful. Even at the lowest
level, employees are given meaningful tasks and a sense of responsibilit y. They
feel motivated because they regard their job as serving the country.
Employees are free to speak their mind and accountabilit y is the shield
used to open and address concerns and issues. Generall y I have noticed an open
environment which allows for stakeholder buy -in and the exchange of ideas is
full y encouraged and valued.
6

Kulsoom Basharat
PAPA 5315
Organizational Analysis
With billions and billions of dollars in funding for FAA programs, it is
understandable that FAA is heavil y involved and fosters politics. With each
administration change, allocation of funding and priorities shift; with the
tragedy of September 11, 2001, there was more focus on safety of aviation and
securit y in airports -therefore there was an increase in funding for programs to
better equip and address tho se concerns.
Every stakeholder has their own agenda and interests and there is always a
power struggle. Scare resources have made it even more challenging for
employees to have the abilit y to fund their programs however the y feel
compelled to continuousl y fight programs to be funded.
Employees do recognize the FAA is not without problems (budget cuts,
furloughs, etc.,) however they remain positive . They feel their views are valued
and their support is sought after, compelling them to work even harder.
Leadership at the FAA does recognize the adv ersit y they are up against but
remains committed to cultivating their employees and making sure they have the
resources to do their jobs to the best of their abilit y. And employees at the FAA
exhibit enthusiasm for the work that they do and feel as though they are the
advocate/champion of their work.
In the Developing Management Skills textbook, Whetten and Cameron
state that motivation leads to performance and the end result is satisfaction. The
authors encourage management to reinforce performance enhancing behavior and
I have seen this first hand at the FAA, where empowered individuals get

Kulsoom Basharat
PAPA 5315
Organizational Analysis
recognized and rewarded there by propelling them to further be empowered and
be even more determined about the work that they do.
Conclusion
It is essential to value all employees because they are an organizations
greatest asset. Organizations should strive to employee the best and brightest
professionals

in

the

industry

because

employing

people

with

integrit y,

intelligence, and the drive to make a difference is essenti al to the success of the
mission.
FAA presents their employees as leaders, innovators, and top perform ers
who

have

decades

of

service

and

experience.

Employees

at

FAA

feel

passionatel y about serving the federal government because the work that they do
is critical to running the country efficientl y. Employees at FAA must be
problem solvers who thrive on mastering the toug hest challenges.
Having qualit y people in place will help to support a sound infrastructure
thereby resulting in success of the mission and vision of the organization.
Valuing employee talents, encouraging professional growth and promoting
fairness, would allow for organizations and its employees to share greater than
expected gains.

Employees

are the ones who contain the

indispensable

knowledge and expertise, they must be cherished.

Kulsoom Basharat
PAPA 5315
Organizational Analysis
i

Ca mero n K. & W h et te n D. ( 2 0 0 5 ) De ve lo p i n g M an a ge me n t S ki ll s. Lea rn in g a n d S e lf

Org a n i za t io n ( C hap ter 4 ) .
ii
Mo r ga n G. ( 1 9 9 7 ) . I ma ge s o f Or ga n iz at io ns . M ech a n i za t io n Ta ke s Co m ma n d , (p p .2 5 )