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WSA News MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FOR THE WSA

March 2012

Its official, February is gone and March is upon us. Temperatures should climb  into  the  fifties  any  day  now  and  we  won’t  be  driving  to  and  from  work  in  the dark. With any luck at all, we can wash our cars and they will stay clean for more than a day. I like March not just because my birthday is just around the corner, but because Spring Training starts in Arizona and Florida. It is time to get optimistic about the Mariners again! We can always hope, just like I  hope  I  won’t  get  any  older,  neither  seem  to  be  very  good  bets! As promised the changes from headquarters have stopped and we are now putting in new processes, building relationships, sharing ideas, creating additional lines of communication, and reinventing ourselves to be as efficient as  possible.    I  think  we’ve  been  doing this for about 6 years now and we are getting pretty darn good at it. As we move forward I continue to be amazed at the amount of work you do and the products you produce. I encourage you all to visit our KSN site to see what is going on in our groups, it is truly amazing. In  fact  KSN  is  one  of  the  tools  that’s  helping  with  our  coordination  and  communication across the service area and with headquarters as well. Please take the time to see how it can improve your team as well. The short winter days and the long periods of no sunshine are rumored to have negative effects on people, actually I think it is documented somewhere. I  went  golfing  last  Sunday  and  it  actually  snowed  on  us,  that’s  no  excuse  for  my playing poorly, just a point of interest. I mention this because sometimes we get short with co-workers, managers, peers, and others without even realizing it. This is a good time of year to regroup, take a deep breath, and appreciate what we have. I know that I will get so tied up on a last minute request with a short deadline or involved in a new project that I forget about everyone around me doing the same thing in their worlds. It gives me the opportunity  to  bring  up  my  fourth  expectation,  “Treat  those  around  you  with  dignity  and  respect”.    I  know it can sometimes be easier said than done, but if we  all  do  it  then  we  will  have  an  even  better  place  to  work.    I  can’t  alone,  create a great place to work. Together we can create a fantastic place to work and  it  doesn’t  take  a  lot  of  effort  on  anyone’s part, try a smile. I’m  going  to  be  out  of  the  office  for  a  few  weeks  doing  other  duties  as  assigned, but I will be in contact daily. Thanks to John Warner for stepping up to help out in my absence. Thanks to all of you once again for all you do and how well you do it! And yes, it is once again my 39th birthday!

This Issue

A note from our SCD P.1 WSC Goals P.2

KSN/Brown Bag P.3 EMAS Past Highlights P.4 Operation Bald Eagle P.5

FAAMA P.6-7 WE P.8

News from ASG P.9 Effective Listening P.10

Peep Show P.11 REC Events P.12

Calendar P.19

There have been many exciting new developments with KSN in the WSA. Knowledge Services Network or KSN is opening up new ways to communicate and share information. Please take a moment to check out the following links and see what KSN can offer you. Also please let me know if you have a link you would like to share with the WSA. FAA Vacancy Announcements PIV Card Tracker PIV  Card  Q&A’s Leadership & Integration Input

BSG – Manuel Ruiz – Retired 2/24/12

PRG to BSG – Mark Heideman 3/11/12 ASG – Julie Fidler – 4/8/12 OSG – David Parker – 3/11/12

The National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NBCFAE) Seattle Chapter presented two Brown Bag Presentations in February  focusing  on  Seattle’s  Civil  Rights  History. The educational films and presentation featured was a Seattle Civil Rights and Labor History Project which was collaboration between community groups and the University of Washington faculty and students. These films explored the history of housing segregation among the African American and Asian-American cultures, as well as the African American community growth and civil rights activism. Presentations focused on the Seattle female civil rights activists and the challenges of racial and sex discrimination they encountered. In  harmony  with  President  Barack  Obama’s  Proclamation  theme,  “Black  Women  in  American  Culture  and  History”,  the  NBCFAE  also paid tribute to African American Women Heroines from the Northwest, as well as, to the dedicated African American Women here in the Western Service Area who makes daily contributions in support of the National Airspace. Foxy Davison from the Metropolitan Seattle Sickle Cell Task Force presented an educational video and handouts regarding Sickle Cell disease. The Task Force is a grass roots community based organization empowered to seek knowledge and support for people with Sickle Cell Disease. The Task Force works in partnership with schools, institutions, non-profit organizations, and health care providers to provide sickle testing and education about sickle cell disease and trait to the community.

The Task Force is also an advocate for individuals and families affected by the disease or trait. In support of this effort they conduct Annual Events such as a Sickle Cell Camp for kids 8-17; Annual Sickle Cell Walk held every year in Seattle in September at Seward Park; and the Gertrude Dawson Scholarship fund which is made available each year to graduating high school seniors with sickle cell that wish to pursue a continuing education program. All of this effort could not be accomplished without the support of the community. The Metropolitan Seattle Sickle Cell Task Force is a CFC organization. If you would like to show support to this organization, send your donations either directly to the Task Force via their website link: http://mssctf.org/ ; Mail address: P.O. Box 20194, Seattle, WA 98102, or through CFC #91489.

The NBCFAE Seattle Chapter would also like to recognize and thank Carolyn Rice for all her support efforts during the Black History Month events. Carolyn Rice volunteered and spent her personal funds and time afterhours preparing food stuff for the Bake Sale and Brown Bag events. She made sure that all the food stuff was available in a timely manner for all the events, as well as, volunteer, during her break time at work, assisting with decoration set up for both the Bake Sale and the Martin Luther King Celebration at the WSC All hands. Thanks Carolyn for All Your Support! National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees https://nbcfae.org/

Highlighting EMAS success from the Past!

EMAS Saves Another Aircraft at JFK

February 3 – For the third time, the engineered material arresting system (EMAS) at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) safely stopped a plane. On January 22, a Polar Air Cargo Boeing 747 skid off the end of runway 4R after landing. The aircraft came to a rest in the middle of the arrestor bed; no one was injured. The airport temporarily closed for arrivals; departures continued to use runway 4L. “EMAS  is  proven  technology  that  saves  lives,”  says  Joan  Bauerlein,  FAA’s  Director  of  Aviation Research and Development.  “EMAS  is  also  proof  of  the  successful  long-term public-private partnership of the FAA, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Engineered Systems Company (ESCO).” Developed by the FAA, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and ESCO, the EMAS, made of water, foam, and cement, deforms readily and reliably under the weight of an aircraft tire. As the tires crush the material, the drag forces decelerate the aircraft, bringing it to a safe stop. JFK’s  runway  4R does not have the required 1,000-foot long safety area; Thurston Basin is 550 feet from the runway end. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey worked with the FAA and ESCO to install an EMAS to provide overrun protection. The arrestor bed is 400 feet long, one of the larger sizes typical for a safety area of this length on a runway supporting large jet traffic. Four years ago, the arrestor bed safely stopped an American Eagle commuter plane that overran a runway at the airport. All 30 onboard walked off the aircraft; damage to the aircraft was minimal. In June 2002, the EMAS stopped a cargo plane, carrying 3 crewmembers, overran a runway while arriving at the airport; no one was injured. EMAS is now being installed at airports around the country, significantly enhancing the safety of the flying public. Generally, the cost to install an EMAS ranges between $2 million and $4 million, plus site preparation, for U.S. installations. Airports can apply to the FAA for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants to help defray the cost of the system.

ESCO is currently working with the FAA to install an EMAS test  bed  at  the  FAA’s  William  J.  Hughes  Technical  Center  in  Atlantic City, NJ. The test bed will allow researchers to monitor environmental effects on EMAS durability, improve installation methods, and improve computer modeling. The FAA expects to complete installation this year.

“Operation  Bald Eagle”

Next Troops Pack out is scheduled for April 2012 We need your help!

Donation Drop-off boxes are located in the 3rd floor break-room

Suggested Items for Donation

Goodies Coffee

Hard Candy (No Chocolate)

Beef Jerky Nuts/Trail Mix Granola Bars

Powdered Drinks Top Ramen

Gum

Hygiene Chap-Stick

Razors Gel Shaving Cream

Handy Wipes Lotion (travel size)

Shampoo (travel size) Toothbrushes & Paste

Feminine Products Anti-Chaffing Powder/Sticks

Black Socks

Fun Stuff New/Used DVD movies

Puzzle books Paperback Books

Small Hand Held Games Small Stuffed Animals

(Beanie Babies) Card or Letter

(with a personal sentiment that they are thought of…)

PLEASE NO cash, aerosol cans (may explode), big bottles or containers (costly to ship or may break), alcohol, pornographic materials, or pork.

For more information contact:

Kim Nolan wk: 425 203 4783, cell: 253 347 2386 http://operationbaldeagle.org/

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, is directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated." - George Washington

Let’s  show  our  support  to  our  troops  that  are  serving  in  the  

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard, by letting them know we care!

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FAA  Manager’s  Association  “Effective  Leadership  in  a  World  Class  Organization”

Seattle ARTCC recently hosted the two-day   FAA   Manager’s   Association   facilitated  leadership   training  seminar   titled  “Effective  Leadership   in  a  World  Class  Organization”.  The seminar, sponsored by local FAAMA Chapter 301, provided rich opportunities for participants to review concepts that may have forgotten or not used recently, discover new  tools   to  help  “sharpen  their   leadership  saw”,  and   join  robust  periods  of interactive discussion with facilitators Terri Waterman & Ralph Walters. FAAMA Membership Education Chair, Hal Albert was quoted in the seminar handbook stated:  “Each  day  you  face  and  manage  a  myriad  of  challenges  in  your  role  as  a  Federal  Manager and Public  Servant.  FAAMA’s  Leadership  Training  Seminar  provides  tools  for  all managers to hone their leadership skills that can be applied in the workplace as well as in all facets of their lives. Many of us frequently talk about leadership. But far fewer are willing  to  step  out  of  our  “comfort  zones”,  take  risks  to  improve,  and  are  bold  enough  ‘walk-the-talk’.” Attendees included representatives from several FAA lines of business including Airports (ARP), Security and Hazardous Materials Safety (ASH), Aerospace Medicine (AME), Human Resource Management (AHR), and the Air Traffic Organization (ATO). Some examples of feedback from attendees provide perspective on the value of this training.

…”Leadership  in  a  World  Class  Organization  was  insightful  and  enlightening. The delivery of the material and contagious enthusiasm of the class was inspiring. …”We  were   provided  with   a   valuable   learning   opportunity   to  work  with   our   peer  managers to identify, think about, cuss and discuss, and present our thoughts on several topic areas related to leadership. I found the interaction with my peers to be the best part of the class. There are a lot of thoughtful, motivated, energetic FAAers out there, who want to serve the agency, their peers, and their employees by being the best leaders they can be! The course offered us many ideas on how to think about ourselves and our leadership style, the different levels of leadership and how to progress to the next level, and the impact a leader can make. Our course facilitators were wonderful 'guides' on our journey, and made the learning fun and impactful. My take away was a reminder that leaders exist at all levels of our agency. Also that sometimes we lead, and sometimes we follow -- both are important and one cannot exist without the  other.” …”The  seminar  was  "a  great  reminder  that  Leadership  is  about  people - a reminder to keep focused on those traits that will help grow and develop people is invaluable."

…”I  rate  this  seminar  ‘outstanding’  for  being  able  to  ‘refresh’  my  memory  and learn new aspects or perspectives in the local area."

…"Please continue FAAMA training on a regular basis, semi-yearly, if possible."

…"The training provided good tools I can use to work with the leaders at my facility."

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FAAMA sponsored training is open to non-FAAMA members although FAAMA members will be given priority during registration. Look for announcements of FAAMA training sessions or brown bag seminars in future issues of this newsletter or broadcast email flyers. More information on FAAMA can be obtained at http://www.faama.org

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Hello Everyone,

A few weeks ago, I talked in my weekly message about the importance of Workforce Engagement (WE) — the ATO-wide effort to create a better place to work that was launched with a Gallup survey of co-workers just over a year ago.

In the near future, you will have two ways to make your voice heard: the WE Survey and the government-wide Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. Both are great ways to let management  know  what  you’re  thinking  and  how  your  workplace  can  be  improved.

The first of the two surveys is the WE survey, which will begin on February 27. The focus of WE is your workgroup – it allows you to directly affect change in your local area. This survey  will  measure  how  far  we’ve  come  in  identifying  local  solutions  to  local  issues  and  pinpoint what more needs to be done.

I urge each of you to take 10 minutes and complete the new survey. Please be assured that Gallup will keep your individual responses strictly confidential.

The previous Gallup survey helped us to see both our strengths and opportunities to improve. It showed that across the ATO we can do better in areas such as giving recognition  to  employees,  valuing  each  other’s  opinions  and encouraging the development of our workforce.

That survey had an impressive 60 percent participation rate across the ATO. An equally strong  response  to  this  year’s  survey  will  enable  WE  to  build  on  early  successes  and  move  forward in its second year.

More information will be forthcoming about the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey later this spring. Your participation in both surveys is key to improving the ATO, which will enhance the operations we run and the services we provide. We need your involvement and value your feedback.

Learn more about Workforce Engagement at: https://employees.faa.gov/org/linebusiness/ato/programs/we/?cid=ATO_WE

Thanks,

David Grizzle

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IT’S SELF ASSESSMENT TIME AGAIN!

Writing a self assessment can be as helpful to you as it is to your manager. A well-written self-assessment,  which  captures  the  “what  I  did”  and  the  “how  I  accomplished  what  I  did,”  will  show the whole picture of your major accomplishments. At the end of the year, many managers remember what you did all year long, but it is hard to relate what you did, to how your work related to:

- Impact to the Organization - Collaboration - Customer Service - Leadership (managers only)

Completing a self-assessment at mid-cycle makes it easier for you and your manager to remember things you did early in the year, when they are reviewing your performance at year end. MANAGER’S  NOTE: In accordance with HRPM 9.1, you must provide each of your employees with a mid-cycle discussion during the month of April. There will be an OPM Audit again this year where each manager must certify they have completed all mid-cycle discussions during the month of April.

Do:

o Read the performance plan outcomes/expectations, SCI criteria, work plan and ODP (if applicable)

o Know and understand the relevance of each specific contribution

o Relate how what you have accomplished relates to: Impact to the organization, customer service, collaboration and leadership(managers only)

o Get to the point! Be brief and consistent with your documentation; have a method to document and a tracking mechanism that works for you

o Let action verbs triumph over nouns and adjectives

o Use a consistent sentence structure with each bullet

o Provide a mid-year and end-of-year self-assessment

o Refer to the Employee SCI Self-Assessment Form-Core SCI, PASS Application of SCI-PASS Covered Employees, or if not under the SCI Process—the Self-Assessment Form from the Performance Plan Package

Don’t:

o Just make a list of what you did o Use broad generalities, ambiguity, and

abstractions o Write statements that parrot job

descriptions, performance plans, and SCI criteria

News from ASG

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Four Keys to Effective Listening Every book, article, or course on this subject ultimately comes to the same conclusion: There are four  key  elements  of  effective  listening.  If  you  can  master  them,  your  “charm  quotient”  will  skyrocket immediately.

1. Listen attentively. Listen without interrupting. Listen in complete silence, as if there is nothing in the world that is more important to you at this moment than what the other person is saying.

If someone wants to talk to you, especially at home, immediately discontinue all other activities and give that person your complete attention.

Turn off the television, shut the book or newspaper, and focus single-mindedly on what the other person is saying. This behavior will be instantly recognized and appreciated, and will give you tremendous emotional power in the conversation.

To listen as if you are transfixed by what the other person is saying, imagine that your eyes are  sunlamps  and  you  are  giving  the  person’s  face  a  tan.  

When a person is intently listened to by another, he is affected biochemically. His brain releases  endorphins,  nature’s  “happy  drug,”  which  makes  him  feel  good  about  himself.  His  self-esteem goes up and he likes himself more. Above all, he likes and trusts you more by virtue of your listening attentively to him. The payoff is extraordinary.

2. Pause before replying. Rather than jumping in as soon as the other person takes a breath, pause for three to five seconds. Allow a silence to exist. Just relax.

When you pause, three things happen, all of them good. First, you avoid interrupting the other person if he is just pausing to reorganize his thoughts before continuing. Second, by pausing, you tell the person that what he said was important and that you are considering it carefully. This reinforces the personal value of the speaker and causes him to see you as a more attractive and intelligent person. Third, you actually hear the person, not only what he said, but what he meant, at a deeper level of mind. Try it once and see.

3. Question for clarification. Never assume that you know exactly what the person meant by what  he  said.  Instead,  help  him  to  expand  on  his  most  recent  remark  by  asking,  “How  do  you  mean?”  or  “What  do  you  mean,  exactly?”

Here is one of the most important rules of communication: The person who asks questions has control.

The person answering the questions is controlled by the person asking them. When a person is speaking in answer to a question, fully 100 percent of his focus and attention is on what he is saying; he cannot think of anything else. He is totally controlled by the questioner.

The trick to charming someone with this technique is to ask your questions thoughtfully. All great communicators know this and use it regularly.

4. Feed it back; paraphrase it in your own words. This is the acid test of effective listening, the proof  that  you  were  really  paying  attention,  instead  of  engaging  in  the  “phony  listening”  that is so common today.

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May 28, 2012 Memorial Day July 4, 2012 Independence Day September 3, 2012 Labor Day October 8, 2012 Columbus Day November 11, 2012 Veteran’s  Day November 22, 2012 Thanksgiving Day December 25, 2012 Christmas Day

Pay Dates Remaining: March 6, 2012 March 20, 2012 April 3, 2012 April 17, 2012 May 1, 2012 May 15, 2012 May 29, 2012 June 12, 2012 June 26, 2012 July 10, 2012 July 24, 2012 August 7, 2012 August 21, 2012 September 4, 2012 September 18, 2012 October 2, 2012 October 16, 2012 October 30, 2012 November 13, 2012 November 27, 2012 December 11, 2012 December 24, 2012

Daylight Savings Time:

March 11, 2012 November 4, 2012

To submit an article for the April edition of WSA News, please email your word document to trina.johnson@faa.gov. You must submit your article by March 30th or it will not be included.

The formatting of your article is subject to change, but the content will remain the same.

Events Calendar

Upcoming Events

FEBRUARY S M T W T F S

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5 6 7 8 9 10 11

12 13 14 15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29

M A R C H

S M T W T F S

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11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

A P R I L S M T W T F S

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Workforce Engagement

Take the Gallup survey! Currently at

32% Completion

http://gx.gallup.com/faaq12.gx