Obama appoints Errol Southers to head the TSA
Aug 9, 2009, 6:38 am
#47
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Aug 9, 2009, 6:49 am
#49
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If you believe poor decisions are supported and allowed to stand, you don't understand leadership
Did you ever chew out someone in your command after a poor decision? Did you require those persons to fix their mistake?
Were you ever held accountable by your commanders for your mistakes?
Last edited by Tom M.; Aug 9, 2009 at 6:59 am
Aug 9, 2009, 7:40 am
#50
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However, the overall tone of any agency, corporation or even military unit comes from the top down. If the person at the top displays arrogance, that arrogance filters down. We saw that with Bush, his arrogance filterting down to agency heads and administrators. Chertoff and Hawley are fine examples, as are Francine and even Blogger Bob, further down in the pecking order.
Perhaps the new administrator does need to micromanage one or two instances of screener abuse to get the message across that such abuse of the traveling public will not be tolerated.
Aug 9, 2009, 8:06 am
#54
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LOL. This from someone who brought the military into the "context"
But I guess you can't help it.
He should get involved if the actions taken don't live up to his ideals. That is not micro-managing. That is leading.
But I guess you can't help it.
He should get involved if the actions taken don't live up to his ideals. That is not micro-managing. That is leading.
Aug 9, 2009, 8:07 am
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How easily you take things out of context. Perhaps you can't help it.
First comment was that we'll see how Southers is as the head guy the first time some TSO screws up. My point is that Southers, as the Administrator for TSA, ought to leave that up to the FSD on the ground to handle that level of detail. It's not Southers' job handle disciplinary actions at the airport level. So my answer to that question is that such a situation would not be an indicator of how good Southers is other than the fact that he allows FSDs to do their jobs.
On the other hand, if Southers does get involved in that level of detail, then what we have is a micro-manager. And that's bad all the way around.
First comment was that we'll see how Southers is as the head guy the first time some TSO screws up. My point is that Southers, as the Administrator for TSA, ought to leave that up to the FSD on the ground to handle that level of detail. It's not Southers' job handle disciplinary actions at the airport level. So my answer to that question is that such a situation would not be an indicator of how good Southers is other than the fact that he allows FSDs to do their jobs.
On the other hand, if Southers does get involved in that level of detail, then what we have is a micro-manager. And that's bad all the way around.
Aug 9, 2009, 8:21 am
#57
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This was the quote:
"we'll know what kind of a leader he is based on how/if he responds the first time a screener(s) does something really stupid that makes the news."
You "looked at how the original question was phrased" and decided It would be poor leadership for him to get involved no matter what.
Yet the question was "how/if he responds"
He needs to get involved so he knows what action was taken. He needs to respond if the response from his staff is not what he considers appropriate. He needs to respond if appropriate action was taken by supporting that action.
Last edited by Tom M.; Aug 9, 2009 at 8:32 am
Aug 9, 2009, 8:41 am
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You know nothing of my qualifications, pops. And that's the way it's going to stay.
Make you a deal - I'll stop "stereotyping" if you'll quit touting the Army as the solution to everything. 'kay ?Agree. Never said it was, just that intially there was some military influence and some vestiges remain. TSA may be run by civilians but it does not behave like a civilian enterprise.
Aug 9, 2009, 8:44 am
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