PINC Part 2: Concocting a Solution to Intentional Non-Compliance in Aviation

Procedural Intentional Non-Compliance is a a scary reality and on the verge of becoming more habitual. We discussed the problem in our previous article, PINC: Why Aviation May Have Created Its Own Monster.

We believe that one solution to PINC lies in changing the aviation training paradigm. Currently, almost all training is dispersed from the top down. Government agencies and professional organizations announce the newest threats to safety and latest training mandates. Providers design products based on these initiatives. Flight departments in turn purchase the products and then require employees to consume the training.

The glaring problem with a top down training system is that most of us who consume the training have little or no buy-in. This is a big reason why we have people choosing to intentionally disregard checklists and standard operating procedures. It is a by-product of a faulty training paradigm.

Getting Buy-in

So how can we engage people so they will value and apply the training they receive? Mark Crowley in his article, Why Engagement Happens in Employees Hearts, Not Their Minds lists 4 factors that increase engagement in our workplace.

  1. Having a supervisor that cares about us, our well-being, and personal growth
  2. Doing work that we enjoy and have the talents to perform
  3. Routinely feeling valued, appreciated, and having a deep belief that the work we do matters
  4. Having strong bonds with other people on the team

People want to belong, enjoy their work, make a difference and collaborate. Is the current training paradigm promoting engagement?

Training was never meant to be something dictated to us in an impersonal manner that we learn to tolerate. It was meant to make us better at what we love to do.....whether that's flying, fixing the plane or making passengers comfortable.

A New Training Paradigm

So let's consider flipping the process. Let's start with the people who do the job. Let's teach them to assess their own needs, develop a plan to meet those needs, design a solution, implement the solution, train others, and then assess what went well and what needs revision. Let's teach them to do this all as a team so they can draw on each other's expertise and creativity and hold one another accountable. Let's have providers begin to develop tools and products that support the unique needs of their customers. Professional organizations can then be used as a vehicle to share the ideas and experiences gleaned from those in the field. And finally, government oversight can once again be focused on the few who truly have no interest in safety or getting better at what they do.

A new training paradigm wouldn't be complete unless it addressed simulator instruction. Let's base the instruction on the workload, hazards, and risks that are specific to each of us and the operation in which we work. Let's allow each pilot to practice, experiment, learn from mistakes, and try new maneuvers in the simulator without the fear of failure or loss of certification. Let's harness technology and virtual reality and develop simulators that are placed in-house so that we can train proactively and immediately following an incident.

Change is Possible

We can implement a training paradigm that is engaging, meaningful, and enjoyable. It won't come about by mandates. That would defeat the purpose. It has to be created by the people who do the work. It needs to be encouraged by management and leaders in our industry. It will become wide spread when we've had enough of the status quo and decide to take action. Hopefully, that time has come. Hopefully, PINC will be an anomaly in our industry and not habitual.

Starting with the people and working outward. Functioning as a team. Letting customer need drive the products and services. Supporting professionals with organizations in which they can share ideas freely and learn from one another. Structuring a system where professionals are trusted to do their job well and dissidents are held accountable. Sounds like a formula for employee engagement and autonomy. Sounds like a good way to concoct a training program. Also sounds like a good way to concoct a Revolution.

We can facilitate a new training paradigm in your flight operation. Contact Us to discuss your needs and how we can be of help.

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