What Qualifications? (Split from the "Welcome Mr. Pelton" Thread)

[rwanttaja]

...I don't think a couple hundred thousand spent on an executive search company is going to find him/her. I hope the board does not go that route.

Also, I hope they take their time. With an apparently competent interim leader, what's the hurry? I'd like to see Mr. Pelton in charge through next year's Oshkosh. By then everybody should be able to decide whether they think he's the right person for the job--and the board will have had time to consider lots of candidates.

Which brings us to the obvious question: If you were in charge of looking for a new President/CEO...what would be the person's qualifications? What would be must-haves on a resume? What would be an automatic rejection (other than a last name ending in "aja" :-)?

In short: What makes a good EAA President?

Ron Wanttaja

[Joe LaMantia]

Hi Ron!,

Good question, I just asked Hal that on the other thread. Here's a few qualities the guy may need; aviation credentials, preferably in small aircraft, experience in leading and managing change in a large organization, and above all a realistic vision of where aviation in the US is headed. How does EAA fit into the future and can we leverage our history and expertise going forward? This is a pretty short list and I'm sure a lot of folks out there will have more to add. He doesn't have to walk on water, but a seaplane rating wouldn't hurt!

Joe
;)

[RV8505]

Hi Ron!,

Good question, I just asked Hal that on the other thread. Here's a few qualities the guy may need; aviation credentials, preferably in small aircraft, experience in leading and managing change in a large organization, and above all a realistic vision of where aviation in the US is headed. How does EAA fit into the future and can we leverage our history and expertise going forward? This is a pretty short list and I'm sure a lot of folks out there will have more to add. He doesn't have to walk on water, but a seaplane rating wouldn't hurt!

Joe
;)

Good points Joe! Also I think He/She would need to be able to bridge the various socioeconomic levels and foster a sense of community and connection.

[Cary]

He or she needs to be a "people person" who hasn't succumbed to believing that being at the "top" of an organization means that everyone else is below. That includes recognizing that members make the organization, not the other way around, and recognizing regarding employees that the little guy who pushes the broom is just as important as the "vice president" over him.

Cary

[Revpeach]

The next head of the EAA needs to realize that the EAA is a voluntary organization. While it has many paid employees, it is composed mainly of volunteers. No one HAS to belong to the EAA. They are members because they want to be. Two important traits of voluntary organizations is first, if you treat the members like objects, they will respond in the same way. The head of the EAA needs to have homed people skills, both individual and corporate. Secondly, voluntary organizations change very slowly. You just can't order a change. In a voluntary organization people will either ignore the change or leave.

Wayne

[Joe LaMantia]

Insightful comments Wayne!

Somewhere on Hanger Talk somebody pointed out that the founder said EAA was about People first, who have a common interest in aviation.

Joe
:cool:

[RV8505]

I think the time has come we need to start growing our own leaders! We need to take the best kids from kidventure, Air Academy and put them in Jr leadership positions during Oshkosh or intern during the summer to groom them to take the reins of EAA someday. Maybe even help them get their pilots certificates. I was kind of bummed out with all the infighting this year but went to the lifetime dinner and I was really uplifted by some late 20's something Air Academy grads that had really good aviation careers. There were very positive. It was great how they all keep in contact after they went to air academy years ago. That was the highlight of Oshkosh for me last year.

[swo49]

In most organizations, they start out and are successful at the start-up and initial development stage under their founders. Then the organizations that still stand, start to develop into the expansion phase by some new leadership. EAA had Paul as the Founder (with Aubrey of course) and then EAA had Tom (and of course, Sharon) during its expansion years. So the question becomes, with our most recent EAA President gone, what are the attributes that will predict the successful choice of the next Prez? The first answer to this question is a question, at what stage in corporate/organizational development and organizational need, do we find EAA today? We need to take an inventory of the organization and answer this question. Some attributes might include: damage control (retaining the correct EAA full time people, retaining membership, explaining to the membership what all occurred,...), continued management of EAA and AirVenture, financial management and control oversight, and the alike. Once this inventory has been completed, then a profile of what EAA requires for a future, successful president can be developed.

Questions: What about an interim Prez to help Jack out? What is the one year plan for EAA? Are there people who might be able to help for a while like Tom P and HG?

In order to work this problem, EAA has to think out of the box. I would bet that Jack has exactly these qualities. Let's give Jack and EAA a chance. I am here to support my EAA.