Applications in Risk Management - Personal Statement Example

1. Risk management The ability to assure that risk is identified, evaluated, documented, eliminated or controlled within defined program risk parameters. While I have a longstanding history of effectively and efficiently managing risk in areas of flight instruction -- as well as cargo flying and air transport flying -- my general concern with risk management extends into all aspects of my life. This includes my time spent as a teacher, my hobby of scuba diving, and the task of driving daily on busy highways. In each of these situations I implement a process of risk management that I have successfully developed during my lifetime through experience and self-conscious personal reflection. My risk management process functions by identifying an area of risk which needs to be controlled or managed. In flight instruction, where evaluating and documenting risk can be real time or anticipated for the future, my ability to recognize and evaluate the risk at every conceivable instant allows me to complete each flight safely; in flight instruction, there is no room for errors. In real time, I evaluate and identify risks from the pre-flight briefing through the post-flight briefing of every lesson. By documenting the flight lesson in the student’s records, I anticipate potential risks that must be addressed until I am satisfied that the risk can be managed and mitigated by the student when I no longer unsupervised their development and risk management. This is a complicated process that requires I document flight lessons in both my and the student’s records to pinpoint dysfunctions and areas that require further evaluation and improvement. The goal that is achieved provides a viewfinder for identifying, and eliminating risk within program parameters. I also managed risk while flying freight. One risk that constantly required monitoring was icing potential. I would perform a pre-flight evaluation to review the route of flight. I would evaluate the weather using documented and approved sources, and I would evaluate the potential for icing. I would assess the type of aircraft required for the flight and based on these risk evaluations request the appropriate aircraft to control the risk. Simply stated, if I was going into icing, I would demand an aircraft useable for known icing. If the appropriate aircraft was not available, I would explain the risk involved with the flight, provide the information I had obtained while assessing the risk and explain how that risk would be mitigated by using appropriate equipment. I was never denied an aircraft after explaining my documented, risk-assessment evaluation. 2. In this text area, please provide a brief explanation of your Evaluation -The ability to determine if a process or component is doing what it was designed to do and is producing the intended results. I identify the component to be evaluated and then evaluate it by a structured and well-defined process that includes meeting specified goals. As a flight instructor the component could be maintaining altitude under simulated instrumental flight conditions (IFR). After this component has been evaluated, I establish goals that are clearly identifiable by me and the student; in the case of altitude management during IFR, the goal I communicate to the student is that they must perform the flight maneuvers to specific and pre-defined standards. The next stage in my evaluation process is to construct a qualitative assessment of the extent the student met the goal of the specific task. If the goal wasn’t accomplished by the pre-defined assessment standards, then I implement the next stage of my assessment process; this is to identify several short-term objectives with relevant parameters and tolerances to ensure student success. It’s also important to establish a time line for evaluation. While there are some independent variables for establishing the time-line – it can be weekly, monthly, or per-lesson – establishing the timeline is essential as it forces the student to stay current with the process and to ensure that it the intended results are produced. Overall, the importance of establishing and maintaining well-defined goals and assessment procedures is absolutely essential. 3. Work load management. Ability to organize and complete work activities effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with established priorities. When managing work load, I identify the established priorities so that work activities can be completed effectively and efficiently. Organizing work activities effectively requires that I identify measurable items, such as time involved, required equipment, and knowledge needed to complete the work activities efficiently. To effectively and efficiently complete work activities, I assess the work involved by collaborating with others at appropriate times in person or electronically. To complete the work activities effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with established priorities I identify milestone dates so that the work activity can managed from the beginning to the completion. 4. In this text area, please provide a brief explanation of your Information Management-Identifies a need for and knows where or how to gather information; organizes and maintains information using information management systems. As a flight instructor, computers and the internet have become essential tools for successful information management. A variety of data is available in the form of weather, airmets and sigmets, and notams. Lesson materials on flight maneuvers are also provided in the form of graphics, and I’ve discovered that the best simulations can be found through diligent and experienced use of internet search engines. Whereas in the past communication was relegated to the telephone, today I am in the perpetual process of developing new methods to more efficiently communicate with my company, the students, and clients through the use of internet, fax, email, and assorted web 2.0 social networking platforms. I also gather information from the company data base, create hard copies, and have developed a computer filing system. It’s important to evaluate the task at hand and decide what type of communication medium will be the most productive and efficient for information management. 5. In this text area, please provide a brief explanation of your Communications -The ability to communicate in English in a clear, concise manner that is appropriate for the target audience. My training as flight instructor, airline pilot, and public school teacher has refined my communication skills to a level of precision, and I have supplemented this experience by self-consciously developing my communicative competence to effectively interact in a wide variety of venues. I possess a Masters Degree in Education with a focus in Special Education and English as a Second Language (ESOL). This has taught me to account for the target audience when negotiating meaning with a multitude of speakers. As a flight instructor, I am required to adapt descriptions of circumstances, events, and maneuvers in an aviation vernacular suitable for a variety of understandings and skill levels. As an airline pilot, it’s necessary to convey more complicated sets of industry standard words and phrases to efficiently communicate within the air traffic control and national airspace system. As a public school teacher, the spectrum of communication skills required is dependent upon the individual students I am instructing, the faculty environment, and the personal backgrounds of the parents comprising teacher conferences and open-house engagements. It’s through these methods that I am able to adapt my communication to a target audience. 6. In this text area, please provide a brief explanation of your Teamwork -The ability to work well with other team members; monitor progress; to ensure goals are achieved. The nature of teamwork takes on a multitude of forms, and as a result it’s necessary to develop an underlining philosophy of teamwork through personal experience and self-reflection. In a cockpit, duties are specifically spelled out in policies, procedures, and checklists. This environment functions by both parties knowing and effectively communicating their expectations. They must realize that they have specific goals and develop a well-defined means of ensuring these goals are achieved. In this situation, working as an efficient team requires trusting the effectiveness of their training in defining procedures and following the leadership of the captain to establish a harmonious cockpit environment. I’ve found a more complex and challenging element of teamwork is when the group members have minimal training and experience with each other. In these situations, it’s necessary the team agrees upon and works toward a common goal. These situations sometimes result in team members working in isolation causing the group effort to splinter. The most effective solution to this is leadership that directs and maintains cohesiveness and a focused team by directing the group members toward realizing common objectives. Recently, as the team leader I was faced with such a personnel issue that affected productivity and team cohesiveness. I resolved the problem by developing team meetings for the express reason of developing teamwork and ensuring the achievement of our goals. The meeting identified the objectives, set parameters for success, and alternatives routes if objectives were found to be unobtainable. Each team member became aware of his or her role and the consequences of not meeting the pre-defined expectations of their role. The social pressure for failing the team created an atmosphere of cooperation that lead to a higher level of achievement. I’ve also found in situations like these, and as a general rule for group leadership, to follow Franklin Roosevelt who stated, “A good leader cant get too far ahead of his followers.” 7. In this text area, please provide a brief explanation of your Interpersonal Skills -The ability to relate to individuals; consider differing views; consider and respond appropriately to needs, feelings, capabilities; provide constructive and positive feedback; and manage conflict. I’ve found that strong interpersonal skills depend on the ability of the communicator to understand and adapt their approach to the personality of the person or group with whom they are socializing. As an airline pilot I needed to adapt my communication to match the precision and efficiency of air traffic controllers, company flight controllers, ramp controllers, and station agents. As an Education Clinician, I found that the foundational interpersonal skill of smiling to be essential. It sets the first impression. Good interpersonal skills are enhanced by being appreciative of co-workers. I keep discussions on a positive level to avoid a hostile work environment. Consistently recognizing another person’s good personal and professional qualities reinforces a harmonious work place. I listen intently and avoid interrupting another person during a discussion. By avoiding interruptions, I send a signal that I value the other person’s opinion. The result is generally that the other person values what I say in return. When managing conflicts I keep things simple. I identify the issue and then spend time distilling it to the simplest form. Then, I identify the desired outcome. After mentally resolving the issue to myself, I engage the person with whom I have the conflict. I keep it brief. I describe what took place, how it affected my productivity, and what I need for resolution. By using a very simple approach, and maintaining emotional detachment, I am able to manage conflicts efficiently and quickly. 8. In this text area, please provide a brief explanation of your Decision Making -Makes sound, well-informed, and objective decisions based on critical thinking principles and sound facts and data; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; makes recommendations and commits to action, even in uncertain situations, to accomplish organizational goals. My career requires that I have developed a well-informed and sound decision making process. As a flight instructor I am required to safely manage student instruction by making such decisions. There are occasions while giving flight instruction to a student that making sound, well informed, and objective decisions are dependent on of the level of hazard involved in the circumstances. It may involve exceeding aircraft structural limits, air traffic limits, or traffic avoidance. In these situations, decisions must be made based on critical thinking principles, sound facts and data, and their perceived impact. The implications of these decisions during hazardous circumstances affect the accomplishment of the organizational goal of producing a pilot who can, with supervision, manage his own flights safely. Similarly, my experience in education has shown me the necessity of developing objective means of managing student conduct to ensure effective classroom-management. Through experience, I’ve learned the importance of developing well-defined assessment criteria to ensure that students’ understanding of the assignment and the teacher’s expectations for their successful completion of it are comprehend and adequately adhered. Without developing and communicating assessment criteria, making objective decisions to advance student learning is impossible. Ultimately, sound decision making in all circumstances is contingent on having life experience that is supplemented by rigorous and constant self-conscious evaluation strengths and weaknesses. My extensive experience as a flight instructor, public educator, and high-functioning citizen has given me the ability to objectively apply critical thinking principles in well-defined and efficient ways to accomplish personal and organizational goals. Read More