Theses kind of things are local management issues. And I find over and over middle managment will not do anything unless instucted, if that is the case then we do not need middle managers. You people are empowered to fix these kind of issues you must go over the locals heads until you get someone that will do something.
Take the initiative yourself, first find out who can supply replacements and how much they cost then take that to your managment, if they do not do anything tell them right to thier face that you will take it over thier heads. Despite all the sandcastle bashing here they will absolutely support action over inaction. One of the big issues now is the East culture of "It ain't my job" or "I wasn't told to fix that".
As Nike said Just do it!
See, this is where, with all due respect, you are simply incorrect...
I don't work for US...but, lets just say I am, more or less, "married into" the company, so I have a reasonably good handle on the "corporate culture" inside the company. I also have a business that works with and manages these types of issues for a living.
It is not a "
local management issue." It's a "
corporate culture issue." If you had ever worked for PI, you might understand.
In the PI "culture," employees were not only empowered for REAL (unlike the pretend empowerment current management supposedly gives it's people now), they were also given tools to manage through. For example, F/As were given coupon books for extra FF miles when a pax wasn't completely satisfied. At CO today, employees are truly empowered to keep customers happy. The CCY version of US had similar tools...and just 3 weeks ago, on a WN flight BWI-PVD, F/As were offering stand bys the option to get on an earlier fligth without paying the increased fare and free drinks were offered on board....because the flight was 20 minutes late. Can ANYONE imagine the Sand Castle version of US doing this?
When middle managers "do nothing" it's not because they are knuckle dragging, neanderthals...as you are indirectly suggesting when you say something like "
I find over and over middle managment will not do anything unless instucted." Not only is that condescending and elitist, it's also not correct....and spelled incorrectly I might add.
😉
When middle management (or any employee for that matter) does nothing or doesn't act, it's not because they need the stick, it's because they need the carrot. They need to see the vision, they need to know they won't be dragged to the curb and beaten with the stick if and when they make a mistake.
"Top Down" managed companies like the Sand Castle version of US Airways, where employees are completely NOT empowered, do nothing and need to be told to do everything...because making a mistake is not acceptable.
Employees WANT to grow. They WANT to do a good job. The WANT to succeed. Human nature WANTS to build and move to the next level.
Suggesting this is somehow "middle management's issue/fault" shows many, many disconnects. The style of management you suggest and the style these Sand Castle people are exhibiting is OLD, OLD, OLD school....it went away in the early '80's.
Take a peek at companies like Microsoft....or in your industry, Continental or Midwest, for companies that are more "bottom up" managed. That is, the front line people build the plan....
SENIOR MANAGEMENT THEN BEHAVE AS TRUE LEADERS AND MANAGERS BY CLEARING ROAD BLOCKS, REMOVING OBSTACLES AND HELPING THE TEAM GET TO THE GOAL.
Right now, your insecure, fearful leader is trying to carry the whole load on his shoulders. That gig will implode....I promise everyone.
