Avionics News March 2022 - 15

If you are the owner of the business, does
each of your employees know your objectives?
If not, why not? How can you achieve your
objectives if the very engine of your business (the
people) doesn't know where you are trying to go?
There is a business concept that reads: " To know where you
are going, you have to first know where you are. " You need a
baseline. You need an objective, a goal, a direction - a starting
point and a direction.
How many businesses have you seen that seemed to be
flailing and not really know who or where they were with no
real direction? They just seemed to be existing. As long as
the customers keep coming and offering payment for their
goods or services, they are content to just survive. The exact
opposite are the readers of this magazine, the participants
in AEA AERO, and the attendees at the AEA International
Convention & Trade Show and the regional AEA Connect
Conferences. Those people are committed to improvement.
As we expand on the concept that to know where we are
going we have to baseline where we are, let's talk about the
objectives of your business. If you do a quick search for business
objectives, you will come up with a reasonably short list:
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Financial objectives.
Production objectives.
Human objectives.
Quality objectives.
Compliance objectives
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(you knew I would include this).
Safety objectives.
Environmental objectives.
With each of these seven objectives, what is your
objective? If you work for a company, do you know what the
company's objective is for each of these seven? And if you
are the owner of the business, does each of your employees
know your objectives? If not, why not? How can you achieve
your objectives if the very engine of your business (the
people) doesn't know where you are trying to go? They will
certainly help you go somewhere, but without your map, your
objectives, they may not find your destination.
From the discussions I have had with AEA member
companies over more than 20 years, everyone could generally
talk about the seven objectives. Their goals are that no one
gets hurt on the job; they want to complete the job correctly
and on time; they don't want any violations from their
authority; they would like to make a profit; and they would
like to retain their workforce. While nearly all of the shops
could generally talk about their goals, when asked to see
them, they would almost always fall short.
When asked what a business objective is, indeed.com states:
" A business objective is a measurable result an organization
is aiming to accomplish. Many business professionals form
objectives using the SMART goal method, which stands for
specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-based.
As the organization grows, it's important to regularly form
new business objectives to effectively track employees'
performance and ensure the business is progressing and
improving. "
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization,
management needs to establish objectives of the organization
consistent with its core values. Management can accomplish
these values by holding managers and employees accountable
for achieving the objectives and goals. To assist in reaching
the goals, staff looks to management for:
1. Clear direction in the form of credible policies,
objectives, goals, standards, etc.
2. Adequate resources, including sufficient time, to fulfill
assigned tasks safely and efficiently.
3. Expertise in terms of access to experience through
literature, training, seminars, etc.
Let's look at clear direction. Nearly all the members
I spoke with over the years could generally discuss their
goals regarding the seven objectives. But when I ask the
workforce, their views are based on organizational norms
and assumptions rather than well-defined, clear and specific
direction. For continuous improvement, the first step is to
Continued on following page
avionics news * march 2022 15
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Avionics News March 2022

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