Then we have to play “Guess whether this is a CI with skills and experience, or a CI who’s brand new and in need of assistance and training”… Just as we do currently.
I do, in certain areas. For the simple reason that I’ve worked hard over the years and amassed some experience. I have my fields of expertise and I’m good at them. As a WO I see it as my responsibility to help train those Sgt and FS who are not as good at it yet.
You will never see me “lording it”, as the kids say, over anyone, however I do expect those under my training to defer to the fact that I know what I’m talking about. They see a WO and should be able to have confidence that I’m in that rank specifically because I know what I’m talking about, rather than having got there by default.
Just as I would expect that any other WO ought to be a leader in their field, whatever it may be.
In particular I am glad to defer to the superior knowledge and experience of those in other fields of which I am not as knowledgeable regardless of their rank.
There’s nothing pretentious about the rank structure; it’s just a tried and tested means of assigning command to those who can lead.
No different to the civilian world where some people are managers of others. The titles are just different.
“But the plans were on display…”
“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
“That’s the display department.”
“With a flashlight.”
“Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”
“So had the stairs.”
“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.”
Having received the request, I will complete the survey, after canvassing my staff to see if the have any strong opinions.
My problem is whether replying to the Survey is worthwhile. My previous input to a survey for the ATC gave a result that was totally ignored as it didn’t give the answer wanted by the authors of the survey.
The management style needs to be consistent, either authoritarian or democratic. It can’t be both!
A survey should never be used as cover for a pre made management decision. It just creates resentment in the providers of the information, who have given honest opinions, if the results are ignored.
Changing the 18plus system will create a myriad of opinions and systems, as has been shown on this thread. Having a survey will not change this!
