Unfortunately VATSIM is not a democratic organization. This structure doesn't just pertain to VATUSA, all of the Regions have a similar structure. It doesn't mean that doing what the masses need to survive shouldn't be done, and input is required to make decisions that benefit the masses. To get the input, we need to figure out how to communicate. This system has worked for a long time.
This attitude is a logical fallacy. You can't run a volunteer organization as a dictatorship. There's absolutely a need for someone to call the shots in administrative matters, but can you honestly tell me with a straight face that we're stronger as a division after the events of the past 8 days? We're down an entire facility staff, a division events director, and the only losers are the rank and file controllers and students at the affected facility, who are left leaderless and discouraged because the community that they built together has been blown up. I'm all for appropriate disciplinary action being taken, but to jump right to staff removal is something that should be done only after a grave amount of care. The previous VATUSA1 removed ONE ATM in a 5 year tenure; the current administration has made that same move three times in less than a year. Surely you don't disagree that there's some cause for concern with that statistic.
The volunteers - the ones devoting time, blood, sweat, tears, money, and expertise with little return aside from their own enjoyment are the lifeblood of this division. ARTCCs are tight-knit communities because for the longest time, the division hasn't done much to force us to co-mingle and coexist. The construct in which we operate makes us work together on things like LOAs, etc. out of necessity and not out of a desire to build bridges or relationships across the borders. Couple that with the fact that in this hobby, there's always going to be an implicit air of competition from one facility to the next, and you have the friendly, but largely adversarial view by which most controllers and staff regard their neighbors.
That being said, it also takes a cultural shift. Many times during high traffic situations, tempers flare, and we're busy looking for ways to blame everyone around us (including the pilots). What we need to be doing is taking more pride in the way we work and doing our best to not shovel our mess into the adjoining sectors or facilities. I just had a long conversation with one of my S3 controllers who is on the precipice of his Center OTS. He was concerned about "what if [insert Center here] screws us over on spacing?" to which I had to gently nudge him into acknowledging that none of us are perfect at this hobby. Rather than trying to blame the neighbors for underperforming, we should be looking for ways to help them step up their game. Constructive feedback and sharing of techniques and best practices goes a long way, and I'm incredibly happy to see Rick's initiatives to start that process.
DK hit it on the head - at the end of the day, we're all on the same team.
Well your right we can't run the Division as a dictatorship and its not being ran as dictatorship, and you took my words out of context. What we have is a communication problem, we have people feeling like they don't know where the Division is going or what our plans are, and frankly I agree. I think the we have done a horrible job of selling the things we are working on, keeping the masses up to date on projects etc.
Regarding of the removal of three ATMs, I'm not going to discuss the ins and outs of those removals. What I can tell you is two of those ARTCCs are in a better place now. They are more inclusive, their memberships have grown substantially, and most importantly the people within those ARTCCs are now having fun. This discussion isn't about the removal of 3 ATMs, its about trying to figure out how we can communicate with you as a member of the Division so everyone knows what is going on, so everyone has an opportunity speak about initiatives, and get their input in.
You talk about volunteers devoting time, blood, sweat, tears, money and expertise to the Division.... What do you think I am? I don't get a paycheck for what I do, I have poured blood, sweat, tears, money and expertise into this Division too. It seems this is apart of the disconnect, people don't look at us a volunteers either. Not a single person on this staff makes decisions with the intent to harm the Division or ARTCCs or members of the network. I didn't take this job to sit on my rear, I took the job to make VATUSA the best Division on VATSIM, and VATSIM the best ATC network in the world. We aren't the bad guys. I have an open door, and in 8 months in this job, I've had two people come to me regarding something that was going on to ask questions... two. Those two people were satisfied with the answers they received, one them was regarding a forum topic that had gotten out of control.
Cultural shift is required for improved communications, and you bring up some great points. So how can we share information, and resources with everyone? Some ATMs don't want to do that, they don't want to share resources, they don't want another ARTCC digging around in there stuff, and sometimes they don't care what your doing at your facility. What do we do? The Dictator thing and force them? We can't have it both ways. Many of these issues you are bring up are exactly that culture issues, and the culture is more related to their facility than VATUSA. We don't have contact with these people every day, the ATMs and staff members do. Your influence on what is going on in the Division is far greater than ours. As has been pointed out many times, you are the boots on the ground not us. If you are willing to come in here basically call us Dictators in front of the entire Division there is no doubt in my mind you are doing it at your facility. All the does is continue drive the wedge, because in all reality this is your opinion and not fact.I know for a fact many others so not feel that way. So culture starts with you, and your facility and how you present your relationship with VATUSA. At the end of the day we are on the same team, and we are here to make sure you succeed, the Division staff doesn't succeed unless you do.
