NATCA Invests in Training Leaders for the Future of Our Union

NATCA’s Leadership Experience Acceleration Project is a class held twice a year for attendees who are invited by their respective regional vice president (RVP) to participate in this unique training. The LEAP class is an investment in the future of NATCA and helps develop these members into the next leaders of our great Union.

There was a wide range of air traffic and NATCA experience attending the October class, including FacReps at large and small facilities, local officers, committee members, and Region X and Federal Control Tower (FCT) members. The diversity of the group led to interesting discussions, and offered the opportunity to view a wide variety of topics from very different points of view. Boston Center (ZBW) FacRep Kevin Coeyman and New England Communications Lead Shannon Lyman participated in the class held in Airlie, Va., in October.

“The focus of LEAP is very introspective, asking me to evaluate elements of both my psyche and how I view leadership,” Coeyman said. “It has us asking questions such as: What are my true principles? How do I lead? What are my strengths and weaknesses as a leader and how do those impact myself and those around me? How can I take this knowledge and use it to improve not only myself, but improve my local facility?”

“During the classroom training, our instructors taught us about Principle-Centered Leadership and presented scenarios we may face in our roles as NATCA leaders, encouraging discussion on different ways to handle the situations,” Lyman said. “They invited us to reflect on ourselves—on our values and principles. The instructors gave us all the tools we need in our tool belt to become ‘capital L leaders’.”