Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority

An analysis in leadership and management

Hello!

My name is Phil LinderI am passionate about leadership and transportationI am graduating AU with an M.PP May 8th!You can find me at pl5383a@american.edu

OutlineWhat’s this presentation about?

1

Outline

1. Introduction2. Methodology3. Background4. Theories and Reflection5. Questions

Duration: 12m

“Metrorail’s shutdown: ‘It just feels to me like the system is crumbling.’ ”

March 16

“Washington Metro, 40 and Creaking, Stares at a Midlife Crisis”

April 3

December 20

Why is it broken?

Poor management and leadership, for one!

MethodologyHow did I obtain information?

2

Methodology

▪Qualitative: Interview, newspapers, blogs, academic literature

▪Quantitative: Data from CRS, WMATA internal reports, other government reports

▪Interview: Conducted an interview with a station attendant at Tenleytown Station, April 18th

BackgroundWhat is WMATA?3

Political structure

▪ Interstate Compact of 1967

▪ Tri-jurisdictional agency▪ Sources of funding

Background

Background cont.

Organizational structure

▪ Top management ▪ Board of Directors▪ Business divisions

Paul J. Wiedefeld Jack Evans

Board of Directors

WMATA’s biggest problems

Poor safety record

Low morale

Poor fiscal performance

Dissatisfied Customers

Performance is weak

Funding is scarce

TheoriesHow does the literature explain the problem?

4

Applied management theories

Organizational Culture Incentives Motivation Negotiating

Power

“The Big Four”

Organizational Culture

Schein: “The three communities of executives, engineers, and operators do not really understand each other very well. A lack of alignment among the three groups can hinder learning in an organization.” From The Three Cultures of Management: The Key to Organizational Learning

Competing Values Framework

AdhocracyClan

Hierarchy Market

WMATA strives for“Control and Efficiency”“Capable Processes”“Timeliness and Consistency” “Reliability”

Mostly this

Some of this

Motivation

Herzberg: “I can charge a person’s battery, and then recharge it, and recharge it again. But it is only when one has a generator of one’s own that we can talk about motivation. One then needs no outside stimulation. One wants to do it.” From How Do You Motivate Employees

Incentives

Kerr: “Numerous examples exist of reward systems that are fouled up in that the types of behavior rewarded are those which the rewarder is trying to discourage, while the behavior desired is not being rewarded at all.” From On the Folly of Rewarding for A, while Hoping for B

Negotiating Power

“The federal government, an equal partner in governing the system with four board members, should contribute $300 million per year to the operating budget just like DC, Maryland, and Virginia.” Jack Evans, testifying before Congress April 2016

Reflections

BackgroundTri-state jurisdiction, politics

OrganizationManagement, org chart, business divisions

ProblemsFiscal, organizational, operational, cultural

Management theoriesOrg culture, motivation, incentives, and negotiating power

ApplicationManaging culture change in an organization that is difficult to change

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Any questions?

Thanks for listening

pl5383a@american.edu

References

*see notes section below

Appendix A

*see notes section below