Advanced Aviation SMS is a series of articles that demonstrate how to generate financial opportunities from your aviation SMS.

SMS Pro is a host of tightly integrated business tools designed for much more than traditional system safety. SMS Pro uses the latest science and technology to mold stagnating business models into a highly interoperable, agile business enterprise.

This Advanced Aviation SMS series was written in a logical order. While astute readers (not novices) can benefit from any of the following educational blog articles, it is recommended that you follow the path. SMS is a process. SMS is a system. SMS is a way of doing business. SMS shapes cultures capable of identifying and executing upon opportunities in a timely manner.

SMS is business and about making money. It was designed for business, so we should view it in this light. Focusing on safety leads to missed opportunity. Let's be agile, opportunistic predators.

Generating Profits - First Steps

This article reinforces that aviation SMS was designed considering the narrative that businesses would refuse to accept SMS unless they could benefit both financially and the socially incalculable costs of ignoring the problem that most safety professionals see daily. This includes siloed, information-starved divisions who hoard information because of the potential, latent power or due to the woefully inadequate ability to share information and tasks securely and in real time.

This first article lays out the business case.

Seek Permission Before Focusing on SMS Profits

We start to lay out the plan for generating value in the organization. The logic is laid out in front of your eyes.

The next few steps prepare you to demonstrate to management that SMS makes business sense to increase the scope and use it as a system, just as it was designed. Old school, hierarchal management have to be shown the business case.

Important Note: Always ask the accountable executive's permission before changing the message from Safety First, Or Safety or Else! or whatever your safety slogan flavor may taste like. You will be changing the tone to safety-through-quality." This sets the tone for a healthy, productive, forward-thinking culture.

What Is Advanced Aviation SMS? -> Safety Management Systems

What is the purpose of this Advanced SMS Series?

SMS is business! Let's make some money!

Top Management Support Drives SMS Profits

SMS is a team sport. We need team players and access to information as well as ways to shine! Employees need ways to freely offer ideas, which spawn opportunities. We like opportunities!

Senior Management will realize value when the information across divisions begins to flow at committee meetings. Employees can be cultured into not only identifying hazards and threats, but also opportunities. Therefore, senior management must be team players and shape culture positively for the nimble organization you wish to become.

Science and Technology Required for Profits

This is the Information Age! You need technology to survive and to change culture. There are tools that reduce barriers to communications and enforce accountability, such as alerting managers when tasks are overdue, or automated alerts notifying management of developing trends. This is technology. Old school managers are missing the boat.

Modern social sciences and technology combined into an expert data management system brings incredible value for increasing organizational interoperability and agility.

95% Continue Losses from Inapt Safety Policy

Policy is so very important.

Policy sets the tone and boundaries. It must resonate and communicate intent. What is in it for the employee? How do they benefit? Why are we focusing on safety-through-quality? It aligns with our business mission.

Policy can change. Portions of policy should be regularly communicated for effect. This helps instill the desired culture, which in the business environment, means finding value wherever you may find it.

Financial Opportunities Found in Safety Policy

This article discusses the logic behind expanding the scope of your SMS to cover other types of concern. You can focus on safety and ignore forever lost opportunities forever, or you can start changing the culture and finding value, which then naturally enhances safety. SMS is a process. SMS is a system. You have to work SMS to achieve results. You may as well do it right, instead of like a bunch of third graders waiting for school to get out.

Avoid Leaving Money Behind - Implementation Styles

Reviewing implementation styles sheds insights into how your organization is not capitalizing on the information sharing and collaboration-building opportunities to reduce barriers to innovation and motivated employees.

Learn your SMS implementation style and think why your SMS was implemented in the expediency of the times to pass an audit without really considering about how your organization could really benefit from the newly adopted "system" we call SMS.

Explicit Duties Impact Financial Business Success

We discuss further steps to prepare your organization for agility and alert for not only hazards, but opportunities. Employees' SMS duties and responsibilities are discussed.

Smaller operators are also given hope to realize financial benefits with the SMS.

Rewriting Duties to Align with Business Goals

We rewrite duties and responsibilities for both employees and managers.

We have the policy, now we shape behaviors using our integrated safety culture development tools.