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That’s how we grow
At the Boeing Leadership Center near St. Louis, people from
around Boeing come to learn,
understand, challenge and
share ideas.
Bob Ferguson photo
Better leaders make for better
companies; here’s why Boeing
stresses leaders teaching leaders
By Robert Sterling
C
ontinuous improvement is critical to increasing Boeing’s
competitiveness. That includes continuous improvement in
leadership skills; in alignment with the company’s shared
sense of purpose and values; and in how readily the people of
Boeing transfer best practices and lessons learned, said Chairman,
President and Chief Executive Officer Jim McNerney.
“One of Boeing’s greatest advantages is its intellectual scale—the
broad and deep range of experience that employees bring to the table.
Among our challenges is to figure out how to mine those ideas and
that expertise, apply them wherever they make the most sense across
the entire company, and develop better leaders in the process,” he
has said.
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All around Boeing, the company’s leaders—including many
without the formal “manager” title—are modeling the company’s
leadership attributes (see box on Page 15). These attributes help employees and their teammates grow personally and professionally. The
attributes also help explain why leadership is linked to employee engagement, an environment that values employee ideas and contributions—and continued growth for Boeing.
“Leadership development truly is about living the attributes and
opening up our culture across the company,” said Julie-Ellen Acosta,
vice president of Leadership Development. “The goal of every leader must be to create an atmosphere that gives all employees the
chance to make a difference. That’s how people grow, and that’s
why they’ll choose to remain with Boeing.”
The challenge, Acosta said, is ensuring this happens at every
level. “Developing leaders requires a deliberate, one-company approach, one that involves alignment and a lot of creativity with input from all areas of the company,” she said. “It also must have
complete commitment from the top—and we do. Our senior leadership believes developing people is one of the most important jobs
we have, and they’re as much a part of that as anyone.”
“When customers select our products and services, they choose
August 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS
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the innovation, design and craftsmanship of our people,” said Rick
Stephens, senior vice president, Human Resources and Administration. “The critical element is leadership—and the environment that
leaders create for people. Leadership distinguishes us from other
organizations.”
Stephens said that leaders must understand and use the tools available for assessing, developing and evaluating people. These are key tenets of the Boeing Leadership Model that are reinforced in the key HR
processes and that hold leaders accountable for their performance.
“It’s important to understand our strengths as well as opportunities where we can improve,” Stephens said. “A successful leader
must engage in discussions around difficult issues—such as an attribute where an individual may not be strong—yet come across as
inspiring to help that person continually grow. We need to push ourselves to build an environment for success and longevity where everyone benefits.”
Leadership, in six points
Here are the six Boeing leadership attributes.
A Boeing leader
• Charts the course.
• Finds a way.
• Sets high expectations.
• Lives the Boeing values.
• Inspires others.
• Delivers results.
Where ideas, rivers meet
The confluence of three rivers—the Illinois, Missouri and Mississippi—is a fitting spot for the Boeing Leadership Center. At this
location near St. Louis, leaders from across the company can come
together to learn, understand, challenge and share ideas.
The BLC offers core leadership development and functional excellence programs that are constantly reviewed and updated as necessary with input from all the business units and functions. Leaders,
at every level, spend from a week to nine days building leadership
skills through simulations, action learning and discussions.
The power of the BLC, Acosta said, is rooted in its teaching
methodology: Leaders Teaching Leaders. The methodology literally
means senior leaders are the teachers who share their challenges and
experiences with participants. LTL also occurs outside of the BLC,
through activities such as mentoring and informal leadership development discussions.
“LTL asks our senior leaders to participate as teachers, and that
includes even our CEO. We’re not talking professional, academic facilitators. LTL speakers are assessed and held accountable for how
effectively they teach, and the expectations for these teachers are
very high,” Acosta said.
Topics range from external to internal business challenges to discussions of the leadership attributes and the Boeing Management and
Leadership models. Participants grapple with real-life Boeing problems and chart the course toward a solution the company can act
upon, dispelling the notion that learning has to preclude working.
The overall goal, Acosta said, is to develop leaders faster and drive
a consistent, one-company message across all business units. It also
opens the culture throughout the company and brings Boeing closer
together. “We’re working to bring the BLC experience to various regions, allowing more people access to the programs,” Acosta added.
While most people associate the BLC with curriculum-based programs, it’s becoming much more. Recently, Integrated Defense Sys-
It’s our future
Actions cited in this story show how employees are applying concepts of the
Boeing Management Model to support the company’s business strategies.
Here’s how.
• Leadership: Employees model the Boeing leadership attributes.
To learn more about the Management Model, visit http://bmm.web.boeing.
com on the Boeing intranet.
BOEING FRONTIERS August 2007
Julie Acosta, vice president, Leadership Development, teaches
a group of senior managers in a Leaders Teaching Leaders session recently at the Boeing Leadership Center. Acosta engaged
participants around living the attributes while reinforcing how
strong leadership and employee engagement are paramount in
opening the culture to drive growth and productivity..
Bob Ferguson photo
tems’ Mark McGraw and Commercial Airplanes’ Beverly Wyse,
both vice presidents on the 767 Tanker Program, brought together
their teams for a week-long meeting at the BLC. The main purpose
was to build team unity, air out frustrations and learn from one another to make the tanker program a success. McGraw said the team
left with renewed energy, confident and determined.
“BCA wanted to learn about working with the military, and IDS
wanted to learn about BCA processes. We found IDS’ perception
of themselves matched BCA’s and vice versa. This brought us closer together discussing our differences and our common ground,
something the BLC naturally fosters, since meetings are not fragmented like at a hotel and the atmosphere is about leadership. I’d
encourage other programs to do the same,” McGraw said.
Leaders and the attributes
Walt Ketts, a senior manager, Program Support, IDS General
Procurement in St. Louis, has his hands full with his job and a
multifunctional team of 32. Thus, developing his leadership skills
around the leadership attributes has proved invaluable. “Much of
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my time is spent helping guide, inspire and set the direction,” he said.
“I think the leadership attributes are a well-integrated set of
principles that can be applied to any situation you can encounter at
work,” said John Tracy, senior vice president of Engineering, Operations & Technology. “You can find a lot of answers right there if
you dig into them and make them a part of your leadership style.”
All managers and executives will be measured against the
Boeing leadership attributes in 2007, and that metric will factor
into compensation decisions during Salary Review in 2008.
To help the team truly understand and live the attributes, Ketts
has developed some unique tactics. “My status report meeting is a
good example,” he said. “I have each attribute listed with the issues
where we’ve performed well and where we still need to improve. As
a team, we stay on top of all aspects and have robust discussions.”
Ketts said modeling the attributes and discussing them helps the
team stay focused, pull together the big picture and understand the
direction Boeing is trying to go. “It’s a consistent and common message they can follow,” he said. “It’s not just about finding a way. It’s
about promises made, promise kept; that’s resonated with the team.”
Ketts also uses his weekly report to stay connected to his counterparts in BCA and break traditional barriers that might have separated them in the past. “As part of the Global Sourcing [companywide
growth and productivity] initiative, I share my reports with my BCA
colleagues to identify opportunities to leverage Boeing’s scale and
ensure we speak to our suppliers in one voice. It makes a difference
when Boeing presents itself as one company to a supplier.”
More chances for growth
While it’s true that opening the culture and developing leaders
with greater velocity is a mandate to those in management, overall
success is about engaging and growing all employees. Indeed, the
leadership attributes apply to everyone, regardless of title.
Model behavior
People across Boeing demonstrate how the leadership attributes transcend job titles
Nonmanagement team leads are making a difference all across Boeing through modeling the leadership attributes. Their actions remind
everyone that leadership is about action, not about title. Here’s a look at some of these individuals.
Nhan Pham
Global Partners
Commercial Airplanes
Renton, Wash.
Nhan Pham leads by example, and his teammates and customers know
what they get each day he comes to work. Pham believes in owning the
attributes.
Pham serves as a project manager who works with the 737 program on
work transfers and kitting strategies. Pham is not a manager, but that
doesn’t prevent him from leading and setting examples. “My role is to
see people stay focused and to ensure we stay on course, and I lead
by example,” Pham said. “I do my best to foster openness. Everybody’s
input is of value.”
Pham works with peers and many suppliers, with the goal of bringing
everyone together. For starters, he believes it all begins with basic leadership, coming to work on time and giving the best effort possible.
“It’s doing what you say you’re going to do, and that lends itself to
stability, credibility and reliability—overall trust,” he said. “It’s important
to deliver results or at least do what you say.”
A big part of Pham’s responsibility is to inspire others, including suppliers, in what he called “setting a positive influence to drive a path
towards what is best for Boeing.” Pham said that requires compiling
facts and charting a course that takes supplier input into account. In the
end, it often helps suppliers understand their role and why it’s critical
they’re lean and more productive.
“Things progress well if you truly own the attributes,” he said. “Not only
do they help you to lead more effectively, but they make you better at
what you do.”
Nhan Pham, a project manager in Commercial Airplanes
Global Partners, said he believes that the key to successful
leadership is to take personal ownership of the Boeing leadership attributes.
Will Wantz photo
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Sue Ackerman
Global Partners
Commercial Airplanes
Everett, Wash.
No one would question Sue Ackerman’s leadership skills. She’s held different positions, including a recent role as the Program Management Leader
on the 747-8. She has never held a management title, but her actions
demonstrate leadership.
Ackerman has had many customers, but one of her major roles is to project
manage the 747 Working Together Team, which includes 20 key suppliers
and Boeing leaders as team members. That means helping to bring together the 747 program members and suppliers to build unity and embrace
Boeing’s strategic direction.
“We charted a course and inspired the members of the team,” she said.
“In some ways, it involved tearing down barriers to build relationships and
work together as one team. In the process, we engaged in open and honest
dialogue. This included bringing suppliers together that might have been
competitors in the past.”
In the end, Ackerman credited her manager and the job experience for
helping expand her scope. “You have to get out of your comfort zone and
grow. If you’re not willing to do that, your opportunities will be limited.”
Oscar Portillo and Steve Richard
B-1 program team leads
Integrated Defense Systems
Long Beach, Calif.
Sue Ackerman (right), program management leader for 747-8
Global Partners, discusses topics with Gary Desilet, 747-8
Global Partners Fuselage Integrated Product Team lead, during
a recent staff meeting.
Gail Hanusa photo
Oscar Portillo and Steve Richard are leaders in every sense of the word
despite not holding the title of manager. As team leads, they work with
teammates daily in coaching and advisement roles and foster an open
environment, building trust and commitment.
“I always follow through on issues no matter what,” Portillo said. “When
I’ve said I’m going to do something, I take action.”
As part of this, Portillo conducts weekly meetings to discuss “hot-button
issues.”
“This is a chance to allow the team to candidly share feedback about any
issue that’s of concern,” he said. “Hot-button issues go on our SharePoint
Web site as action items that we can track and ensure they’re being addressed.”
Both Richard and Portillo acknowledge the challenges of leading, particularly without an official title. But neither makes an excuse and both
understand that it’s the actions they take that affect others.
“I’ve had some rough times being a leader,” Portillo said. “You don’t just
show up and expect people to listen to you. You have to earn that trust and
give people a reason to believe in you. In our meetings, I make it a point to
encourage everyone to lead and take charge. Everyone’s input counts, and
I want to make sure they know it. Leading takes commitment, that’s for
sure.”
Neither Steven Richard (left) nor Oscar Portillo, team leads on
the B-1 program in Long Beach, Calif., holds a management
title. But both embrace the leadership attributes and have a
keen interest in helping their colleagues, and themselves, to
grow and be successful.
Ken Graeb photo
BOEING FRONTIERS August 2007
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Attendees at a recent Leaders Teaching Leaders session at the Boeing Leadership Center listen intently. The LTL course reflects the philosophy at Boeing of company leaders
teaching employees.
Peter George photo
For more learning
The Boeing intranet offers employees multiple resources for leadership
development. Here’s a sample of what’s available.
• Boeing Education Network broadcasts (http://lead.web.boeing.com/
ben/ben.html) and Learning Center CD-based courses
(http://learningcenter.web.boeing.com/cfm/lc_curricula.cfm). Many
cover management-related topics.
• Development and rotation programs. These programs give employees from all levels opportunities to learn new skills and develop
their capabilities. http://humanresources.web.boeing.com/index.
aspx?com=28&id=9
• Formal and informal mentoring opportunities. These opportunities can
help maximize employees’ leadership potential. http://globaldiversity.
whq.boeing.com/mentoring/index.html
• Harvard ManageMentor. This resource covers an array of leadership
topics. http://leadershipcenter.web.boeing.com/harvard_managementor
• Leadership attribute self-assessment. Assess yourself or ask others
to rate you. http://humanresources.web.boeing.com/published/28/docs/
Self_Assessment.xls
• Leadership attribute suggested reading list. This list offers books that
support each of the six leadership attributes. http://humanresources.
web.boeing.com/published/28/docs/BBR_Boeing_Leadership_
Attributes.doc
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Understandably, leadership development might seem to affect
only Boeing managers and executives. The good news, Acosta
said, is that the BLC will begin offering opportunities to nonmanagers in 2008. A planned leadership development program
for nonmanagement program leads is in the works. Also, a foundational course to teach supervision for newer managers is being
designed and may also provide opportunities for nonmangers.
So what can a nonmanager do to improve his or her leadership
skills? Quite a bit, said Jane Sharpe, a curriculum strategist within
Leadership Development.
“All employees should assess themselves against the leadership
attributes, and the best way to do that is through frank, open discussions with their managers,” she said. “This helps identify areas that need improvement and can be part of your [Performance
Development Partnership]. Demonstrating the attributes will improve your own job performance, and for that it doesn’t matter who
you are or what your job title reads.”
Perhaps the most important aspect, Sharpe said, is that studies
show more than 70 percent of development takes place on the job
and not in a classroom. Employees need to focus on activities and
projects around their jobs that offer a chance to develop new skills
and challenges. Employees should also take advantage of mentoring, formal or informal.
Employees with questions should contact Leadership
Development through its site on the Boeing intranet, at http://
humanresources.web.boeing.com/index.aspx?com=28&id=1.
That page also features an expanding array of resources. n
[email protected]
August 2007 BOEING FRONTIERS