For Mike Herskovits, some of the most valuable lessons he learned from his Transition to Management course were about information sharing and how to be a better listener. PhOTOS: (Far left) Toolmakers Kevin Crotsley, from left, and Shane Smith with Caleb Behrmann at the Auburn Tooling Services weld area in Auburn, Wash. MARIAN lOCkhART/BOEING (Insets, from left) In El Segundo, Calif., Matthew Link discusses a project with Lynn Stanford, software and ground engineering team member. PAul PINNER/BOEING Joann Wells and Tom Holbrook, quality technician team leader, review documents at the Boeing South Carolina Interior Responsibility Center. AlAN MARTS/BOEING Del Leonard Jr., left, sheet metal mechanic, and Mike Herskovits check equipment in Mesa, Ariz. MIkE GOETTINGS/BOEING Behrmann joined Boeing in December being aware of those around you, but be for High Potential, this program is for 2011 from GKN Aerospace in St. Louis aware of yourself and how you are being non-managers who aspire to leadership and initially took the Basics of Boeing perceived by other people.” positions. He is one of 39 employees—six Management class offered at Boeing Herskovits reports to Bob Parry, a of whom are considered High Potentials— Renton–Longacres. senior manager who has encouraged and who report to Yi-Feng “James” Chen, “One of the most important lessons supported Herkovits’ development plans, a senior Ground Systems Engineering was in having candid conversations, espe- which include finishing a master’s degree manager for Space & Intelligence Systems cially around issues like behavior, attendance while keeping up with a demanding work in Defense, Space & Security. and performance,” said Behrmann, who is and travel schedule. Link’s abilities were recognized early responsible for 35 second-shift machinists, “We foster our employees’ growth on and when opportunity came, he was toolmakers and welders at Auburn Tooling because we know that they’ll expand their named as an Integrated Product Team Services in Boeing Fabrication. knowledge and increase their ability to lead. Link is responsible for a team of For Mike Herskovits, some of the make connections across functions and 25 employees that, with the help of experts most valuable lessons he learned from his programs,” Parry said. across the company, is developing a Transition to Management course at the Matthew Link also learned from network management system for satellite Leadership Center were about information colleagues during his class in Transition ground stations. sharing and how to be a better listener. to Management. The experience, he At this point in his career, Link said, Herskovits is a government property said, helped him be “more reflective he’s focused on accepting “opportunities manager for Boeing Defense, Space & about whether or not to pursue a that can become stepping stones” to Security Global Services & Support. management position.” management. Unlike Wells, who works with her team He started his Boeing career as a “I always try to remind myself that in one building, Herskovits manages a co-op student before graduating from when dealing with stretch assignments virtual team of 11 employees from California Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in things may at times seem hard and you to Montana to Virginia. His office is near Daytona Beach, Fla. After completing his may doubt your ability,” Link said, adding: Mesa, Ariz., but he’s usually on the road bachelor’s degree in computer science “But if it isn’t hard you’re not stretching at least twice a month. and his master’s in software engineering, yourself, and we’re not helping push our “I didn’t recognize that things I did Link joined Boeing full time. boundaries as a company.” n or said came across differently,” said Almost immediately, he was nominated ann.m.beach@boeing.com Herskovits, recalling those lessons learned and applied for the HiPo program in the classroom. “It’s not so much about at the El Segundo, Calif., site. Short BOEING FRONTIERS / OCTOBER 2012 35
Frontiers October 2012 Issue
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