Leadership Message

Frontiers April 2014 Issue

ONE TEAM, AROUND THE WORLD Third, our future starts with deciding where we want Boeing to be and how we should get there. The “how we get there” is our next focus area: our strategy. We often make that piece sound too complex when it should be much simpler. Strategy is about differentiation and competitive positioning—how Boeing separates itself from the convergence in the customers’ minds of peer companies. Sometimes we set ourselves apart by offering the lowest cost, and sometimes by offering the most capability. Competitive positioning is rooted in strengthening core programs, winning the next franchise in core markets, and finding new opportunities that can profitably broaden our business. All of this is based upon a diversity of people—our fourth focus area—and bringing a diversity of thought to the table. If we fail to value them, we will struggle regardless of whether we offer the right capability, at the right price or at the right time. We must also remember that when we talk about people it includes our customers and the care we give them. Without them, we don’t exist. In the end, we must embrace a culture where we find opportunities to work together on our strategy, promote transparency, and make best use of the passion our people bring through the doors each day. This is how we build a better Boeing. n PHOTO: BOB FERGUSON/BOEING Frontiers April 2014 07 LEADERSHIP MESSAGE Four key areas of focus for building a better Boeing In so many ways, 2014 represents a tremendous year for Boeing. One of them is that we’re really beginning to realize the limitless potential that springs from people collaborating across our enterprise and the unique, powerful solutions provided for our commercial, defense, space and security customers globally. So how do we build a better Boeing as we approach our second century? In Boeing Defense, Space & Security, we’re building on our leadership and competitive positioning. Much has been written on leadership. I’ve always admired leaders who clearly communicated their expectations and enlisted help in reaching tough goals. That’s why we’ve identified four areas we want to focus on in 2014: culture, transparency, strategy and people. We must start with a collective focus—a generosity of spirit—that creates a culture where employees feel safe to try something different, and even fail, as we all try to succeed. When companies provide an environment that allows a healthy exchange and testing of ideas, it leads to innovation and growth. What I like to call a “collision” of ideas is possible if everyone is welcome at the table, encouraged to participate, and believes his or her opinion matters. We use the phrase “One Boeing” to describe functional and program collaboration across the company. But it also means we’re one team around the world, regardless of our personal backgrounds, professional education, and training or workplace perspective. Achieving this One Boeing team requires trust, which brings us to our focus area of transparency. This is not a code word. Transparency is about having candid conversations, whether individually or in groups. It’s about embracing different points of view because they can breed ideas. It’s a relentless commitment to taking care of our people by including everyone on the entire journey. Chris Chadwick President and CEO, Boeing Defense, Space & Security


Frontiers April 2014 Issue
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