PURPOSE DRIVEN LEADERSHIP: WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE VALUE FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS

Abstract

The author, founder and CEO of Accelerated Performance Solutions, recounts lessons learned during a long military career to “senior leadership roles to McDonnell Aircraft and Boeing.” He relates how “getting out of the office and showing up on the production line to talk with our teams, often on the second and third shift, proved to be very beneficial. It is amazing what you can learn when people see that you care.” Formative experiences for the author included collaborating at Boeing with Alan Mulally, the former CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and Ford Motor Company: “Alan knew that people wanted to be respected and appreciated. He didn’t just talk about building airplanes but the higher purpose of connecting our world. He shared this vision with all the stakeholders, ‘everyone included’.” In terms of how the various parts of an organization work together, he contends that “successful organizations thrive, in the long term by maintaining focus on their core purpose and having a compelling vision for the future. They create a nurturing culture driven by a few powerful values that foster unselfish, inclusive, team-oriented behavior. They have a well-defined mission that articulates not only what the organization does but who they serve. The vision, values and mission, when widely shared with all stakeholders, serve to align and empower all teammates.”