Working Together: 12 Principles for Achieving Excellence in Managing Projects, Teams, and Organizations by James P. Lewis

A successful turnaround at Boeing through the use of the practical and timeless “working together” principles.

This title is part of the Smart Management list.

This intriguing book tells the story of how the the author led in the restoration of Boeing Commercial Airplanes to a global industry leading position. In conjunction with Alan Mulally, President and CEO of Boeing and developer of his twelve guiding principles of project management, the “working together” principles and practices were the key to a successful conclusion of the project creating and selling the revolutionary Boeing 777. That project may have been the biggest test of the “working together” principles and practices, and should be required reading for all managers and would-be managers. These principles include such matters as clear performance goals, an inclusive working environment, and the use of active listening skills. The application of these principles to the real world makes for a book full of practical guidance and enduring managerial tools.

Working Together is about the passionate implementation of a set of management principles that were instrumental in the development of new airplanes at the Boeing Company and, in particular, the groundbreaking Boeing 777 aircraft.

The chief engineer of the Boeing 777 program when it was undertaken in the early 1980s was Alan Mulally. He was soon promoted to general manager of the project and, in 1986, was named president of Commercial Airplanes. Mulally remained with Boeing for 37 years, eventually leading Boeing Commercial Airplanes to a turnaround that began in 1996. And if the name sounds more than familiar, it should: in September 2006, Ford Motor Company named Mulally its new President and CEO, citing his record of success during his long tenure at Boeing. Through all of those years, Mulally made the “working together” principles and practices his gospel. He has been a vocal advocate of both the principles and this book by James Lewis even during his highly visible transition to Ford.

Working Together chronicles the application of Mulally’s leadership principles during his years at Boeing, especially during the execution of the 777 project. The 12 principles espoused in “working together” comprise a management philosophy that enabled Boeing “to dramatically increase production on all of our airplanes, improve our entire production system, and develop a number of new airplanes all simultaneously,” as Mulally notes in the Foreword to the book.

The value and effectiveness of working together is conveyed in a dramatic way by the author. Lewis introduces the high stakes that Boeing faced in developing the 777. At first, the company bit off more than it could chew. Fired by the enthusiasms and passions of employees exemplified by Mulally, Boeing pursued an ideal that exceeded its capacity to meet. At one point, Boeing had to “stop global production for lack of parts.” Boeing was losing money, risking its future, and disappointing its customers, investors, and employees.

But the roots of its problems were basically a lack of proper preparedness and organization. With Mulally in charge, operations were revised according to the model of working together. Work processes were reinforced, reinvigorated, and closely monitored. Practices such as focused agendas for meetings, clear assignments, communication among disparate employee segments, solicitation of input, and keeping a project on track, were implemented. Boeing underwent a transformation from a company in danger of permanently damaging its reputation and competence, to a company that reaffirmed its preeminence in the field of airplane design and production.

James P. Lewis is President of Lewis Institute, Inc., a training and consulting company specializing in project management, which he founded in 1981. He also teaches seminars on the subject in the United States, England, and Asia.

No company epitomizes the American experience more than Boeing. Founded in 1916 as "Pacific Aero Products Co." it became the "Boeing Airplane Company" when William E. Boeing began to design and assemble wooden airplanes. Since its founding, the company’s fortunes have risen and fallen many times over. While Boeing stands today as the world’s largest global aircraft manufacturer, it has weathered a series of crises in the intervening 90 years. To survive, Boeing has had to continually innovate in response to the country’s civil and military needs. The company has supplied military aircraft for every U.S. war since World War I. When the era of space exploration was ushered in, Boeing assumed an instrumental role in developing major components for the Apollo space craft to the Space Shuttle and everything in between. Despite its position as one of America’s preeminent manufacturers, there were times when Boeing’s future was in doubt. At one point during the 1970s, Boeing went over a year without receiving an order. Lately, Boeing has encountered stiff competition from the European consortium that makes the Airbus line of commercial aircraft.

Working Together tells the Boeing story during the 1980s, a time when the company was struggling. The lessons of Boeing’s story are applicable to any company, in any sector, that desires to succeed.

Boeing succeeded by embracing a set of management principles that turned out to be instrumental in the development of new airplanes and, in particular, the groundbreaking Boeing 777 aircraft.

Working Together chronicles the application of Mulally’s leadership principles during his years at Boeing, especially during the execution of the 777 project. The 12 principles espoused in “working together” comprise a management philosophy that enabled Boeing “to dramatically increase production on all of our airplanes, improve our entire production system, and develop a number of new airplanes all simultaneously,” as Mulally notes in the Foreword to the book.

As he took over the reins at Ford, Mulally observed that many of the challenges he addressed in commercial airline manufacturing are analogous to the issues he will now face at the car manufacturing giant. He stated, “I’m looking forward to working closely with Bill [Ford] in the ongoing turnaround of this great company. I’m also eager to begin engagement with the leadership team. I believe strongly in teamwork and I fully expect that our efforts will be a productive collaboration.”

James P. Lewis is President of Lewis Institute, Inc., a training and consulting company specializing in project management, which he founded in 1981. He also teaches seminars on the subject in the United States, England, and Asia.

James P. Lewis is President of Lewis Institute, Inc., a training and consulting company specializing in project management, which he founded in 1981. An experienced project manager, he teaches seminars on the subject throughout the U.S., England, and the Far East. He is a member of the Project Management Institute. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Psychology from North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Lewis lives with his wife, Lea Ann, in Vinton, Virginia.

Foreword		ix
Preface		xi
Acknowledgments		xv
Chapter 1	First Flight	1
Chapter 2	Meetings, Bloody Meetings	11
Chapter 3	Working Together	21
Chapter 4	Compelling vision	39
Chapter 5	Clear Performance Goals	59
Chapter 6	One Plan	73
Chapter 7	Everyone Is Included	89
Chapter 8	The Data Sets Us Free	103
Chapter 9	You Can't Manage a Secret	111
Chapter 10	Whining Is Okay--Sometimes	123
Chapter 11	Propose a Plan, Find a Way	129
Chapter 12	Listen to Each Other and Help Each Other	139
Chapter 13	Emotional Resilience	145
Chapter 14	Have Fun...Enjoy the Journey and Each Other	151
Chapter 15	Final Thoughts	167
Resources for Managers		175
References and Reading List		177
Index		185