Oct 15, 2021
THEY SAID IT, I LEARNED FROM IT
The Twilight of a Mediocre Career
Humility is one of the superpowers of influential leaders. We have all felt the remarkable influence of someone who possesses this marvelous attribute. Why, then, is this superpower sometimes in such short supply?
It was 1992. The Cold War had ended a few years earlier. Military budgets were being slashed. Defense contractors were scrambling. Industry titans Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, Northrop, and General Dynamics had all either announced lay-offs or were on the verge of major corporate restructuring projects.
At Martin Marietta, a different plan was unfolding. Our response to the market would be strategic. We wanted to be a strong survivor. Our CEO at the time, Norm Augustine, schooled us in the philosophy of “shrink and sink or combine and grow.” We combined. And we nearly doubled in size.
The long-anticipated merger was announced just before Thanksgiving. GE Aerospace, a business group of General Electric, was merging with us in a cash and stock transaction valued at just over $3 billion (no small shakes in those days). In addition to the revenue increase that would take us to about $11 billion annually, approximately 35,000 additional people would be wearing Martin Marietta badges, coming aboard mainly in New England, Florida, the Delaware Valley, and other parts of the mid-Atlantic region.
The newly combined company would be home to an impressive array of technologies. Very few, if any, of our competitors could match the wide range of products and services that would be available to us at Martin Marietta. The level of talent coming on board was even more notable. Some of the folks joining us had roots tracing back to the Apollo program. Still, others were instrumental in developing GE’s world-renowned research and development center.
After the announcement, the work began. Leaders from each major division at Martin Marietta held discussions with their GE Aerospace counterparts to close the deal (we did it in about four months). Additionally, we took on the task of ensuring that a true business combination resulted once the merger became official. Programs and technologies needed to be complementary, with minimal overlap. Little did we know that this activity was a prelude to our merger with Lockheed two years later.
Ultimately, the time arrived to make selections regarding key management positions for our blended operating business unit. Our first leadership meeting of what was to become the systems integration/information technology unit of the new Martin Marietta was officially underway.
Individuals on one side of the large room looked with uncertainty at those on the other. How in the world had we managed to arrange ourselves on opposite sides? This was intended to be a cohesion of two groups, not a stand-off.
As you might expect in such a session, both camps were a bit tentative out of the gate. Information sharing was minimal. Key staff and line positions were at stake. The company tagline hailed the merger (or was it an acquisition?) as “1+1=3” from a marketing angle and “1+1=1.5” from a cost reduction perspective. In the end, not every ego in the room would be satisfied.
The information rationing evaporated when we asked the heritage GE team to help us get to know them better. The process quickly ran off the rails. With each new person who stood, the remarks ran longer than the prior introduction. Soon we were hearing full-blown resume recitations, curriculum vitae reviews, brag sheet biographies, and work history rundowns.
That is until Bill stood for his introduction. He sensed the pattern needed adjustment. With unnerving confidence and humility, Bill’s biography was brief:
“Hi, my name is Bill, and I’m at the twilight of a mediocre career.”
He sat down sporting an irresistible grin. Lesson taught. Instruction received. The tone of the remaining introductions changed dramatically. Who was this guy?
Those of us who came to know Bill quickly discovered he was anything but mediocre. His endearing and self-deprecating style was fabulously refreshing. Above all, Bill understood that a leadership role should not be used to distinguish yourself from others, but rather to devote yourself to them.
Humility was the defining strength of his extraordinarily impressive resume.
Written by Craig Halsey
*They said it, I learned from it is a compilation of lessons learned from the things we’ve heard people say over the course of many lifetimes. It’s amazing what you can learn when you listen. Watch for They Said it, I learned from it every Friday in The Weekly Hodl. It’s perfect reading while you enjoy your second breakfast.
