KA LEADERSHIP PIPELINE
May 1, 2023
Several years ago, I read a book entitled “The Leadership Pipeline” written by Sam Charan, Steve Drotter and Jim Noel. The book had many purposes but was principally about how companies should build their own leaders by understanding the steps or passages needed to develop people into experienced and effective leaders. This sounds pretty simple on the surface. For example, you become a mechanic, then grow and become a lead mechanic and then move into production planning or quality assurance or become a foreman. Every step of the way you can lead or manage others. The steps continue as one moves up the company ladder. For lots of reasons, some people don’t go through this process. Some reasons are good and some are less than good. What often happens is a company fails to develop its people from within and hires leaders from outside the organization. The new people often don’t have a good understanding of or appreciation for the positive culture or purpose of the organization. Often their understanding and appreciation of the culture and purpose is far less than the people they are asked to lead!
Over the years I have met several individuals who were great individual contributors to our mission but had no desire to grow beyond their comfort level. More than once I have been told that people want to stay in place so they can be “hands on” to ensure the safety and quality of our work and organization. I honor those people and support their desire to stay at their current level within the organization.
Critics of “The Leadership Pipeline” have stated that the book is hard to read and filled with theories. For me, the book describes a moral obligation of managers or servant leaders to help those around them grow and find their “why.” As people like Peter Drucker, Herb Kelleher and even old Jerry King-Echevarria would say, there must be a sustainable process to preserve an organization’s culture. Outsiders who don’t value the positive culture and have missed steps in the growth process should be avoided if possible. Not everyone understands the concept of service to others greater than self or has a mission of service to God, Country and Family.
For whatever reason, I have always used an analogy or prop to help share concepts. Many years ago, I wanted one for the leadership pipeline so I took some pvc plastic plumbing pipe and glued it (along with my fingers) together in different layers to reflect what is described in the “The Leadership Pipeline.” The bottom pipe run represents the new employee. Each run upward reflects an elevated career path or leadership position. As the founder, I pour clean spring water into the pipeline. The water reflects my values, principles and commitment to service. What comes out of the pipeline reflects what we deliver to our customers and each other. We, as a company, cannot let that be contaminated. The quality, safety and pureness of our mission must be preserved.
My clear water poured into the top pipe also represents a united team when it reaches the bottom and runs out clear. If I use food color and add a new color for each new person who brings any negative ways of their former employer, my spring water would resemble wastewater at a sewage plant. The only way to get back to delivering pure water is to pour in lots and lots more spring water to eliminate the colored water deposits. Leaders at any level of the pipe system can have a positive or negative impact on those around them. Negative impacts cannot be tolerated and need to be corrected with love. If that doesn’t work, the area clogging the pipeline needs to be unblocked or cleaned up.
All leaders have the obligation to help those around them move up the pipeline to greater responsibility. This is similar to King Aerospace’s cornerstone principles in that they are never outdated and are all about service to others greater than to self! May your pipeline be flowing crystal clear water with God’s favor!
Written by KING AEROSPACE Founder, Jerry Allan King-Echevarria.