Leading by Serving: Trying Times Reveal Servant’s Heart

March 28, 2021

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going” could refer to the King Aerospace team. SVP Jeff Barstow, who joined the company last year, says his esteem for colleagues – already high – has only risen. The Arctic blast of subzero air that blanketed the country in February serves as a case in point. The company shut down the Ardmore facility and sent team members home, with continued pay, to keep them safe.

“Through those challenging weeks,” Barstow says, “we had dedicated personnel who were on the phone and online, working behind the scenes to keep projects advancing. The municipality had shut off our gas, which meant our heaters wouldn’t work. We had people who regularly made the trek out to our site to ensure we didn’t have a catastrophe that went unnoticed for days. My kudos and appreciation go to teammates who put themselves in harm’s way and to all who helped us pull through with minimal disruption.”

Leading by Serving

The event also got Barstow thinking. The incident revealed a healthy, two-way relationship between the company and its workforce. King Aerospace had done right by its people, and team members reciprocated by coming through for the company.

“People responded not out of obligation, but from genuine care and concern for each other and for the continuation and longevity of the company,” says Barstow, “I’m really proud of how the King team rises up without even being called upon to do so. We talk about how team members earn their wings each and every day. They truly do. That’s why our customers rave about our quality and unwavering support.”

That selfless dedication and all-out commitment could also be why King Aerospace’s business pipeline looks so good. Phones have been ringing with new business requests and at least a quarter of the year’s projected workload was booked within the first two months.

“This may be the earliest that we’ve had that happen,” says Barstow.