WHAT’S YOUR “WHY?”
June 1, 2019
One of the things that we try to do at the KING AEROSPACE companies is to help our employees think about their “why?” in life. Why were we put on the face of the earth? Why do we exist? Most people don’t think about things like this, but I believe it is important. Our goal at the KING AEROSPACE companies is to help people pursue their “why?” and allow them to discover how being a member of our team helps them realize their “why?”
We are in the service industry and our team members are the providers of the services we provide and are the critical element that delivers our services. Anyone can own or lease hangars, buy parts or provide labor but not just anyone embraces our mission or crusade to deliver our professed principles and values. It’s so very important that all KING AEROSPACE company employees work together to support each other. If someone’s “why?” does not mesh with our mission and values, then that person needs to work somewhere else. It doesn’t mean that the person is not a good person or hard worker, it just means that the person is not a good fit at the KING AEROSPACE companies.
This somewhat deep thinking, soul searching process is not always easy. Our mission to make a positive difference in the lives of others is a sincere goal, not just part of some sort of marketing ploy. I like the saying, “no pain, no gain.” At the KING AEROSPACE companies, we are willing to risk some pain if it means making a positive difference. An example is discussing something that causes a little uneasiness. I often say that “the ones who really love you the most are the ones who will tell you or ask you what no one else will.” I am sure that you can recall experiences or conversations that were not pleasant when they occurred but you later thought were good experiences. Often, I remind those around me, “When you’re out of your comfort zone, you’re probably in your growing zone.”
We all have a purpose but some of us really have to think to discover what it is. For others, it is really clear and on our own we have taken the time to think about our “why?” in life.
A related topic is how do you want to be remembered? One author said this is like creating our own museum throughout our life. At the end of your life, what would you want to display in your museum that reflected your life? What would your museum display that was important to you? Once you understand the museum concept, it might just help you focus on those things that are important and help you eliminate unimportant clutter in your life that you wouldn’t want on public display. This concept has caused me to review some of the possible clutter in my life.
Our goal is for our employees to all mesh their “why?” to create a strong force of serving others. Recently I had a new group of employees confidentially write down five things that they wanted to accomplish before they died. For some this was not easy since most people don’t want to think about death. Some of the people discussed the exercise with their loved ones and some discussed it with their work peers. It was clear that the exercise made an impression on many who participated.
After reviewing the results of this exercise, it is my observation that most people want to travel to some special place. They want to grow intellectually, emotionally, spiritually and seek financial stability. Most important of all, almost everyone wants to make a difference in the lives of others and be part of something greater than themselves. To me, our common “Why?” is the mortar that supports the KA Gold wings.
I hope this article causes one person to grow by thinking about their “why?” in life and that “why?” includes making a positive difference in the lives of others. Remember, at King Aerospace, our mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of those we employ, serve and encounter and earn a fair profit! May we never forget that it’s about making a positive difference and serving others and that we just happen to work on airplanes.
Written by KING AEROSPACE Founder, Jerry Allan King-Echevarria.