Hi everyone, this is Kevin. Today is my last podcast as your president, and I wanted to share some of my thoughts as I leave EB and begin retirement. I’ve had a lot of people ask me “what’s next?” I’m heading back to California where Cheryl and I have lived for 14 years before we came back to Electric Boat. We committed to five years here and that commitment was completed on October 1 of this year. While I’m looking forward to retirement, I will miss leaving almost thirty years of shipbuilding behind, and I will specifically miss the shipbuilders I’ve enjoyed working with over that time, and that includes you.
I’m tremendously grateful, proud and humbled beyond words for having been a member of the team of shipbuilders at Electric Boat. Your commitment to our mission inspires me every day, and I’ve learned from interactions I’ve had with you on the deckplate, welding, fitting, outfitting, purchasing, engineering, finance and from what I consider to be a PhD-level course in leadership that frankly I’m still working to graduate from. I can’t repay you for what you’ve taught me. To be called upon to lead has been the challenge of a couple of lifetimes, but also one of the most fulfilling experiences I can ever imagine. Thank you for your dedication to your craft and what that dedication is delivering to our great country and our company. My hope is that I’ve given something to you that you can use to help build on and make the difficult task of shipbuilding just a little easier.
I have a few thoughts for you to consider.
First, we are the most important part of the submarine enterprise. Our ideas, EB’s ideas, have revolutionized undersea warfare for the last 125 years, and our many firsts distinguish us as the leaders within the submarine enterprise. But it’s not just our ideas; it’s also our hard work. None of the submarines, or the ideas that comprise them, are possible without the hard work it takes to develop the design, buy the material, create the work paper and execute the fitting, welding and outfitting. The sailors we’re all so passionate about protecting would never go to sea and return safely without the shipbuilders. Not only are we the most important part of the submarine enterprise, we, right here at EB, are also the crown jewel of the submarine enterprise. Our engineering team is the ultimate influencer of what our Navy builds. The technical capacity we possess, not just in engineering, but across the board, is unparalleled. It doesn’t exist anywhere else in the country than right here in southern New England.
Our people are also the best in our industry. We are the best trained—our training pipelines are creating shipbuilders from whole cloth faster and more proficient at the start of their career than anywhere else in the country. We are also able to consistently demonstrate high standards that are, frankly, the benchmark for all others. We’ve deployed our processes and people across our industrial base and this has been expensive, and from my perspective, incredibly frustrating. But anywhere we go, the companies we are intrusively overseeing are all better for our efforts. No one else in the submarine enterprise can do this missionary work like Electric Boat.
I also believe that leadership always matters. You are also the best-led part of the submarine enterprise. That’s not because of me; that’s not a pat on my back. It’s because of the mission focus all of our leaders bring to work with them every day.
An EB leader is at the front where the action is happening. An EB leader is involved in the details, not because we don’t trust our people; it’s because we care about the product we’re putting out—it’s that important. An EB leader carries an outward mindset. Ask “How can I help?” both with your upstream suppliers and your downstream customers. Some of my most distinct memories as a junior leader here at EB came from a siloed and transactional culture, and we’ve worked hard to shift that thinking into being more collaborative. And while we’re far from perfect, I’ve seen the difference it makes. We are achieving very difficult tasks safely and effectively—like a motor module delivery or the biggest engineering overhaul in our history—because of our ability to collaborate and reach across.
Today many of our people are new to EB. About 50% of us have less than two years of experience. My message to our young shipbuilders is “Step Up.” Don’t be afraid to take on a challenging role either as an individual contributor or as an EB leader. Over my entire adult life, one of the most important realizations I’ve had is how many people would rather follow than step up and lead. Leading is risky. What if you find a problem and you don’t know what to do? What if you make a mistake? Our anxieties too often can get the better of us, and it can sometimes paralyze us from taking action and leading. I’m no different than you in that regard—I have my worries, my fears and my anxieties just like anyone here. Over time, I’ve found that it’s more risky to live with a poor outcome than to step up and contribute. As a member of the EB team, and to satisfy our obligations as the leader in the enterprise, I believe we have a moral obligation to step up and contribute to the mission we serve. So I want you to ask yourself, “If not me, then who?”
I also want you to communicate early and often. And this applies in your personal life as well as right here at Electric Boat. Not one of us is as smart as all of us, and we need to share ideas if we’re going to satisfy our mission. As leaders, making sure your people understand your intentions is immediately empowering and goes a long way in building trust. And I believe it’s a two-way street. By sharing what you’re thinking others will share what they think. Over time, that develops common cause and eliminates some of what we assume about each other. Over my career, I’ve learned what it means to be authentic and to show some vulnerability. If I’m authentic, then others can be authentic, and we can cut through so much that gets in the way, especially in a business this tough. Take the time to communicate early and often, and I believe it will change your life.
I leave EB grateful and a better person than when I started. I want to thank each of you who took the time to stop and chat in the shipyard, or made it a point to say hi at the Big Y or somewhere out in town. Many of you have mentioned the podcast as something that helped keep you connected. Those interactions inside and outside of work are what I believe connects all of us as human beings, and I have really cherished those conversations. So, thanks for taking the time.
As I depart, I am leaving the General Dynamics flagship, Electric Boat, to Mark Rayha. I couldn’t be happier for Mark. He will have the best job at General Dynamics, bar none, and I can’t imagine being relieved by anyone as capable and passionate about this business than Mark. While it is the best job, on some days, it can be a lonely, tough job. I know you will support Mark just as you’ve supported me for the last five years.
Many of you have heard me quote Teddy Roosevelt from time to time. As a gift to Mark as he takes on his new role, I presented him with a plaque. My intent is for him to show this in his new office. It’s Teddy Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena.” Many of you know it already…it begins “It’s not the critic that counts…” This business is surrounded with critics—everyone is an expert shipbuilder—just ask them. I want you to look at this from time to time and for the whole EB family to consider themselves the “Man in the Arena.” What separates you from the critics is your willingness to step into the arena and strive to do the deeds while daring greatly.
Thank you all. I will miss you, but I’ll be watching.
