Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control's (MFC) Ascent to Greatness: Perspectives of a SECDEF Fellow

Abstract

My assignment at MFC provided me an incredible perspective of the intricacies of business and how MFC pursues, develops and maintains business with customers. gleaned incredible insight on the strategic planning process under the sponsorship and tutelage of my sponsor. I also gained invaluable insight to human resources and exposed to the company's workforce strategy, recruiting, retention and training to include an exceedingly comprehensive recruiting process. I detailed my observations and lessons learned, including an impressive process rigor and application of metrics, during the discussions on the tenets of the book Good to Great, Jim Collins. Equally as important was the fact that I met dozens of the company's best and brightest employees from the scientists and engineers who bring ideas to fruition, to program managers and directors who provide the products, to executives under whose leadership it all coalesces. The common thread from everyone I met was an earnest and sincere desire to live the company's mantra we never forget who we work for. There's an incredible drive and work ethic to provide the customer principally US warfighters the best and most reliable equipment possible. There's also the tacit understanding that everyone including executives, business area leaders, and the functional and support staff is committed to the company and customer over self. I intended to present an argument codifying Lockheed Martin's ascent to greatness based on the benchmarks outlined in Good to Great; those benchmarks are: Level 5 Leadership; First Who&Then What; Confront Brutal Facts; The Hedgehog Concept; A Culture of Discipline; and Technology Accelerators. Collins described the transformation of a good to great company as a process of buildup followed by breakthrough, broken into three broad stages: disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action. Based on the principles and benchmarks applied from Good to Great,