Fellow Shipbuilders,

Over the past weeks, I have continued to invest time in talking to shipbuilders and learning about the challenges we face day-to-day. And once again I can say that I have met even more shipbuilders that make me incredibly proud to be on this team and of the work we do here.

While there are many challenges and complexities in our business, I believe there are some basic ways to capture our areas of opportunity with strategic leadership objectives that focus on supporting and enabling shipbuilders, as follows:

We have already started making changes to accomplish these objectives. In addition to ensuring we are organized for success – keeping critical skills and processes that make us who we are at the center of what we do – we have:

• streamlined the data we will use to measure ourselves to our commitments
• ended our second chance hiring practice based on feedback that it is impeding excellence
• developed a consultant exit strategy to take ownership of our responsibility for improvement
• started reducing company vehicles to decrease traffic in our shipyard
• established a regular cadence for sharing what we are seeing and doing

And while we have made some progress, more is needed to make our shipyard the best it can be. Next up…efforts around designing and implementing a formal feedback mechanism for all shipbuilders to bring their best ideas forward, as well as aligning our phase management process across all parts of the business so that we are all pulling in the same direction on the things that are most important. Most importantly, we are starting a new effort to get after the material and engineering product availability that our waterfront continues to experience.

The team that I have the privilege to work with every day is full of energy and wants to make a difference in how shipbuilders are set up to do the incredible work we do. But it will take every one of us and a strong sense of purpose and level of urgency to achieve our objectives together.

I intend to continue spending time in the business and on the waterfront and I look forward to meeting many more shipbuilders in the process. In keeping with that, I would also like to set the record straight…*grin.*

First, I am not an undercover boss… my name is on my hardhat and I learn way more engaging with shipbuilders. Second, I am not in the habit of confiscating cell phones, although I do believe that if we are all committing to excellence in support of one another and our mission, then we are doing good work and are not distracted by our phones. And finally, the very best day that I ever have is one that I get to spend in steel toes working for this team. If you see me, I’d love to hear from you. I appreciate candid discussions, shipyard stories and the sharing of ideas as I continue to learn how we can best support you.

One of my closest-held beliefs is that every shipbuilder is a leader. I have seen shipbuilders do extraordinary things, and we all have the ability to make a difference each day and with every interaction, regardless of our role on the team. Our strategic leadership objectives are for all of us.

With much respect,
Kari Wilkinson
President, Newport News Shipbuilding