Vision Message
What Are We Afraid Of?
Ryan Daniels
Trustmark Companies
February 27, 2009
There was a thunderstorm last night, and my
children had a hard time sleeping because they were afraid. They
were afraid of something that couldn't possibly hurt them and that they
couldn't even see, thunder. How silly, I thought. I've tried
to explain to them how it's just a noise and how it can't hurt them.
I've told them it's God bowling and the rain are the pins. Nothing
works. Why are they so afraid? It's just a noise. Then
I reflected on my fears. I know there's great potential in me, and
yet I don't let that potential out. Why? It must be because
I'm afraid. But what am I afraid of? A noise, just like my
children. The noise of what? What would they say? When
I stop to think of it, I can't think of what they'd say that could
possibly be so bad. But the thought of failing, the thought of
being disappointing holds me back.
What are we afraid of? Failure?
Mistakes? I choose to do everything I can to help us succeed and
risk failure than to do nothing and just watch us fail. I can hear
the voices. Hey, wait a minute! We're not failing.
This is an A-rated company with profitable businesses. Yes, but
can we be better? Never be afraid to trade in what you are now for
what you could become.
What do I envision in our future?
We will wake up in the morning and be excited about
coming to Trustmark. It's where our friends are. We will
share our stories and ideas with each other. We will have fun
together and laugh together. Something exciting and groundbreaking
happens every day. There are no cubicals and no hierarchy.
We've left our competition miles behind. Our products are as
unique as our environment. What are these products? I don't
know, and I don't have to know. It's not my responsibility.
It's OUR responsibility. We will churn out several new products
every year, each one groundbreaking. Some will be an amazing
success and some won't, but we'll never stop innovating. We'll
never stop improving our products and improving the quality of life of
our customers.
When I picture Trustmark, I picture no walls, no
boundaries and no titles. It's fun and exciting. It looks
like a toy store. Oh, I can hear the dissenters now. It
would never work. It will never happen. Perhaps, but that is
my vision, and this is my message. Anything is possible if you
just believe. Take your passion and make it happen.
Vision Message
Total Eclipse
Tim Miller
ILC Dover
June 2007
It's a bright sunny day, but the sun is eclipsed as
something colossal and miraculous slowly drifts overhead. It is
far too quiet for its size as it gently settles down to be moored.
There's a lot of high technology on board - solar power, regenerative
fuel cells, tilt-rotor electric motors – but all that is hidden, what
the world sees, what the world knows, is that this flying machine is
defined by its acres of sleek and shimmering skin.
This skin is our skin, we call it an envelope but
let's let them call it a skin because it appears to be filled with life
instead of helium.
This skin was conceived, developed, fabricated, and tested by us. Not just the "ILC" us but in a collaborative struggle with our teammates both up and down the supply chain.
How was this giant born? Was it faster sealing equipment? Better process control? Additional overtime? Yes and no. We implemented these things and there was improvement - but not enough. So.....
We help our suppliers succeed. We work with
our teammates to reduce defects, drive down costs and increase profits
for all.
We simplify our documentation and communicate only
those things that are most important.
We train, we cross-train - and then we train some
more: to decrease costly repair and rework.
We minimize the use of dangerous chemicals and
where they can't be eliminated we educate ourselves and strictly
enforced safety procedures to reduce health care costs and give us more
years with our families.
Our team is now sought out by prospective customers
and prospective employees alike, so that we always have plenty of both.
We make our workplace enjoyable, sometimes even fun, and more often than
not you are greeted with a smile. We treat each with a kindness,
generosity and respect. We are more than co-workers putting in
long hours together.
So, maybe it won't be the largest aircraft ever to
fly, maybe it won't bring the world closer together providing phone
coverage to third world nations; maybe it won't deliver vast supplies of
food and medicine to tsunami victims we've never met.
Then again, maybe it will.
