Prioritising earnings over safety
According to Forbes, Boeing management has been repeatedly guilty of prioritising management and shareholder earnings over safety in organising production and restructuring the company. This has caused not only a reputational problem for Boeing, but of course a considerable degree of resentment within the company itself.
Non-transparent communication
Communication and crisis management are extremely important in both troubleshooting and business as usual. Non-transparent communication, whether internal or external, only exacerbates any problems and gives rise to frustration in the workforce and a loss of public confidence in company management.
Not listening to one's own employees
In all of the Boeing cases, investigators and the media found numerous examples of rank-and-file workers and junior managers trying to warn management about potential problems with the safety, production or functionality of the company's products. Management either ignored these problems or brushed them straight under the carpet. Had it listened to its workers, it could have avoided a number of problems.
Unwillingness to accept responsibility
We all make mistakes and managers, including those in top positions, are no exception. Restoring trust then requires, among other things, accepting responsibility for the problems a person or group caused and apologising. Boeing management has repeatedly failed to do this, and has thereby lost the trust of both the public and its own people.
Creating a toxic work environment
Failing to follow ethical rules, withholding important information, creating an inhospitable and toxic work environment: all these factors are among the reasons why Boeing finds itself where it is today, and all of them are largely due to poor leadership, both in top management and at the middle and lower management levels.
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