Alan Mulally: The Power Of Working Together

**Alan Mulally** (0:00)
When you meet somebody, you always have three questions.
One, who are you as a person? Is this about you? Is it about I versus we? Is it about me versus service? The second question is, you're the leader. Where are we going?
Where are we going? What's that strategy? What's the BPR? What's the creating value roadmap? Then you got the third question is, Shane, do you see me?

**Shane Parrish** (0:43)
Welcome to The Knowledge Project. I'm your host, Shane Parrish. This podcast is about mastering the best of what other people have already figured out.
If you're listening to this, you're missing out. If you'd like special member-only episodes, access before anyone else, hand-edited transcripts, and other member-only content, you can join at fs.blogslashmembership. Check out the show notes for a link. Today, I'm speaking with Alan Mulally. Alan has an aeronautical engineering degree from the University of Kansas. His accomplishments at both Boeing and Ford are legendary. He took over Ford in 2006 when Ford was in a downward spiral. The stock was $1 and the company was on pace to lose $17 billion, which is the worst year in its 103-year history. I wanted to speak to Alan because I wanted to know how he turned the company around.
We discuss where his formation of leadership comes from, his working-together principles, the working-together management system, creating a culture of love by design, the role of the leader, what happens when people choose not to be a part of the working-together system, and how those conversations go, and how he uses the system in his family, and so much more.
This is one of my favorite conversations ever.
It's time to listen and learn.
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Alan, let's just dive right into this. You've served your family, Boeing, Ford and communities around the world in such a positive way over the years. How did you end up with this formation of leadership and can you share your service journey with us?

**Alan Mulally** (4:33)
Absolutely. Well, first of all, it's a pleasure to be with you. I think that really is a good way to start.
I grew up in the Midwest in Lawrence, Kansas, also where the University of Kansas is. We had pretty modest means, but we had a lot of love in our family from starting with our parents' love of us.
Over the years, I can remember very clearly the lessons that they shared with me and who they were as a person, in addition to what they did. And so every morning, and the same, one of my parents would say these lessons to me, just to make sure that I was remembering them and understand them. So one day my mom would say, now remember, honey, the purpose of life is to love and be loved. I'd say, oh, mom, that's great. I remember. I think that's good. And she said, but remember in that order.