Move the Needle

GUEST POST from Kellee M. Franklin, PhD.

The aerospace industry is on a long flight, but subtle drifts in culture and practice have quietly moved it off its intended course. To get back on track, we don’t need a radical turn. We need to move the needle — one small, intentional correction at a time. This is the power of the 1-in-60 rule, a principle championed by former Thunderbird pilot Major Michelle Mace Curran: a onedegree error leads to being a mile off course after 60 miles. In the high-speed world of aerospace, those miles pass quickly, and the destination can be lost.

Reimagining this industry starts with recognizing that every decision, every interaction, is a chance to move the needle. A holistic educational campaign must be the first correction, teaching not just technical skills, but this very philosophy. It’s about empowering every team member to ask, “Is this choice moving us toward who we want to be?” When we let one “degree” slip — by skipping a quiet team member’s comment or bypassing a safety check because “it’s easier” — we compound a drift that, over time, takes us far from the vital human-centered power skills we need. In an era of increasing automation, skills like collaboration, critical thinking, empathy and ethical judgment are not soft — they are the critical systems that keep the mission on track. Yet, the industry remains focused on recruiting, hiring, and promoting for technical skills alone, placing it at risk of the pilot’s dreaded death spiral: a fatal, uncorrected descent caused by fixating on a single instrument while losing situational awareness.

This mindset shift is crucial for legacy employees — and necessary for an industry in need of refueling. Change can feel like a threat, but framing it as a series of small, needed adjustments to move the needle makes it manageable. It’s not about discarding experience, but about course-correcting outdated norms. Workshops and mentorship, inspired by experienced industry leaders like Curran and others, can offer profound insights. They can show how power skills — like maintaining broad situational awareness under pressure — enable teams to act decisively and create a culture that is far more dynamic, innovative, safe, and resilient. It requires leadership to invite challenge, conversation, and collaboration. In a traditionally hierarchical industry, these shifts can be difficult — but they are essential for real transformation.

How do I know human-centered leadership is not only needed but effective in the aerospace industry? Because I’ve had the good fortune of supporting leadership at the highest levels of the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, and within major corporate entities that design, develop, and secure aerospace technologies, where the stakes of every decision are immense. In those rooms, I’ve seen that while technical expertise is the foundation, the true innovation — and the true
innovators — are found among the airmen, guardians, and on the front lines. The real gift of leadership isn’t just knowing the technology; it’s knowing the people. It’s understanding their challenges, their potential, and having the wisdom to guide them through the full terrain of complexity. That human-centered insight is what transforms good missions into great ones. This is the essence of leadership that moves the needle — insight no instrument panel can ever provide.

My conviction is further reinforced by my years teaching global scholars at Hult International Business School, where I witnessed firsthand how creativity and collaborative problem-solving, critical thinking and sound judgment, and emotional intelligence and empathy are the true catalysts for success in a complex world. This is not just theory. It’s a strategic imperative. Consider EY, one of the Big Four professional services firms and an educational partner of Hult, which is putting $100 million behind human skills. They are actively recognizing and rewarding the value of uniquely human capabilities alongside technical adoption, proving that the most forward-thinking organizations understand that people-potential is the ultimate competitive advantage. This growing emphasis on human skills in the Age of AI is not a new trend for me; it’s the core of a conscious leadership integrative model I designed in 2018, built on the principle that sustainable innovation flows from empowered people, not just advanced systems.

This urgency is underscored by the 2026 Oliver Wyman “Lift Off Leadership” survey in partnership with the International Aerospace Women’s Association (IAWA), which found that 78% of aerospace leaders identify a critical gap in human-centered skills, and 65% believe that without a cultural shift, their organizations will struggle to innovate at the pace required for the next decade. The survey provides a clear roadmap: organizations must embed active sponsorship as a core leadership competency and address the everyday workplace cultures driving female attrition; leaders must move beyond passive mentoring to actively advocate for women in highlevel decision-making rooms; and the industry as a whole must adopt strict gender-neutral recruitment standards and properly fund proven leadership initiatives. Industry surveys are always insightful, but without proper and timely executive execution of strategic recommendations, these exercises continue to place emerging talent and the potential of aerospace in a perpetual holding pattern. For real “lift off”, employees require advocacy, intention, and support — because no mission ever launched on insight alone. These small, but critical, system-wide shifts demand human-centered leadership — not just technical expertise — to guide the way.

Inviting a new wave of dreamers is another powerful way to move the needle. We can start by promoting STEM/STEAM programs early, allowing current employees to work hand-in-hand with the future of the industry. By engaging with local colleges and universities in hack-a-thons and other idea-generating initiatives, we not only ignite the next generation’s passion but also tap into a wellspring of raw, unfiltered innovation. In our workspaces, actively dismantling exclusionary barriers and creating clear pathways — like targeted one-on-one and group coaching, upskill/reskill programs, and ongoing mentor/development initiatives — opens the cockpit to brighter skies and unseen horizons. We must also actively encourage employees to participate in professional development opportunities beyond our own organizations, empowering them to connect with and learn from peers across the industry, and return with fresh perspectives and renewed energy to elevate our teams. This is not just about fairness; it is about taking the field to elevated heights. Broader disciplines with a wider array of perspectives are the ultimate navigational tools, helping us spot drifts we might otherwise miss and chart a more enduring course.

The future of aerospace won’t be defined by a single, massive overhaul. It will be built on the collective commitment to make small, consistent adjustments. Leaders can begin today by:

1. Hosting a “Drift Check” Workshop: Use the 1-in-60 rule to facilitate a team discussion on current cultural norms and co-creating a vision for the future.
2. Launching a Reverse Mentorship Program: Pair senior leaders with junior employees, allowing diverse voices to be heard and fostering open, two-way learning.
3. Implementing a “Power Skills” KPI: Include empathy, collaboration, innovation, and other power skills in performance reviews, publicly acknowledging team members who exemplify them.
4. Celebrating “Course Corrections”: Transparently share small changes and their impact, making learning a core part of the culture.
5. Building a Balanced Workforce: Sponsor a Dreamer’s Fellowship to fund underrepresented talent and actively recruit diverse disciplines. Intentionally blend technical expertise with human-centered innovators to create a more resilient and visionary team.

By embracing a 1-in-60 philosophy, we can recalibrate our heading, one degree at a time, and navigate toward a future that’s not just technologically advanced, but truly human-centered.

Image credits: Kellee M. Franklin

Sign up here to join 17,000+ leaders getting Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to their inbox every week.