Plant Leader at GE Aviation
Marine Corps officer jumps at civilian career with GE.
by Warren Duffie
Tired and drained, Marine Corps Capt. Doug McLean was driving home from an all-day career fair.
Suddenly his cell phone rang. Steadying one hand on the wheel and answering with the other, McLean found himself speaking with a recruiter from General Electric. The caller wanted to interview candidates for one of GE’s Black Belt positions in Miami – a leadership development program resulting in promotion to management.
“I had just finished Jack Welch’s first book [“Jack: Straight from the Gut”] and knew about the Black Belt program,” McLean said. “The idea of coming to GE really appealed to me and I envisioned it as a place where I could grow as a leader. I did the interview and landed the job.”
On the Job
Through his intense Black Belt training and experience, McLean, 38, honed powerful leadership skills and reflexes. He now runs a manufacturing plant within GE Aviation – the world’s leading producer of large and small jet engines for commercial and military aircraft.
McLean is in charge of the Durham Engine Facility in Durham, N.C. The 500-acre, 500,000-square-foot plant has 300 employees who construct large and medium-size commercial jet engines for Boeing, Airbus, Embraer and others.
As plant leader, McLean is responsible for everything from production and finance to quality control. He operates the plant like a football coach. Some employees can be left alone to work, while others need a personal word of encouragement or maybe a little extra push.
“There aren’t many layers of management, so all employees report directly to me,” McLean said. “I spend a lot of time on the production floor listening to their concerns and making sure they have the resources they need to get the job done. About 50 percent of the work force here has prior military experience, so they’re a precise, efficient group.”
In Uniform
McLean grew up on a Louisiana farm and spent his high school years amidst the stunning Rocky Mountain beauty of Kalispell, Mont. An aspiring engineer, he didn’t have much money for college. So he visited a Marine Corps recruiter and soon secured an ROTC scholarship to Purdue University. He graduated in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree.
McLean then attended officer training at Quantico Marine Corps Base before going to intelligence school in Dam Neck, Va. He later served in North Carolina, Kosovo, Yugoslavia and areas of the Mediterranean.
He returned to North Carolina in 2001 but was soon ready for a new challenge. This was pre-9/11, and McLean’s stateside intelligence work was done through drills and exercises. He missed the action of the field and decided to seek the challenges of corporate America.
The Transition
McLean interviewed with more than 70 employers before landing a job with GE.
“I liked working in various aspects of GE’s business, and I’ve been able to work throughout the U.S. as well as in Malaysia,” he said. “The most challenging part has been adapting my leadership skills. I can’t just order people around. I have to build support and sell people on what I’m doing.
“GE also takes great care of its employees,” McLean continued. “The pay is excellent and the company helped me move from North Carolina to Miami when I first joined.
McLean's Advice
Think about what you want in a job. “Do you want a steady job in one location or a more dynamic job that’s more challenging? Figure this out at the beginning of your job search.”
Be flexible. “You might not find a job that matches your military skill set perfectly. You might have to adapt.”
Be aware of cultural differences. “In the civilian world, there’s less structure and discipline. You might have co-workers with no exposure to the military or its people. It can be frustrating, but you have to prepare yourself for a cultural shift.”