Before joining TWA, I had already earned my certification as a Nuclear Engineer. That certification qualified me to develop computer software used in the construction, operation, and maintenance of nuclear power plants throughout the United States. The work demanded precision, analytical thinking, and the ability to solve complex, mission-critical problems.
At one point during my time at TWA, the company was trying to push me out. They assigned me to an online flight-planning system that had been plagued with problems for years. I believe they expected the assignment to overwhelm me.
Instead, they escorted me to the main computer center and left me there with nothing more than a notepad, a mechanical pencil I had brought with me from Black & Veatch, and my determination to succeed. Those simple tools, combined with the problem-solving skills I had developed in the nuclear power industry, were all I needed. I analyzed the system, identified the root cause, and eliminated the problem that had frustrated the organization for years.
When they returned from lunch, they were convinced it was time to fire me. One of them looked at me and asked, "Well, did you get it fixed?"
I looked back and replied, "Yes. It's fixed. The problem no longer exists."
The room fell silent. The assignment they had expected to end my career at TWA instead became one of the defining moments of it. Rather than proving I couldn't solve the problem, I demonstrated that disciplined engineering, persistence, and experience could accomplish what years of frustration had not.