Leadership falls under the umbrella of numerous character traits. It’s not necessarily defined by the loudest in the room but is certainly measured by the reputation someone has with their peers. John Allman, foreman, Welding, is an example of that in his role.
“I love being able to make sure everybody succeeds,” said John. “I want my crew to know they aren’t working for me, but they are working with me.”
Seven years ago, with two daughters to take care of, John joined the Apprenticeship Program as an insulator, going on to earn recognition as Apprentice of the Year for his craft. Since then, he’s worked as a Registered Apprentice (RA), work leaderman, and had the tools to become a foreman. Everyone around John knew he was ready to take on this role…except him.
“I was the last person to convince myself I could do this,” said John. “My issue was I’ve always liked just being responsible for myself.”
After dealing with physical limitations from surgeries, John decided it was time to take the next step in his career and be the change he wanted to see in the shipyard.
“My mentors kept pushing me to be more of a leader and step out of my comfort zone,” said John. “And then it clicked, this is my opportunity to be the foreman I’ve always wanted when I was a crew member. It’s up to me to change the culture.”
In his role, he prioritizes safety, quality and ensuring his team knows how important they are to the mission and purpose of the shipyard.
“I want to make sure whenever the Navy and Coast Guard gets a ship, nothing my team touched will break,” said John. “They will have the best vessel possible in order to protect our freedom.”
Seeking to understand, then to be understood is the key to success for John as a foreman. Looking out for his people motivates them to get the job done. He doesn’t look at his crew as just co-workers, but friends inside and outside the gates.
“We all hang out outside of here. That’s just a testament to my amazing team,” said John. “Sometimes, I even get up to cook breakfast or smoke ribs for them as a token of my appreciation.”
John never pictured himself in a leadership role. However, he challenges himself to make a difference and influence other shipbuilders to develop into the next leaders at Ingalls.
“It can be easy for people to feel more like a badge number, rather than a shipbuilder,” said John. “My job is to uplift shipbuilders and, if I can do it, the sky’s the limit to how far they can go in this line of work.”
Our Forward Ambitions series is aimed at inspiring and motivating shipbuilders to pursue leadership opportunities at Ingalls. Through these feature stories, we showcase some of our amazing foremen – highlighting what they do, how they got to where they are, and what drives their connection to Ingalls mission and purpose.
Do you have what it takes to lead a team? Email Marla.Cooper@hii-ingalls.com for more information on becoming a foreman or visit www.HII.com/careers to see current openings.
