Those are some of the frustrations we'd run into: "Don't mess in my sandbox." But as we developed a proven track record, people saw that this wasn't about changing reporting structures; it was about creating the right path for the businesses.

You also oversee Textron's Global Technology Center in India. How difficult is it to find qualified IT professionals and engineers in India? We're having tremendous success at finding highly qualified people in all of our industry groups. In the Bangalore area, there are a lot of IT professionals as well as a lot of very good colleges.

We also are blessed with a very low turnover rate. The average turnover rate for engineers in India is 14% to 18%. Ours is 7% to 8%.

What other markets do you draw from for these types of skills? We've focused on Bangalore as our engineering center for Asia. We have international purchasing and sourcing offices in China, India, Poland and Mexico.

In addition to overseeing engineering and information systems for Textron, you're also responsible for the company's integrated supply chain and its Lean Transformation and Six Sigma efforts. How do you balance your time? I have no life. I have an office in Texas, in Detroit, in Providence -- and I live in Phoenix. In every one of my remote offices, I have a change of dress, because I don't know from one day to the next where I'll be.