Parker Hannifin Centers Continuous Learning and Knowledge Sharing

Management Excellence

This time last year, Parker Aerospace was given the Award of Excellence in the Practice of Management from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management at Claremont University Drucker School of Management at Claremont University. The award recognized Parker’s management culture as a model of Drucker’s principles; demonstrating strategic vision, operational effectiveness, and a commitment to fostering a continuous learning environment.

Parker is outstanding in all these areas, but it is their commitment to fostering a continuous learning environment that ties all the pieces together. According to company literature, “Parker strongly believes in investing in the continued educational development of our employees. We empower our workforce to expand their knowledge in their field, and to explore new areas of development…Innovation drives Parker’s ability to solve our customers’ challenges, so we want all of our employees to be best equipped to generate creative ideas and solve new challenges.”

To facilitate continuous learning, Parker management regularly provides opportunities for their team to hone their skills. Recently, Parker brought in Jacque Keats, from SMA: The Program Lifecycle Company, to give a presentation Program Controls and using data to craft compelling narratives.

The Program Lifecycle Company’s thought leadership in the full-lifecycle approach to programs

Like Parker, The Program Lifecycle Company is learning organization. Centering problem solving by focusing on understanding the root cause of each issue and striving to learn from each challenge.

More than that, knowledge-sharing is central to their mission. They have codified their methodologies in their library of books, regularly speak on their areas of expertise at conferences or private events, and publish thought leadership on current industry trends. Their goal is to help organizations approach every phase of their programs with strategy and effectiveness.

Importance of storytelling in PPC integration

The recent session centered around program controls, highlighting the importance of integrating technical, schedule, cost, and risk analyses. Participants explored how program managers can leverage available data to craft a narrative that highlights both risks and opportunities; building confidence in their programs and keeping their programs sold.

Following the presentation, attendees discussed how these insights applied to their own work. One participant noted the value in reframing program controls not just as a risk report, but as a tool to ask, ‘Are there opportunities to do better?’ Another reflected, “Our plans shouldn’t be ‘what we do in these four walls?’, it’s ‘what our customers are doing that plays into this?’ That is the whole story of the critical path.”

Why this matters for industry

Partnerships focused on continuous learning and knowledge sharing, like the one between Parker and The Program Lifecycle Company, encourage practitioners to view their work in a new light. By stepping beyond the silos of their own organizations, teams gain exposure to fresh perspectives and integration opportunities. Embedding learning into daily work helps both companies maintain agile, responsive teams, ensuring they remain at the forefront of program performance.

At The Program Lifecycle Company, we believe that learning is most impactful when it’s hands-on and connected to real work. Our experts regularly partner with organizations to deliver on-site sessions that bring these principles to life. Each session builds practical skills across every phase of the program lifecycle, so your teams can drive performance from concept to closeout. Contact Us

Tawnia Luong is the Senior Marketing Specialist at SMA: The Program Lifecycle Company. With an MS in Digital Audience Strategy, she blends her academic background with SEO experience to craft compelling content that resonates with wide audiences.