The Future Is Now: Jim Lawton Of Zebra On How Their Technological Innovation Will Shake Up The Tech Scene
An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Look for the good in each day. You’ll find some. Work is hard. Not every day works. Not every week works. Not every month works. A dear colleague of mine, once said, “Persistence is more important than being smart.” To me, that means not only to keep plugging along, but as I am working through whatever it is, I am enthusiastic. Like the earlier lesson I shared around passion and how it creates energy, looking for something good in the day keeps me motivated and engaged — and is a much better way to live.
As a part of our series about cutting edge technological breakthroughs, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jim Lawton.
Jim Lawton, Vice President and General Manager, Robotics Automation.
As Vice President and General Manager, Robotics Automation, at Zebra, Jim Lawton is focused on helping customers harness intelligent automation and advanced robotics to transform their operations with greater efficiency, higher productivity, and lower costs.
His experience in developing and delivering leading-edge innovation — including early days in e-commerce, supply chain optimization, and collaborative robotics — has shaped his passion for helping manufacturing, supply chain and logistics organizations capitalize on the intersection of technology and business performance.
Jim holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Tufts University, an MS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT, and an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management, where he was a Fellow in the inaugural MIT Leaders for Global Operations (LGO) program.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
Growing up, I loved to build things with an Erector set and Legos. I found immense joy in taking a pile of pieces and building something with them. It was that feeling, I think, that got me looking — when the time came — at a career in manufacturing and more specifically operations. That path has taken me many places, but even today, I’m focused on helping operations teams turn what is fundamentally a pile of pieces into something greater than the sum of those parts: real, tangible goods that people need to live, work and play.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
When I was a green executive at HP, I found myself in a position that was, for me, very uncomfortable. In the long run, though, it taught me more about business leadership than any seminar in business school ever did. One day, a couple of members of a team I’d since moved on from came to me, very concerned about one of our colleagues, who they believed was being abused by her partner. They wanted me to do something about it, because it appeared the situation was escalating, and they were afraid for her safety. To say, first, I knew nothing about how to go about helping her and second, that I personally am a private person and prefer not to insert myself in the personal lives of others barely covers how I felt about getting involved.
Somehow, I found the courage to do what was right and do it the right way. We got HR involved, gave our colleague a safe space to speak openly about what was happening and found resources she could use to break away and live free from violence and fear. This very dramatic experience made me question a lot about what my role as the leader of a team means — and requires. It was possibly the most formative lesson I’ve had about what matters most to me about leading a team. We spend almost as much time with colleagues today as we do with our families and friends. That means, that yes, while it can be messy, I have a responsibility — and the pleasure — to be a part of my colleagues’ best and worst moments, and to be certain that they know that I truly believe — and act on the belief — that we are in this together.
Can you tell us about the cutting-edge technological breakthroughs that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?
Let’s be honest. Manufacturing, warehousing, and the supply chain — these have not been the sexiest or most sought-after industries for career building. Still, manufacturing remains one of the most powerful engines of the global economy. I love the sector and believe that there are great opportunities for financially and personally rewarding work in manufacturing, warehousing and the supply chain. To make that a reality, we have to lift people out of what has, for years, been called dirty, dull and dangerous work, and free them to do what they do best and let robots do the rest.
For nearly 10 years, I’ve been working in the field of collaborative robotics for manufacturing and warehousing to turn that vision into something real. Now, at Zebra, I’m working with a team focused on designing solutions for warehouse operations. Our customers are undergoing a dramatic transformation, many influenced by the pandemic, which has changed how we as consumers shop and expect to get what we’ve bought. Suddenly, warehouses are a critical piece of the customer relationship, and they have to rethink everything — from how the floor is organized and how goods move from intake to shipping to labor strategies. Driven by the need for real change, robots and automation are no longer a curiosity or a future investment that needs to be piloted for years.
Recently, Zebra acquired San Jose-based Fetch Robotics — to extend the solutions we’ve developed to improve warehouse operations. With autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that work with people, we’re reducing the miles warehouse workers have to run every day, increasing throughput and accuracy and accelerating the speed at which goods are shipped to customers. In more and more warehouse operations, the model of people and robots working together is becoming a powerful way to improve productivity and lower cost, lower the risk of injuries, and most importantly from my perspective — create those opportunities for people to do what they do best — create, innovate and solve problems.
How do you think this might change the world?
I believe that as humans, we need purpose. Work can be a large part of that — either simply the work itself or what the work enables us to do — give our children a better life, make contributions to the things that matter to us, etc. Sadly, there are too many people doing jobs that de-humanize them and make it impossible for their work to bring meaning to their lives. If we can bring automation into the mix where it makes sense and gives people new opportunities and challenges that fulfill and reward them, work might become something that means more than punching a clock.
Keeping “Black Mirror” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?
I’ve been a part of bringing innovative technology to market for years and have seen a lot of it overpromise and underdeliver. In the case of robots — and AI — there are plenty of doomsayers: robots are going to take away all the jobs, robots will get too smart and become our overlords. But look at what robots can do today — people have nothing to fear from them. And in the case of AI, here’s a recent example of how far that technology has to go: a subscriber gets a regular delivery of men’s multi-vitamins — one day, the supplier is out of stock, so instead, sends him the brand for women instead of an alternative brand formulated for men. If that’s the best that AI can do, we clearly have very long way to go before machines will be smarter than you and me.
All that said, we have to be skeptical about technology. And we have to be smart about what the technology can do, what the consequences of using it will be and how to use it wisely.
Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this breakthrough? Can you tell us that story?
About 10 years ago, I got very interested in the ways in which software was at the heart of the innovation we have now come to expect from our devices — and what that meant for machines on a broader scale. I was at a point in my career where I was looking for something more challenging — and more risky, as making the change meant going back into the heady and volatile world of start-ups. I just could not stop thinking — and be excited by — what all these technological advances meant for operations. And so, I took the leap of faith and joined a start-up in collaborative robotics.
Today, AI makes it possible for machines to work in unstructured environments and powers robots that can be deployed without expensive programming and multi-year implementations. It gives robots the ability to learn how to drive screws in the same way humans do — using sense and response to ensure that not too much torque or pressure is applied.
There is so much more to come — and that is why, even today, I still am excited by what automation is doing now and what it can do for our customers in the future.
What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?
Robots have come a very long way in terms of accessibility, applications and abilities. But it takes a long time to tear down entrenched thinking about what robots are, what they can’t do and how hard it is deploy them. Chipping away at those doubts in the buyers’ seat who know a lot about robotics (as it was, not what it is) will help.
More importantly, I believe that creating excitement about robots that work in real-world environments like warehouses and production facilities among today’s students and creating career paths that will lead them into the field is going to be essential.
What have you been doing to publicize this idea? Have you been using any innovative marketing strategies?
Our customers are skeptics by nature — and through experience. They’ve seen and heard it all before and are not going to be swayed by cute ideas, fancy gimmicks or social media. Here’s an example: a few companies back, we brought a very capable and innovative robot to market — convinced that since the technology was new, it was scary, so the robot came with a “head” that could convey simple expressions like ‘yes, I understand’ or ‘I don’t understand, explain more’ through cartoonish facial expressions. It did not reduce the intimidation factor we so feared and in fact, I heard more than once a prospect ask about the “silly face.” It made it hard for them to believe the robot really could do what needed to be done and was a real challenge to explain away.
For our customers, it is all about hard facts and results that demonstrate that these robots work as promised and so for them, that it is innovative marketing. Proof and peers who’ve done it are the best tools we have.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Alan Frohman, a mentor who has since passed away. He once said, “Wisdom comes from knowing what you’re not good at.” Building an organization requires one to know what is necessary to succeed and leverage the strengths of multiple people to achieve. On a more personal level, I have learned what I am good at and what I am not. So, while I continue to grow and develop, I also surround myself with people who are good at doing the things that I am not.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
I mentioned before that I believe work gives life purpose. For me, that means I view my work as part of something that is more than it appears. In large part, this motivation is why I began working in collaborative robotics very early in the market. More than a labor replacement, I see the potential for this innovation in automation to change what it means to work in operations — freeing people from dirty, dull and dangerous work to do things that are valuable — and valued.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)
People want to be part of a tribe.
The highest performing teams I have been a part of or have helped create are those made up of a group of people who feel tightly bound together because they are pursuing a mission that is greater than themselves. They will not be deterred. They will find a way.
This is a very big deal for me — and means that a big part of my job as a leader is to build a team where everyone feels that they are part of something larger.
Passion breeds fellowship.
A colleague of mine once said, “emotions are contagious.” Passion, excitement, and engagement bring people together. I mentioned earlier that I am a private person, but I’ve learned over the years that there is no “work Jim” and “home Jim” — I cannot separate depending on where I am. That has meant that I’ve also learned to share more of myself with colleagues — to be enthusiastic and excited about what we’re doing, what is accomplished and to celebrate victories and mourn losses together. It is far cry from what I used to think executives should be — stoic, impersonal, stand-offish and I’m very comfortable with that.
Growth comes from hitting a wall
When things are moving along smoothly, it is easy to think you are progressing and just keep going along. I’ve come to realize that doing what I already know how to do is not growth. That when I’m stuck or something has not worked as it should, that’s when I learn or grow. Understanding this has made it possible for me to take leaps and try things I might not once have tried, recognizing that if I stumble or even fail, there’s value in it.
Don’t just do something. Sit there. Sometimes we act without thinking.
I’m an engineer at heart. Something is broken and I want to fix it. Sometimes, something isn’t broken, and I still want to fix it. Raised in a culture that is biased toward action, I want to take action. Inaction is seen as lazy, not aggressive, etc. And yet studies have shown that when you assemble a small team to perform an ad hoc task, groups jump to the “doing part,” bypassing or short-circuiting the thinking part. I’ve learned that while, yes, it is necessary to get things done, I will be much more likely to succeed if I do not underestimate the part of the process that includes designing the vision or plan. So, I have learned to just be still at times and let my mind wander. And sometimes, amazing ideas or solutions emerge because I’ve allowed them room to sprout.
Look for the good in each day. You’ll find some.
Work is hard. Not every day works. Not every week works. Not every month works. A dear colleague of mine, once said, “Persistence is more important than being smart.” To me, that means not only to keep plugging along, but as I am working through whatever it is, I am enthusiastic. Like the earlier lesson I shared around passion and how it creates energy, looking for something good in the day keeps me motivated and engaged — and is a much better way to live.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
When I started out, fresh out of the first class of graduates from MIT’s Leaders for Manufacturing (now Leaders for Global Operations), I joined HP’s procurement organization. What I found there was a pretty downtrodden group — considered to be a backwater where careers languished. R&D was where it was all at. But it turned out that for a market leader in a space with single digit growth annually, the only way to grow was to cut costs — and that came back to procurement. But the big levers were not to be had from squeezing suppliers for more reductions or playing one supplier against the other. The real opportunity came from rethinking how products were designed and architected. This required procurement to step up and operate in profoundly different ways with our partners in R&D. We found a better way to deliver value and increased the strategic nature of the role, enabling game-changing strategies like design for sourcing and new product development procurement processes. We fundamentally changed the way procurement was done and did it by cultivating each member to create a high performing team.
One of my favorite quotes is “There is no value in getting there unless we get there together.” If I could, I would inspire organizations to realize that every employee matter and contributes to the success of the organization. And that every person has something to offer, and it is up to the leadership to find out what that is, nurture it and bring it life. I believe the pandemic has taught many people that they can find something else to do if what they are doing now is unfulfilling or unsatisfying. If we, as business leaders and owners — can change that for our colleagues, there is no limit to what we can do.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.” — Sam Rayburn
From national politics to auto mechanics, we know that taking something apart is much easier than putting something together. Building is hard. But for me, the value, the inspiration, the excitement comes from building something. Whether that something is a new robot or a new organization, taking the kernel of an idea and creating is magical. Generative. Something now is where it once wasn’t.
Too often, I see people tearing things apart with no obvious path forward. Don’t just tell me why something is broken or won’t work. This, like kicking down a barn, is the easy part. Lean in. Offer an alternative. Creative destruction is okay — but only if the destruction is followed by construction. This is at the heart of many of today’s most powerful innovations. This idea has shaped my thinking and career choices, and so I’ve been fortunate to have been part of developing a number of new technologies that have changed how businesses create value.
My grandfather was a carpenter. All of my summers were spent in a small cabin in the woods that he built by hand with my great uncle. There is beauty in creation. Like my grandfather, I am a builder. I just build different things.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimlawton/
https://twitter.com/jim_lawton
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
