Andrew Goddard Reflects on His Legacy and the Future of Goddard Technologies

In 2024, after over 25 years as CEO of Goddard Technologies, Andrew “Andy” Goddard transitioned to Chairman of the Board, while President and Partner Sean Albert was promoted to CEO. We sat down with Andy as he reflected on his journey, emphasizing his leadership style of fostering growth and avoiding micromanagement. His experiences shaped his approach to creating an environment where succession was possible, ensuring continuity of success and stability for the company.

Andy carried advice from his grandfather with him throughout his career: “Never measure a man by his successes, but by how he handles setbacks beyond his control.” Andy shared challenging times during the company’s history, such as reducing salaries to avoid layoffs during economic downturns to retain talented engineers until markets improved. Decisions like this ultimately helped the company survive without layoffs. It also put the business in an opportune state for incoming work, while other companies that laid off people had to focus on hiring more staff to catch up.

Economic fluctuations, retaining employee morale, and listening to clients’ pain points required consistent flexibility to handle day-to-day challenges as CEO. Andy decided to shift focus to medical device development when consumer product clients were drying up during market downturns. He improved office work life by listening to employee suggestions and figuring out solutions that were good for clients, employees, and the company. For example, Andy empathized with a client’s pain point to get them through their budget challenges and creatively forged a path to ensure project success. Andy instilled in his employees the importance of keeping a loose grip on the wheel and adapting to daily changes. He leads by example and believes in the importance of learning from previous experiences and working to constantly and consistently improve. This has been crucial in the long-term success of Goddard Technologies and its employees.

As the company grew, Andy’s leadership philosophy evolved. Initially, he oversaw everything to address unexpected challenges or unfamiliar situations. However, he soon learned the importance of empowering others—by mentoring, educating, and listening—which produced better outcomes for the company. Trust and regular delegation soon followed.

For future leaders, he emphasized the importance of people skills and the value of social intelligence. Listening and effective communication are highly sought-after skills. Technical skills can be taught but being a good and empathetic listener is a muscle that must be built. What comes out of this skill is trust, which remains fundamental in fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability.

Looking ahead, Andy envisions significant growth in the medical robotics space. This field is poised to revolutionize healthcare, with technologies that allow doctors to perform robot-assisted surgeries remotely. Goddard is investing heavily in research and development to stay at the forefront of this innovative industry.
Andy acknowledges the importance of embracing emerging technologies, like Artificial Intelligence (AI), and knows it will contribute to the efficiency of work output. He emphasizes employees strengthening their learning skills and building their ability to adapt to a new era of design and engineering. Engineers will still need to know how to do day-to-day product development and be experienced enough to properly weave in the use of AI and judge its capabilities. Achieving a delicate balance between traditional engineering practices and AI integration will be essential to maintaining successful results.

Additionally, the company aims to expand its global footprint, seeking strategic partnerships and collaborations that can enhance its technological capabilities and market reach.

Andy is confident that Goddard will continue to innovate and lead, ensuring a bright and sustainable future for the company. His legacy of trust, open communication, and empathy continues with Sean Albert as CEO. Goddard remains committed to hiring staff who fit the company culture that Andy has built, ensuring a bright future for the company.