What is the theme in Skunk Works: A Personal Memoir of My Years at Lockheed by Ben R. Rich?

The success of the skunk works model is at the heart of the story. Throughout Skunk Works, Ben Rich is concerned to explain the structure of the Skunk Works' operation. The Skunk Works had relative autonomy from the Lockheed management and from the various arms of the defense establishment. The team could develop their own ideas and market them with little supervision from the state. The leadership built trust with the leaders of the defense establishment in order to preserve their autonomy. They maintained a level of integrity by taking pride in their work and refusing to bend to pressure. Further, Kelly ran the group according to a clear set of principles that were explicitly delineated, along with promoting teamwork. He often assigned different aspects of an aircraft design to particular small teams of individuals. These teams formed a deep cohesion, which allowed them to be extraordinarily productive.