Reply #68: I love these threads that demand something that is virtually impossible to provide. [View All]

[last1standing]

And if we can't give it, we're obviously wrong about everything.

Is it not possible to know that Rick Wagoner has done a horrible job without being able to name a currently unemployed CEO? It's the workers who usually get the sack, not the management so it's hard to name good leaders without jobs, or even bad ones.

However, if you really want a name or two (employed, however), how about Warren Buffet? He knows how to make money and still treat his workers with respect. He also knows a little something about big business.

As for another name from left field, how about Al Gore? He doesn't have experience in business, but he does know a thing or two about management and how to inspire his staff. He would also bring in a greener philosophy.

The real question that should be asked however, is 'what is the real problem with GM'? I don't think too many at DU have worked extensively with GM management so it's hard to just say 'do this' or do that' and have things work out. I have worked with GM management from two perspectives (advertising and IT) and can say that this isn't just Rick Wagoner's fault, it's a problem with the entirety of GM management culture.

Management at GM has made CYA job #1. It is also jobs #2, #3, #4, etc... At GM you don't make a single move unless you know for a fact it won't lead to termination. The problem is that with all the politics and backbiting there's very little you can do, whether it is successful or not, that won't eventually lead to that. High level managers are worried that their subordinates will outshine them, so they only advance cronies who they know won't rock the boat. Coworkers get very jealous of anyone who stands out so no one stands out for fear of being ostracized. In this culture there can be no real innovation and no real turn around for GM. They will burn through the monies provided and eventually they will close down.

So who's fault is that? It's still on management, of course, but it's also on the board of directors who elect corporate officers who foster this mentality. Should Rick Wagoner be removed? Of course he should, but his removal does nothing unless new leadership can change the entire culture of GM, which is no easy task. However, if GM is to survive, it must happen.

GM needs to begin rewarding innovation and intelligence from the line worker to the CEO. They need to stop wasting billions on failed advertising that plays to a dying audience. They need to streamline management to allow ideas to flow from the bottom to the top without so many layers of venal managers to block them. And lastly, they need to actively discipline any manager found to be stifling creativity.

Only then can GM have a chance at becoming the company it once was.