Comments on: General Motors: A Leadership Opportunity?! http://leadershiptrainingdevelopment.com/general-motors-a-leadership-opportunity Leadership Development and Leadership Training without the Hype Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:00:15 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Stephen McPherson http://leadershiptrainingdevelopment.com/general-motors-a-leadership-opportunity#comment-166 Stephen McPherson Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:27:25 +0000 http://leadershiptrainingdevelopment.com/general-motors-a-leadership-opportunity#comment-166 Ron, GM is in desperate need of an iconoclastic leader along the lines of Lee Iacocca. GM truly needs to be turned upside down and given a good shake. However, the American people could stand the same thing, and unfortunatley that's not on the horizon either. Why do I say that? Well, the medical obligation of GM's retirees in the US is bankrupting the company. What's that got to do with the American people? Simple answer: universal health care. The US is the only western power with out it and it has a direct correlation on the current national economic woes and well as those of GM. Additionally, the outsourcing of American manufacturing jobs is directly attributable to a lack of universal health care.(We've benefitted for years in Canada from this.) This lack adds a huge burden to manufacturers and makes the outsourcing decision a lot easier. The American people need to understand that neither the health insurers, nor the doctors, nor the lawyers, nor the politician have the best interests of the American people at heart on the issue of universal health care. They all stand to lose too much money and power if universal health care were to become a reality in the US. As for GM, they need to consoldiate very quickly. Consolidate down to 2 or 3 brands - 1 to carry the name sake, a second as a luxury brand and maybe keep GMC as a truck brand. Personally, I'd keep Chev, Cadillac and GMC and ditch the rest. The hard part will be dumping the dealer franchises. Ford did this in Canada with Mercury several years ago. GM also needs to start blowing it's own horn more. They have some real Honda beaters in their product line up but few are aware, especially in the press. The press seem to be happy to keep on giving Honda and Toyota a free ride. GM needs to up the ante. Ron, GM is in desperate need of an iconoclastic leader along the lines of Lee Iacocca. GM truly needs to be turned upside down and given a good shake. However, the American people could stand the same thing, and unfortunatley that’s not on the horizon either. Why do I say that? Well, the medical obligation of GM’s retirees in the US is bankrupting the company. What’s that got to do with the American people? Simple answer: universal health care. The US is the only western power with out it and it has a direct correlation on the current national economic woes and well as those of GM. Additionally, the outsourcing of American manufacturing jobs is directly attributable to a lack of universal health care.(We’ve benefitted for years in Canada from this.) This lack adds a huge burden to manufacturers and makes the outsourcing decision a lot easier. The American people need to understand that neither the health insurers, nor the doctors, nor the lawyers, nor the politician have the best interests of the American people at heart on the issue of universal health care. They all stand to lose too much money and power if universal health care were to become a reality in the US.

As for GM, they need to consoldiate very quickly. Consolidate down to 2 or 3 brands – 1 to carry the name sake, a second as a luxury brand and maybe keep GMC as a truck brand. Personally, I’d keep Chev, Cadillac and GMC and ditch the rest. The hard part will be dumping the dealer franchises. Ford did this in Canada with Mercury several years ago. GM also needs to start blowing it’s own horn more. They have some real Honda beaters in their product line up but few are aware, especially in the press. The press seem to be happy to keep on giving Honda and Toyota a free ride. GM needs to up the ante.

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