Back in 2006, Bill Ford, CEO of Ford Motors decided he was the wrong man to be running the company that bears his name.  After a long string of huge losses, Ford was heading into the abyss – alongside its US competitors GM and Chrysler.

That’s when Ford and the company’s Board took the bold action of hiring a new CEO who’d never worked in the car business a day in his life.  Alan Mulally was an aeronautics lifer. He built planes.  His most recent job was as CEO of Boeing’s commercial airplane division.  When he joined that division, it was struggling mightily, AND losing sales to its chief foreign competitor Airbus.

Mulally led the resurgence of the commercial airplane business, and despite the fact that Boeing was his only employer since college, Ford gambled that he could turn around their fortunes as well.

Believe what you see.

Ford saw the writing on the wall and acted to change direction well before GM and Chrysler.  While still a work in progress, Ford didn’t need to get bailed out with government money.  They’ve brought labor costs in line with Toyota.  And they’re investing big time in the energy efficient cars of the future.  In fact, their first production electric car is due in showrooms within the next year.

Early returns say that Mulally appears to be the right man, at the right time to lead Ford.

And just like at Ford, thousands of companies – big and small – are learning that the old formula for success doesn’t work anymore.

Current and future conditions demand new products and services.  New ways to deliver them to customers.  A new approach to marketing.

And the courage to change.

Are you right for the job?

Posted by: Steve Banis