As the Executive Leadership of the Big 3 Automakers, otherwise known as Ford, GM and Chrysler, prance into Washington, DC to a carefully choreographed marketing tune, the sound becomes eerily familiar as if one has heard this song before. With much thanks to the power of the Internet, it becomes all too apparent that Ford, for one, has sung this song a few times before. The words and the tune are definitely the same, only the audience is different.
Under such clever titles as “The Ford Revitalization Plan 2002” and “Ford’s 2006 Way Forward” and finally, the now infamous hit of 2008, “I am sorry I flew in on my jet, how do you like my greenmobile?”, it is obvious that when it comes to rhetoric, The Big 3 has it mastered. When it comes to real action, real change, and real results, they have flunked the class.
Reading the today’s prepared statements for Congress, Ford CEO Alan Mulally clearly is bringing nothing new to the strategic planning process. In fact, it looks as though he simply borrowed text from former CEO Bill Ford in his last two Ford initiatives. Here are the latest versions of Ford’s initiatives. You tell me–what’s new?
1. “Matching production to meet demand” (2008) vs. “realign capacity with market conditions” (2002) or, “align its capacity with expected demand” (2006). After 6 years, you still have not figured out what that means?
2. “Deliver world class products for every market” (2008) vs. “developing products that please customers and benefit society” (2002) or, “differentiate by design and safety innovation and technology like hybrids” (2006). What are you waiting for? Get busy.
3. “Exceeding our customers’ expectations” vs. “executing the fundamentals of our business to build great products” (2002) or, “customer focused and innovative” (2006). Well, if you don’t have a plan, at least there are really cool marketing phrases.
4. “Our automobile business to be profitable by 2011” (2008) vs. “It will be difficult, and in some cases, painful to turn things around. Butthings will turn around.” (2002) or, “restore profitability…in North America no later than 2008.” (2006) Oops. Looks like you missed this one, again. And, you want me to ‘loan’ you money?
There are a lot more. But, after a while it becomes nauseating. The consistency of the message speaks volumes and the inability to really generate change is indicting. Ford, and the others in the Big 3 club, are awesome with clever catch phrases, really slick press releases, glitchy photo shots in cool cars, etc. But, when it comes to really knowing how to innovate, change, and turnaround a stodgy, risk adverse, entitlement based culture–they cannot get the job done. Send them home with nothing other than the admonishment of all of the other businesses who are really working hard at innovation, change, and survival without their hands out.