In 2009, Ed Whitacre, former chairman and CEO of AT&T, came out of retirement at the request of President Obama, to take over the corporate reins at General Motors when the automotive manufacturer was on the brink of bankruptcy. GM reached record profitability two years later. In American Turnaround: Reinventing AT&T and GM and the Way We Do Business in the USA, Whitacre describes his unique management style, the process of turning GM around, and what shaped his career.
Guests:
Ed Whitacre
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Comments [5]
Why did Obama create a committee of CEOs to give him advice on improving business across America and then ignore every recommendation they made?
This created a rift between the president and GE's Jeff Immelt. Valerie Jarrett (whose only experience was as a realtor in Chicago) is still his "go to" person.
Gm needs to pay for its crimes against humanity, and nature. And clean up the mess of the atmosphere it helped to make. Electric cars and biodiesel was invented before gasoline.
Too many MBA's, are part of the problem.
Many MBA's don't understand the importance of a upholding company's mission, or the essence of product. If Steve Jobs had an MBA, Apple would've been out of business by now.
GM found a way to turn the iconic automobile into a soulless, poorly built, four-wheeled commodity. Kudos to the likes of Mr. Whitacre for turning GM's middle management malaise on it's head.
Whitacre is the former head of the Boy Scouts of America- why not ask him if it is time for the Scouts to admit gay and lesbians Scouts and leaders. He tried to avoid this question on CBS This Morning.
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