Leadership Lessons from GM - The Buck Stops Here, Finally

Finally. General Motors (more like the US Government) has come to their senses and remembered the fundamental truth about Leadership: The Buck Stops Here. Finally, they have deiced to remove the Chief, Rick Wagoner, the source of GM's problems. 

This is an exeprt from a news article online:

General Motors chief Rick Wagoner to quit under Obama auto plan

Agence France-Presse

Washington, March 30, 2009

US President Barack Obama has asked the head of General Motors to resign, US media reported, a day before the US leader spells out his plan for the future of the crippled auto sector.

"The Obama administration asked Rick Wagoner, the chairman and CEO of General Motors, to step down and he agreed," Politico.Com reported, citing an unnamed White House official.

You can catach the entire article here: http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?sectionName=RSSFeed-business&id=e269ccc8-67e7-46dc-b38a-7bb6e0d27206&Headline=GM+chief+Rick+Wagoner+to+quit+under+Obama+auto+plan

What are some quick lessons of Leadership that we need to remind ourselves?

1. The buck stops at the Chief. Not those below him or her.

2. Three years in a row is the maximum time period a leader is allowed to non-perform

3. A non-performing leader better quit before they are asked to leave

4. There is no blame. No excuses. 

Finally, someone (thanks Obama) has the guts to kick Wagoner out. It has been too long, and he has provided too many excuses. Time to get to work.

-TURD-

PROTON: A fine example of an incomptent leader from an incomptent company talking rubbish

OK. Read this short report:

Proton's losses widen in Q2, New Straits Times December 1, 2006

PROTON Holdings Bhd saw its losses widen during its second fiscal quarter, but its managing director says the outlook will improve with the launch of new car models and the sealing of a strategic alliance expected by early next year.

Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said Proton should perform better in the near- to medium-term with a strategic blueprint already in place.

These include the planned launch of two new models in ...

**Refer to: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P1-131797824.html

Now.. Read this excerpt

Local auto makers patiently wait, The Star Online Saturday March 14, 2009 By JAGDEV SINGH SIDHU

For the long-term, Syed Zainal says the Government should consolidate the national car industry. ...he suggests that the national car maker that has given the most value add to the industry, which has too many players for it to sustain, be given the lead. That company he feels should be Proton. 

**Refer to http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/14/business/3470772&sec=business

My point? 

1. Proton has a terrible business model, with terrible products, and well protected.

2. Perodua has been consistently rolling out quality products, at excellent prices to the Malaysian consumer, without much protection.

3. Syed Zainal has been in the leadership of Proton for eons, yet the same poor business model, cloudy strategy and waste-of-time products continue until today. (A 3 years period is usually the cut-off point for determining whether a leader is competent or not)

4. PERODUA is the best competitor to Proton, eating up its market share quietly all these years

5. Proton has no way to beat Perodua in the open market 

6. Yet, Syed Zainal still has the cheek to suggest that the Government consolidate the industry (hinting that Perodua should fold under Proton) because (get this irony)... "Proton has added the most value to the industry".

7. Do I need to say more?

Still don't believe me? Then read these posts:

• How suck is Proton? On http://www.wahlau.net/2007/02/25/how-suck-is-proton/
  
• Perodua or Proton? On http://geminigeek.com/blog/archives/2005/06/perodua-or-proton/
  
• Proton Sucks! On http://ecstacyelmo.blogspot.com/2008/03/proton-sucks.html
  

-TURD-

Touch-N-Go: From Poor to Worse

This is just going to be a short rumbling exercise by me...

Yesterday, I forgot to bring my Smart Tag and Touch-N-Go card. So, I decided to buy an extra one (which means giving business to PLUS) at the toll. However, I was told by the toll person that I cannot buy it anymore from the toll booth, and instead I have to buy it from the PLUS station (which is highly inconvenient). That's terrible business sense and down right customer un-friendly.

As such.. I have decided to name a few things PLUS (Touch-N-Go) is doing terribly wrong from a customer of view:

1. Changing from an O.K. Smart Tag technology to a WORSE Smart Tag, and charging more for it

2. Changing from a convenient toll booth reload timing (7am to 10pm) to the most ILLOGICAL and inconvenient timing (9am to 4pm) 

3. Occasional (very often) error reading from a Smart Tag machine plus the fact that you have to drive really slow and very close to the 'reader' before your Smart Tag can be detected (look at the technology that Singapore has and you will know what I mean)

4. Changing from the ability to buy a new Touch-N-Go card at the toll booth to 'no more selling of cards' at toll booths.

This is what happens when a business is in  monopoly and there is nothing a consumer can do to 'punish' the provider. If there was real competition, PLUS would have folded long time ago.

To make things worse, the customers are also the people funding the incompetent provider, such as PLUS, either through direct revenue (toll charges) or indirect (tax - government subsidies).

And I am one very unhappy and angry customer.

-TURD-

Strategic Planning And Budgeting Part 2: Alignment, Budgeting, and Resources

ABF Budgeting, Forecasting and Financial Planning Conference, Feb 2009

• *Understanding what strategic planning is and why it is important
  
• *Clarify the difference between vision, mission statement, goals and objectives
  
• *The external environment: The need to understand the economic cycle
  
• *Tying the strategic plan to the budget
  
• *Cost Reduction methods and advice
  

Download Here:

http://www.slideshare.net/kennyong/strategic-planning-and-budgeting-part-2-alignment-budgeting-and-resources/download

Strategic Planning And Budgeting Part 2: Alignment, Budgeting, and Resources

View more presentations from Kenny Ong. (tags: strategic planning)

Strategic Planning And Budgeting Part 1: Business Model and Strategy

ABF Budgeting, Forecasting and Financial Planning Conference, Feb 2009

• Understanding what strategic planning is and why it is important
  
• Clarify the difference between vision, mission statement, goals and objectives
  
• The external environment: The need to understand the economic cycle
  
• SWOT and PESTEL analysis
  
• Tying the strategic plan to the budget 
  

Download Here:

http://www.slideshare.net/kennyong/strategic-planning-and-budgeting-part-1-business-model-and-strategy/download

Strategic Planning And Budgeting Part 1: Business Model and Strategy

View more presentations from Kenny Ong. (tags: strategic planning)