Leadership – Ever Constant, Ever Changing
Three days ago (May 22, 2017), James Hackett was named CEO and President of Ford Motor Company. He continues as a member of Ford’s Board of Directors, and has led Fords Smart Mobility initiative for the past few years.
Jim has previously been CEO and President of Steelcase, and led the University of Michigan athletics department. In both cases, he was credited with a significant turnaround success after a relatively short term predecessor failed to meet expectations.
I was lucky enough to interview Jim on the Detroit Public Television’s “Leaders on Leadership” television series in the 2007-2008 season during his time as CEO of Steelcase.
I listened to the press conference when Jim he was introduced in the new job at Ford, and then re-watched my interview of him. I was amazed how closely his experiences at, and insights from, Steelcase aligned with how Bill Ford and Jim Hackett defined Ford’s current needs.
Here is the entire 30 minute interview of Jim Hackett from his days as CEO of Steelcase. Judge for yourself whether those insights shared 10 years ago as head of an office furnishing company will apply when leading a global automotive manufacturer today.
Note: This video is copyright Detroit Public Television and is used with specific written permission.
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