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I am a Practitioner of 'The 7e Way of Leaders' where a Leader will Envision, Enable (ASK for TOP D), Empower, Execute, Energize, and Evolve grounded on ETHICS!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Daily Lesson from Life 18 November 2008

1118 - Another good date or number for the Chinese who believed in auspicious number!

Anyway, no headlines but just the hotly discussed topic of: Saving GM and the USA Auto industry!

Many arguments for and against. For: national security, national pride, save thousands of jobs directly and indirectly, etc. Against: let the fittest survive, be true to the spirit of free market competition, eliminate waste and losers, responsible for your own fates in business ventures, etc.

Well, it is never that easy. Both approaches have it's pros and cons. But if we really believe in the law of sustainability, we have to let the free market forces work their way. THIS one is different from the Financial Crisis. This one has a long long history of inefficiency, uncompetitiveness, complacent management and workforce!

Lessons for me are:

1. when it is left to the market forces, the approaches that provide sustainability will always win. e.g. the USA auto industry at the GM, Fords, and Chrysler plants in the USA have bloated workforces, expensive cost structure, management privileges that do not match the profitability of the company, lack of wills to take painful changes and become a real sustainable business! That's why it is DOOMED to fail in the long term!!;

2. compare to some non-traditional auto states in the USA where Toyota, Honda and BMW sets up plants, their plants are efficient and the standard of living of their workers reasonable, and their operations are profitable! Why can't those in Detroit accept those terms? Very simple: Inertia to Change. Lack of Vision to Change. Lack of COURAGE to face pains and the DISCIPLINE to see painful change through!;

3. leaders in such situations have to take the biggest blame. The followers may not be able to see the bleak future and the inevitable fate of doing into demise but the leaders can see what is coming due to their positions, their wider horizon, etc. It is upon the leaders to make the people aware of the crisis, present points of views that convince the people that change with pains is the only way out, and to galvanise the people by taking the lead with painful cut and sacrifices first!

Do not kid yourself. If your fundamental approach and value is wrong, there is no free lunch and your 'dream' will not be sustainable. GOT it?

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