What’s wrong with General Motors?

Posted by on May 14, 2019 · Leave a Comment 

It seems that #GeneralMotors has deteriorated and is in trouble yet again with: GM posted a decline in net income of 141% in 2018. GM registered a $4 billion net loss in 2017. GM recently announced the closure of 6 manufacturing plants. Meanwhile, Toyota actually increased net income almost 40% in 2018, and earned a net income of $17 billion in 2017. Why is #Toyota thriving?  While #GM struggles? ŸDoes corporate staff dominate decision making? To... Read More

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Was GE correct in replacing its CEO?

Posted by on February 3, 2019 · Leave a Comment 

A nagging thought kept running through my mind when I read #GeneralElectric had replaced Mr. John Flannery as Chief Executive Officer after just 14 months on the job: Was he given enough time to fix this huge severely distressed $120 billion company? My answer is no… It would take at least 3 years to fix a company with the complexity and size of General Electric. It is extremely difficult to even save a smaller company with sales under $300... Read More

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China’s Debt Crisis

Posted by on September 18, 2018 · Leave a Comment 

#China may be forced to continue to increase its debt position. Their cash flow future looks grim. China’s debt is largely held by corporations. The problem is a fair number of their small and large companies are poorly managed. Their inefficient equipment and systems results in high-cost, money-losing operating companies. This results in deficit cash flows which severely limits the capital available for the repayment of debt. China is reportedly... Read More

Filed under China, China's growth and debt position, Financial Crisis, Is China Headed for a Breakup Just Like The Soviet Union’s? · Tagged with ,

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Reason I wrote my book “Learn to Whisper”

Click on this link for a more complete description of “Learn to Whisper”

The reason I wrote “Learn to Whisper”:

My conclusion after operating as a Turnaround Chief Executive Officer for more than twenty-five years is that the majority of this country’s top management is far from first-rate. In fact top management, particularly at the chief executive officer level, is at best average with a large number that can be rated mediocre. This lack of management competence has seen this country’s market leaders lose sizeable market share to foreign manufacturers able to export better quality and lower cost products to the USA. It has seen manufacturing and service operations unnecessarily moved to foreign countries. All of which has negatively affected the economy, severely damaged former blue-chip corporations and seen quality jobs lost.

It is quite common to discover that companies struggling with this inability to compete with foreign companies have been simply mismanaged. The once successful business deteriorated because of an incompetent chief executive officer and weak senior management

Why doesn’t this nation have first-rate management? Inadequate training. Chief executive officers and vice presidents learn “on the job”. A number get promoted based on personality, political connections and drive – not merit. They are not carefully screened for the potential to become successful at managing. For some all that is needed is a well-written resume, the right interviewing style and the inability of a new employer to accurately assess skills, performance and potential.

Compare this to the process doctors go through. From medical school to internship to residency to a senior role after years of education, experience and continuous training their progress and capabilities are constantly monitored even after they become senior in the profession. Generals and Admirals go through a similar protocol. They must prove themselves in low-level assignments before they are judged qualified for senior positions. Unqualified applicants in both professions are culled out. What can be done to improve management competence? Education, on-the-job training and job performance monitoring. My book will educate people on the subject of managing. Its 101 management lessons are separated into the 17 subjects managers need to know.