Hello! I’m Scott Raskin, CEO of Mindjet, and it’s been a while since I’ve written on our blog but I’m happy to be back.
As part of my job as CEO, one of my favorite things to do is to meet with our customers. I’m from the Detroit, Michigan area originally, and recently was back home to visit my 90-year old father (who believe it or not is still working!) and some of our customers in the region. As you may know, Detroit is home to America’s auto industry, one of the hardest hit segments in our current economic crisis.
Let me tell you, the jobs these auto executives have is not easy. Bailouts and government takeovers aside, the job of doing more with less is literally front and center on the minds of most people who work in the auto industry. One high-level executive told me and I quote, “I have 40 percent less people, and no less work to do.” I don’t know about you, but a 40 percent staff cut for me would be quite paralyzing. It’s amazing what those who are still working in the industry are able to do in these tough times to keep their companies running while they go through the difficult process of restructuring.
One of the leaders in the auto industry, Ford CEO Alan Mullaly, formerly executive vice president of The Boeing Company, and president and chief executive officer of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, recently was featured in a Fortune magazine story about what he’s doing to find solutions to fix Ford Motor Company. It’s a great story about the consistent 12-hour workdays this “outsider” executive puts in to turn around one of America’s most storied companies.
And do you want to know how Mullaly outlined his strategy for a Ford turnaround? He mapped it out! Take a look at his map below (and click there or here to view a larger version). It’s handwritten, obviously, and not in the exact format of what you might consider a traditional “MindManager” map. But Alan sees the benefits of mapping out a problem, and arriving at a solution. Hopefully we will have an opportunity to meet Mr. Mullaly sometime soon and open up his eyes to MindManager. We’re here, willing to help!
About the Author: Scott Raskin joined Mindjet as CEO in 2006. Follow Scott on Twitter @MindjetCEO.