Diversity + Leadership = Flying Cars
When you’re building a team, it is always a good idea to aim for diversity. In this way, a team can avoid groupthink (when everybody thinks the same, little value is added in being part of a team). It also allows a team to have more perspectives and skill sets at their disposal.
In my experience, I’ve found it useful to surround myself with different people once in a while. Not only does it make things a lot interesting, but such environment has also taught me more than I could have ever learned alone or with the same group over and over.
Some might argue that this setup doesn’t always work. Having all the right skills (competent teammates) and enough resources (assets and budgets) can sometime prove insufficient. This is where a team leader comes in handy. A team leader can share in the work but he must of prioritize two things: lead (set a goal or direction for the team) and manage (maintain movement towards the set goal).
This seems to be the direction for automotive company Ford: Diversity and Leadership. Bill Ford recently stepped down as CEO and got replaced by Alan Mulally, the man responsible for turning Boeing around and making it a profitable company again.
That’s why many people have been asking, what’s an airline dude like Mulally going to do with an automobile business? Can Mulally bring the diversity needed for Ford to make a comeback? Will this usher in a new breed of flying cars like what we saw in the Jetsons?
I’m keeping my fingers crossed. 