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June 23, 2005
Ed Zander's Motorola Mission
Ed Zander is the first outsider to run Chicago-based communications giant Motorola. He was hired in 2004 to turnaround a once-dominant company that had been stuck in the weeds for years.
After a year on the job, Zander says his primary mission at Moto is convert a "thick culture" that often acts as if it were on autopilot into a more engaged and transparent one.
The company's robotic culture was largely the result of an insular, top-heavy management structure that showed very little, if any, desire for customer involvement. As Zander told the Wall Street Journal (subscription req'd):
"I noticed that after three weeks (of arriving on the job) nobody was in my office to call a customer. I thought it was strange. In my previous life, we'd bring a customer in or we'd be pounding away at our market share. And I just didn't see that. So I asked who are top customers are and started calling them, and then visited them, one by one."
Five profitable quarters later, when there were many unprofitable quarters previously, Zander's simple formula seems to be working.
A company's culture and practices are largely a reflection of the CEO's values and practices. It seems blatantly obvious -- put customers first, and stay in touch with them -- but practicing this theology consistently requires focus. More than most people think. Especially at the top of the org chart.
Is your company's culture thick, or transparent?
Other blogs that reference Ed Zander's Motorola Mission:
Ed Zander started in January 2004 not 1994 - his quick turnaround makes the story more impressive!
Why I typed 1994 and not 2004 is just one of those unexplained brain glitches. Thanks for correcting that, Jayme!
