Leadership Dialogues Featuring GM's CEO Mary Barra

The inaugural Leadership Dialogue Series at the University of Michigan, featuring General Motors CEO Mary Barra and moderated by Dr. Lindy Greer, focused on leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), crisis management, and the future of the automotive industry. Barra discussed her leadership journey, emphasizing the importance of understanding the core business, transparency in crisis management, and fostering a culture of inclusion. She highlighted GM's commitment to an all-electric and autonomous future, addressing challenges like semiconductor shortages and the need for robust charging infrastructure. The session concluded with advice for aspiring leaders on hard work, passion, and making a positive impact.

• The Sanger Leadership Center at the University of Michigan has initiated a new series called the Leadership Dialogue Series, aimed at discussing organizational research and practice.
• The series features dialogues with accomplished leaders from various sectors interacting with university faculty.
• The center's mission is to accelerate leader development through innovative ideas, transformative experiences, and inclusive communities.

"At the Sanger Leadership Center, our mission is to accelerate leader development through bold ideas, transformative experiences, and inclusive communities."

• The center focuses on integrating academic research into its programs to benefit students.

• Lindy Greer, a professor at Michigan Ross, is the moderator. Her research focuses on effective leadership, conflict management, diversity, and inclusion.
• Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors, is the inaugural speaker. Under her leadership, GM aims for a future with zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion.

"Mary Barra is the chair and chief executive officer of General Motors. Under Barra's leadership, GM envisions a world with zero crashes to save lives, zero emissions so future generations can inherit a healthier planet, and zero congestion so customers can get back to a precious commodity: time."

• Mary Barra has a profound history with GM, having served in various leadership roles before becoming CEO.

• Mary Barra's career at GM spans 40 years, beginning as a co-op student.
• Her journey emphasizes the importance of understanding the core of the business, such as working in an assembly plant.
• Education played a crucial role, with a focus on engineering and business to understand how business works and is measured.

"I started as a co-op student... having that experience to actually work in an assembly plant early in my career I think was very important."

• Barra highlights the significance of staying passionate about core business areas while being open to unexpected opportunities.

"You have to balance being very intentional about staying in the areas that you have passion for... while also not being so committed to a plan that you don't just seize those wonderful opportunities that come in front of you."

• Her diverse roles at GM, including in HR, have provided a well-rounded skill set essential for her current role as CEO.

• Leadership skills are often learned from observing both good and bad leaders.
• Barra stresses the importance of winning the hearts and minds of team members and genuinely caring about them.

"You really have to win the hearts and minds of your team... the most effective leaders really care, truly care about the people that work for them."

• Communication and understanding the 'why' behind tasks are critical for effective leadership.

• GM is one of the few global businesses without a gender pay gap, achieved through diligent assessment and correction of salary disparities.

"We work at it, we study it... if we find it, we fix it."

• The company has a long-standing commitment to diversity, with programs in place for over 20 years to develop diverse talent.

"General Motors had a pretty robust diversity program where leaders held their leaders accountable to make sure that they were developing diverse talent."

• Barra sees herself as the chief diversity officer, holding her team accountable for diversity results.

"I feel that it's very important that I feel that accountability and I hold my direct team responsible for their results."

• The focus on diversity includes ensuring diverse slates for top positions and maintaining accountability through data and metrics.

• The goal of DEI is to create a culture where everyone feels they can be their true and best selves, which contributes to their ability to perform optimally.
• Recognizing, accepting, and celebrating differences is crucial, even when there is disagreement.
• Respect and the inclusion of diverse viewpoints are essential for effective decision-making and innovation.
• The importance of empathy and understanding how actions make others feel is emphasized as a personal accountability measure for fostering an inclusive environment.

"We want a workforce, we want a workplace, we want a culture where everybody comes to work and feels they can be their true self, they can be their best self, and therefore they can do their best work."

• The speaker highlights the importance of creating an environment where individuals feel valued and can contribute their best work.

"We don't have to agree on every single thing... but we should respect each other and make sure that people's voices are heard."

• Emphasizes the need for mutual respect and valuing diverse perspectives in the workplace.

"At the end of the day... it's how we make each other feel... did I make them feel valued, respected, or did I dismiss them?"

• Personal reflection on daily interactions to ensure others feel respected and valued, fostering an inclusive culture.

• Data analytics is being utilized to advance DEI efforts, with GM being a leader in this area.
• Adequate funding for DEI initiatives is crucial, as underfunding can lead to ineffective outcomes.
• Continuous learning and adaptation are necessary for improving DEI practices.

"Michigan just launched a new class on data analytics for DEI, and as I understand that GM was so far ahead of the game for that."

• Highlights GM's proactive approach in using data analytics to enhance DEI efforts.

"If you don't fund DEI efforts, they actually backfire."

• Stresses the importance of allocating sufficient resources to DEI initiatives to ensure their success.

• Listening sessions at all company levels are effective in understanding diverse experiences and fostering empathy.
• The importance of empathetic listening to genuinely learn from others' experiences is emphasized.
• Recognizing the value of different backgrounds and experiences can lead to personal and organizational growth.

"Listening and understanding and really demonstrating that empathy and putting yourself in someone else's shoes... helped everybody start to recognize those differences."

• Empathetic listening is a tool for recognizing and valuing diversity within the organization.

"Listening to really learn, empathetic listening, not listening to file it away... but just listening and taking it all in."

• Encourages active listening with the intent to learn and understand, rather than dismiss or negate.

• The ignition switch recall was a significant crisis due to tragic consequences, highlighting the need for transparency and accountability.
• Crisis management involves gathering information, being transparent, supporting customers, and ensuring issues are not repeated.
• Doing the right thing, even when difficult, and addressing problems promptly are crucial lessons learned.

"The toughest one was the ignition switch recall... it led to tragic consequences because some people lost their lives."

• Reflects on the severity and personal impact of the ignition switch recall crisis.

"We were guided by three principles: we're going to be transparent, we're going to do everything we can to support the customer, and we're going to do everything in our power to make sure it never happens again."

• Outlines the guiding principles for managing the crisis effectively.

"When you know you have a problem, you've got to solve it... the best time to solve a problem is the minute you know you have it."

• Emphasizes the importance of immediate action and transparency in problem-solving.

• Ambidextrous leadership involves managing current business while looking ahead to future opportunities and threats.
• The automotive industry's future includes an all-electric and autonomous future, with GM leading in these technologies.
• Dedicated time and diverse perspectives are important for strategic planning and anticipating industry shifts.

"We call it ambidextrous leadership... you got to manage the business today, but you have to be looking over the horizon."

• Describes the dual focus required for effective leadership in a rapidly changing industry.

"At General Motors, we believe in an all-electric future. We also believe in an autonomous future."

• Highlights GM's commitment to leading the transition to electric and autonomous vehicles.

"You have to give yourself the space and time... it's better done in a team with different points of view."

• Advocates for strategic planning with diverse input to anticipate and adapt to future industry changes.

• Leadership alignment is crucial for organizational success, particularly in diverse teams with varied backgrounds and experiences.
• Effective communication of both the strategy and the rationale behind it is essential to empower and motivate teams.
• Alignment involves agreement on the plan, even if there is not unanimous agreement on every detail.
• General Motors' success with projects like ventilator production during the pandemic exemplifies the power of aligned teams.

"If the leadership team isn't aligned, it's virtually impossible... we have a very diverse leadership team... and that alignment is important."

• Alignment in leadership ensures that diverse perspectives are harmonized towards a common goal, even if there is not total agreement on every issue.

"You really need to make sure your team understands not only the what but the why... they knew what they were doing and they knew why."

• Understanding both the objectives and the reasons behind them enables teams to overcome challenges and achieve remarkable results, as seen in the rapid production of ventilators.

• The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous vehicles is supported by a younger workforce, partly due to natural attrition and the shift towards software-based engineering.
• The modern workforce seeks alignment with company values and missions, influencing employment choices.
• Communication has evolved significantly, with more direct and open channels between employees and leadership.

"Most people 40 percent of people have been with the company less than five years... we were able to shift the resources to more software-based engineers."

• The younger workforce and natural attrition have facilitated a shift towards the skills needed for EV and autonomous vehicle development.

"We live in this world now where... people feel free to reach out... we have to create that environment where... people know you're doing what you say you're going to do."

• An open and communicative environment is crucial for fostering trust and ensuring alignment between the company's actions and its stated vision.

• Effective organizations balance hierarchy with flexibility, allowing for both structured decision-making and moments of open collaboration.
• The ventilator project is a prime example of a "burst of flatness," where traditional hierarchies are temporarily set aside for rapid innovation.
• The balance between structure and openness is essential to maintaining quality and safety while encouraging innovation.

"You've got to find that right blend where people feel that they can be bold... but also that we're following process and hierarchy."

• Balancing structure and openness allows organizations to innovate while ensuring quality and safety in their operations.

"In the ventilator project, there was no level... it was very flat with a coach... a burst."

• Temporary flattening of hierarchy can lead to rapid innovation and problem-solving, as demonstrated in the ventilator project.

• Leaders must navigate the balance between seeking consensus and making decisive calls, especially in uncertain situations.
• Input from diverse perspectives is valuable, but ultimately, leaders must make informed decisions and secure team support.
• Transparency and honesty in decision-making processes build trust and camaraderie within teams.

"Don't ask a question if you already know the answer... if you ask people what they think and then you just ignore it, you tick them off."

• Leaders should seek input only when they are open to it, as ignoring feedback can damage team morale.

"I want to hear many different points of view... if we can't all agree, then it's my job as the leader to make a call."

• Leaders should consider diverse perspectives but must be prepared to make the final decision when consensus is not possible.

• The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is contingent on the development of a robust charging infrastructure.
• Public concerns about EV range and autonomous vehicle trust must be addressed through infrastructure improvements and consumer education.
• Collaboration with startups, existing companies, and government entities is crucial to overcoming infrastructure challenges.

"Having a robust charging infrastructure is going to be very, very important for widespread adoption of EVs."

• A strong charging infrastructure is essential for the mainstream adoption of electric vehicles, addressing range anxiety and other concerns.

"My view is just get people to ride [autonomous vehicles]... they were like, oh my god, the autonomous was such a better less stressful ride."

• Encouraging public experience with autonomous vehicles can help alleviate trust issues and demonstrate their benefits.

• Autonomous vehicles offer consistent driving quality, unlike the variability in human driving abilities.
• Adoption of autonomous vehicles hinges on public understanding of their reliability and technological capabilities.
• The integration of technologies like lidar, radar, and cameras is crucial for the functionality of autonomous vehicles.

"Because you think about it, you get into today's ride share with a driver, and it's only as good as the capability of that person's driving ability, and there's, you know, huge variation. So this is like a well-trained, paying attention, dutiful driver every time."

• Highlights the inconsistency in human driving and the potential for autonomous vehicles to provide a reliable alternative.

"So if you have lidar, radar, and cameras, and all that sensor data is being fused together to tell that vehicle what to do, it's pretty powerful."

• Emphasizes the technological foundation that enables autonomous vehicles to make informed driving decisions.

• Business strategies should align customer needs, community benefits, and environmental sustainability.
• Companies must embrace change and innovate to stay competitive and meet evolving market demands.
• The future may involve a mix of shared and personal autonomous vehicles, optimized through technology.

"I start with looking at what the customer wants, what's going to be best for the customer, and if you can have what's best for the customer and also what's best for the community and what's best for the planet, I think that's where you win."

• Stresses the importance of aligning business goals with broader societal and environmental benefits.

"I think any time you try to, you know, I always tell because we have different constituencies in the company that will kind of like, oh, well, we don't want to do that. Well, if that's the way the world's going, if we choose not to do it, someone else is going to do it."

• Highlights the necessity for businesses to adapt to global trends to remain relevant.

• Decision-making often involves incomplete data, requiring a balance of analysis and intuition.
• Historical decision-making frameworks, like decision trees, can help in evaluating options with limited information.
• Understanding stakeholder impacts is crucial in making informed decisions.

"I would find in most of the decisions that come my way, it's imperfect data."

• Acknowledges the commonality of making decisions without complete information.

"But what it kind of helped you think through is, you know, I'm never going to have all of the information, but how do I know is there information about available that I can cut off."

• Discusses the process of identifying essential information and making decisions based on available data.

• Short-term solutions involve direct engagement with all tiers of the supply chain to manage semiconductor availability.
• Long-term strategies focus on establishing direct relationships with semiconductor manufacturers for better supply control.
• The goal is to optimize production by reallocating resources to meet demand for high-demand vehicle models.

"In the short term, you know, the issue that most OEMs face is we don't buy, like at General Motors, we buy very few semiconductors."

• Describes the complexity of the supply chain and the role of various suppliers in semiconductor procurement.

"We've announced that we're going to be much more directive in the semiconductors we need, three broad families, and we're working strategically with a handful of semiconductor manufacturers and foundries."

• Outlines GM's proactive approach to securing semiconductor supply for future needs.

• Hard work and dedication are crucial for career advancement and recognition.
• Leaders should care about their team members and make decisions that consider their well-being.
• Passion for one's work is essential for long-term success and job satisfaction.

"Work really hard. Hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard."

• Emphasizes the value of diligence and effort in achieving success.

"Care about people, you know, as you want to inspire people to follow you, they have to know that you care about them."

• Highlights the importance of empathy and concern for others in effective leadership.

"Find something you're passionate about so work isn't as much work."

• Encourages pursuing work that aligns with personal interests and passions for greater fulfillment.