Mary Barra was about 10 when she first fell in love with a car. A number of years ago, while researching for my book (which is coincidentally on the art and science of happiness), I learned that happy is not something you are. to a yearlong "transformational leadership" course for senior execs; to . Weve worked hard with the city of Detroit but we have more work to do. Stanisic, B. But you also see the goodness of people and how to really help them achieve their goals". It means creating workplaces where every employee is empowered to contribute to his or her full potential. The same holds true for your business for your brand. The way she treated her staff with dignity and respect was truly amazing. Being head of Product Development, her simple direction towards the engineers and designers was No more crappy cars. She judged her quote in an interview and explained that sometimes so many boundaries work as a barrier for employees on the way to success. Cooper, J (2021). The company's engine power locomotives travel across the country. She made such daring decisions which other GM leader would never dream of. This disruption, which has been commonplace throughout GM's history, hit the company's bottom line to the tune of about $3bn in 2019. En cliquant sur Accepter tout, vous acceptez que Yahoo et nos partenaires traitent vos informations personnelles et utilisent des technologies telles que les cookies pour afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss, et des fins de mesure des publicits et des contenus, dtude des audiences et de dveloppement de produit. That said, Barra continues to change the way GM operates at least internally. Her leadership style encouraged all level employees to share information, helped them to perform better, and motivated them to achieve task objectives which later resulted in beneficial outcomes. Both Mary and her brother, Paul, excelled in the areas of science and math. Whether it's how to handle a corporate crisis, instil confidence in your brand, or ensure that your business is prepared for the future, Barra offers a case study for business leaders everywhere on how you never let a crisis go to waste and why your people shouldalwaysbe your number one asset. What HP's Big Move Can Teach Entrepreneurs. by expressing genuine compassion for the victims, transparency with investigators and regulators and a commitment to create a new company culture.. While they are in fact opposite approaches to leadership, both offer advantages and are important styles of leadership to understand and apply in certain types of situations.. A leader may naturally gravitate towards either the transactional or transformational side in . 2) Enable Innovative Thinking and Working. Alongside her father, who was a factory worker at GM, Barra started her career at the auto manufacturer when she was 18. Mary also calls hall meetings to gather various concepts and ideas from different individuals in order to run a project. She has the skill of pulling the final decision and making things right for the company. Through her knowledge, experience, leadership skills, Mary continued to distinguish herself and advance within GMs management structure. She was named the CEO of General Motors, assuming that position on January 15, 2014 making her the first ever female to head a major automobile manufacturing company. 1 Transformational Leadership: Case Study of Mary Barra (CEO General Motors Company) University Affiliation Course Name and Number Instructor's Name Assignment Due Date 2 Transformational Leadership: Case Study of Mary Barra (CEO General Motors Company) Mary Barra is an embodiment of reason and the best role model for a transformational/inclusive leadership (Colby, 2015, p. 25). 5) Simplification of Leadership Process. After graduating, Mary began full time employment at GM, working in part, on the Pontiac Fiero. Her job, which was meant to pay for her college tuition, was to inspect hoods and fender panels of the Pontiac Grand Prix. Before revealing this quality and in order to truly appreciate it, its important to be very clear about what characterizes a transformational leader, which is well illustrated by the Four Is: Idealized Influence. Idealized Influence or "II". Millions of cars were recalled, several employees were fired and Barra had to testify against the Congress. This focus on people is a crucial component of Barra's leadership style, and something she has taken with her from the shop floor into executive management. Employees should give the freedom to make them successful and work in a simpler way. In one interview, taken by Bloomberg, she mentioned that team sport is necessary for producing efficient vehicles. Moreover, Mary Barra wants interaction and discussions between everyone in meetings rather than information sharing. There truly are not any overnight success stories at least not any that havelongevity. Jerry Hirsch of the Los Angeles Mary Barra's Leadership . Since the crisis, Barra has sold GM's European interests (Opel and Vauxhall) to French automaker Groupe PSA, introduced all-electric vehicles, unveiled a new range of Corvettes and Stingrays and steered the company into autonomous cars. According to her, a team effort is very important to fulfill the success. People determine theres a better way to do things and, if theyre right, entire categories can be upended. It was at Kettering that she met, and subsequently married, Tony Barra. Barra is proving her courage. One of the most noteworthy leadership lessons from Mary Barra to learn is the skill of lifelong learning and exploring. Put in the time do the work Mary Barra is certainly a lifer at GM. She never wastes her time by not taking the blame rather she admits the blunders and owns them to make them right. She made customer safety and transparency a priority over costs. View Discussion question on Case General Motors.docx from HEALTHCARE 08 at Harvard University. How old was Mary Barra when she started her career? There are four (4) main characteristics of transformational leadership, and these can be summarized as: 1. She initiated a full investigation, admitting that there had been efforts to cover-up the issue within GM. Mary has made a name in helping GM to hire workers with diverse skills and talents. Co-workers and mentors have praised Barras listening skills and her approachability. Here is a look at the real woman leading the world's largest automaker into a totally new future. 1930 -GM bought the railcar builder companies Yellow Coach Company and the ElectroMotive Corporation. Saving Account Explained with Features and Benefits, leadership qualities that made her an eminent leader, Everything You Need to Know About Content Authoring Tools for E-Learning, 3 Top Tips for Choosing Ambulance Only Insurance Cover, 4 Simple but Effective Techniques to Maximize Your Sales, The Advantages of Using Payday Loans for Wedding Expenses, Factors to consider while choosing a custom boxes seller online, Subsidized Loans and Unsubsidized Loans All You Need To Know. GM is Mary Barras company now, and she has to do the same thing.. A. As we looked at how our industry was changing, we saw a real opportunity, Barra said. One study found that a regular gratitude practice also leads to increased happiness and optimism. A recent example is Whartons annual People Analytics Conference. Did we show that person they are important?. Its not what you might think and its not what most would expect. Mary Barra has earned a widespread reputation for honesty, integrity and talent. General Motors, America's largest car manufacturer, has named Mary Barra its chief executive, making her the first woman to head a major auto firm. Based on her notable actions and words, she highlighted her leadership qualities, styles, and skills in front of us which are being discussed here. II. She then held several Global Vice President positions including Manufacturing Engineering, Human Resources and Product Development before being namedExecutive Vice President for Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply chain in 2013. From transformational leadership to employee-first culture and the importance of knowing your personal values, the first three episodes have featured meaningful life lessons with General Motors CEO Mary Barra, Union Square Hospitality Group CEO and Shake Shack Founder Danny Meyer, and Walker and Company Brands CEO Tristan Walker. Pragmatic optimism means youre not blind to risks or obstacles, but you self-regulate negative thinking so youre not hindered by it and instead are empowered to take considered action. This performance is the result of the leadership of a truly fearless brand Mary Barra. Above all else, Barra wants to know that everyone feels they can come to work at GM and be their best selves. This strengthens camaraderie and a positive culture of care. They act as advisors and coaches, listening to followers and providing support. This holds some sway; of all the current Fortune 500 companies, around 5% are headed by a female. She sat for the interview. In an article by Stanford Alumni, John Calabrese, a coworker of Barra, said that I guess she kind of has a consensus approach, but when its not coming together, she gets concise and shes pretty decisive. Moreover, after being appointed as the new boss for GM, she decided to make all the GM cars safer than before whatever it takes. I. Communication Skill: While steering an organization with loads of employees towards success, Mary Barra made it possible by her communication skill and she simplified her message to everyone which helped all the employees to understand the focus of the organization. July 1, 2021. Some of the more notable , Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). She personifies the adage that actions speak louder than words. Mary Barra was also in general appreciated for the way she handled the crisis at . It comes down to one word: Happiness. She was born into a hard-working blue-collar family in Waterford, Michigan on Christmas Eve 1961. Put the safest, highest-quality cars on the road. One Womans Charge Change How News is Reported. She strongly believes that pre-reading should be sent before meetings to maximize discussion during the meeting. Why did you choose these values? and after that, she listens to their point of view. Like everyone else, we have been following the company's progress under Barra's leadership and would like to share some observations about her management style as she works to build upon the success of . She prioritized transparency and accountability things that were absent in the culture of GM for a long time. Since cars always incorporate the latest tech, most particularly GM, it's not surprising that Barra also focuses on technology to deliver high-end and more efficient vehicles in the market. Transformational leadership qualities promote a healthy environment for . Be conscious of how you make the other person feel. What type of leadership style does Mary Barra have? After she became the VP of global development, she eliminated redundant executives involved in decision making to make the decision-making process swift. Mary Barra always makes a decision based on each team members input. As a result, GM walloped Tesla by rolling out moderately priced, long-range electric vehicle. Will Mary Barra end up being remembered as the kind of legendary leader that Lee Iacocca was? The General Motors CEO has one vision - to put everyone in an electric vehicle. 7 How old was Mary Barra when she started her career? According to Barra, benefits should always be greater than the effort, so what has this achieved? "I loved that time because you're dealing with people," she told Wharton professor Adam Grant in a2018 interview. The measurement of success for Mary Barra, GM's new CEO, relies on whether she can make it more competitive, profitable and live up to its potential. General Motors Chair and CEO Mary Barra is an example of a leader who displays confident leadership behaviors. A common frustration in meetings is when the presenter reads a presentation, observed Barra. She sprang into action again following the killing of George Floyd and the swelling . A meta-analysis of 138 studies found that smiling boosts your mood. Decision-Making Skill: When the time comes to a point for the final say, Mary Barra puts all her emotions aside and makes a clear-headed decision by using her skill. Barra said in the statement, If there are any obstacles in his way, Jeff has the authority to clear them. Either way, she is the consummate fearless brand. ( Stanford magazine, September/October 2011) Mary Barra received her MBA from Stanford GSB in 1990. Principles of Transformational Leadership. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Fearless brands lead by example, building on experience and vision. 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