the CRAP mid-mgmt suck the life out of every good idea come their way or steal it. thus, the doers and vendors get frustrated ‘mail it in’ at the RenCen.

it’s tragic to see firsthand. i (from the tech not auto industry) was stunned to see how many folks call long meetings and get nothing accomplished.

Through bold moves, especially related to how cars are designed, priced, and distributed, GM can not only take out costs. It can also, as you note Julie, co-create cars with consumers. That will mean cars which fit with what consumers in every demographic category want.

Out of the loop will be those value-subtracing middle men such as dealers, public relations/advertising agencies, and other vestiges of a pre-digital economy.

For the strategy and execution of this paradigm shift, GM or one of its global comptetitors need you Jule. I have a hunch your name is on plenty of short lists for full-time jobs or consulting assignments at the major auto players.

Appreciate the support. Best of luck to you as well!

I think the business press did you a real disservice a few years ago. I think part of it must have been resentment: you know, too successful, too different, etc, etc.

Kudos to you for bouncing back with your wits and family intact. I’m a partner in a small (but growing) Santa Monica agency. We run across new branding and marketing opportunities all the time –- perhaps one will come for which we can recommend Backslash Meta.

The fact that we were able to launch Grab Life by the Horns and develop and market cars like the 300C were ALL a testimony in no small part to the red-headed stepchild group of marketers finding a way to be successful. Even as you say, Jim Schroer, who fought until the end when he too was unable to win the battles and had to leave.

I agree that the Detroit co’s need people that are not of the old ilk with old baggage. One of the blessings of being out on my own for these past 3 years has been the ability to get in the trenches in other industries and see just how much more successful we could be in Detroit. My hope is that the “new” GM will do that as will the new Chrysler. I would like nothing more than to see a vibrant US auto sector to compete with the imports, which will now include the Indian companies.

He was basically fired from GM because he was more concerned about hanging out with celebrities and his “GM Style” event and schmoozing media titans, than he was about the hard, daily blocking and tackling that needed to be done. The man was lazy and didn’t want to get his hands dirty.

Ron Zarella…almost drove GM into the ground with his naive approach to “Brand Management” whereby individual nameplates were brands, not the Divisional marques….that was a totally ill conceived idea put forth by John Smale and Ron was the enforcer. Let’s not forget how much Ron hated and ultimately alienated GM’s dealers, and falsified his resume with an MBA he never earned.

Paul Ballew, Roger Adams, CJ Fraleigh and Debra Kelly-Ennis…none had the tenacity to stay through the tough times.

Mike’s “prescription” is so full of “cliches”, not true actionable and realistic ideas. “Diversify marketing leadership teams to reflect the organization and the face of America in 2009″…what about all the women and multi-cultural GM team members already there?

“Being inclusive and giving them the Cars and Trucks they really want?” Consumer Reports just named 7 of their top 10 models are GM. Malibu and CTS Cars of the Year, and on. What does “inclusive ” really mean…? Nothing it’s BS.

“Get rid of GM’s cancerous lifers”….the best thing they did was get rid of a cancer named Mike Jackson.

Finally Julie, when at DCX you, Jim, Jeff, et al were management….why didn’t you push for “the hard decisions necessary, at Chrysler or the other two Detroit OEMs to change the labor agreements, reduce capacity/shut down plants, reduce the dealer body so that they could be more competitive with Toyota and Honda instead of each other, and make vehicles that people really WANTED!”

Your mentor Schroer had the stripes as EVP Sales & Marketing….his answer: Celine Dion. Brilliant!