Edward Whitacre
Edward Whitacre
Edward Earl "Ed" Whitacre, Jr.is the former Chairman and CEO of General Motors. He is also a former chairman of the board and chief executive officer of AT&T Inc., previously Southwestern Bell Corporation. He served as national president of the Boy Scouts of America from 1998 to 2000. On September 1, 2010, Whitacre stepped down as CEO, and retired as chairman of the board by the end of 2010...
feet interesting risk
Be willing to step outside your comfort zone once in a while; take the risks in life that seem worth taking. The ride might not be as predictable if you'd just planted your feet and stayed put, but it will be a heck of a lot more interesting.
successful people want
I find people to be people everywhere. Everyone wants the same thing - be successful.
brand customers ideal latest looking offers quality reflects services technology
The AT&T brand reflects what customers are looking for. They want the latest technology and services but they also want reliability, quality and trustworthiness. Only the AT&T brand offers this ideal combination of traits.
jobs college talking
At AT&T, I learned an awful lot about people, and how important it is to have the right people in the right jobs. And when I say 'right people,' I'm not talking about their college degree or work history; I'm talking about things like bearing - How does this person interact with other people? Can he or she talk to you and not tick you off?
real grateful government
I was brought in by the White House as GM's chairman in 2009, around the time of the bankruptcy, and became CEO later that year. As a company, we were grateful for the government's support. But as GM's financial health began to improve, I could detect no real sense of urgency, or even interest, on the part of the government to relinquish control.
quality want pay
If someone wants to transmit a high-quality service with no interruptions and 'guaranteed this, guaranteed that,' they should be willing to pay for that.
strong goal path
My goal in coming to General Motors was to help restore profitability, build a strong market position and position this iconic company for success. We are clearly on that path.
jobs disappointment loss
None of us has control over the economy, the job market, or anything else in the global sense. But we are 100% in charge of how we respond to challenges that come our way, be it the loss of a job, a career derailment, or some other disappointment.
government long labels
So long as TARP money is wrapped up in GM, the company will never shake its 'Government Motors' image. That label, as competitors and GM employees are keenly aware, is code for one thing: 'GM is a failure.
people add awful
TARP is funded by taxpayers, so there are many rules about how that money can and can't be used. The result: GM spends an awful lot of time checking in with the people who administer TARP over everything from hiring to executive compensation and management. For a global company, that adds up to a lot of distraction.
mean assessment years
When I got to GM they were using a matrix method of management which means everybody has more than one boss. I first heard about that system many years ago. It's supposed to help with collaboration, but my assessment is that it's pretty hard to get geared for action that way.
average guy world
I'm a pretty average guy and want to keep a low profile. I don't want the world necessarily to know about me.
mean knowing littles
I started at GM knowing very little about that particular business. Not being an expert means you have to learn everything, starting from the basics.
communication reality choices
We commend the commission, under the leadership of Chairman Martin, for recognizing the reality of today's communications marketplace and for fostering an environment where there will be greater choice in communications services and providers.