LyrArc Article Gist
Morgenson looks at the aspects of GM's culture that led to the recall crisis of 2014. She looks at the lack of accountability in a culture where managers were more concerned about preserving and protecting their own positions and less concerned about doing the right thing. The culture became ingrained over time to the point that there were terms referring to the way managing is to be conducted in the company- a "GM nod" referring to an action plan where everybody says OK but plans to do nothing, a "GM salute" where people crossed their arms and pointed to others meaning the responsibility is some one else's. Training about writing on safety issues required employees to write "smart" by not using words such as "problem" or "defect" and using instead "issue," condition or "matter."
Morgenson looks at the aspects of GM's culture that led to the recall crisis of 2014. She looks at the lack of accountability in a culture where managers were more concerned about preserving and protecting their own positions and less concerned about doing the right thing. The culture became ingrained over time to the point that there were terms referring to the way managing is to be conducted in the company- a "GM nod" referring to an action plan where everybody says OK but plans to do nothing, a "GM salute" where people crossed their arms and pointed to others meaning the responsibility is some one else's. Training about writing on safety issues required employees to write "smart" by not using words such as "problem" or "defect" and using instead "issue," condition or "matter."
