Content:
Henry Ford created the Model T.
Ferdinand Porsche “made” the Beetle.
Elon Musk invented Tesla.
These claims are false, as everyone in the industry knows.
The development and manufacture of a car is one of the most collaborative endeavors possible. It is clear that only a few individuals deserve recognition for this level of technological innovation.
Have you ever wondered where the inspiration for these geniuses came from? Who are the influential people behind the geniuses of the automotive industry who helped shape their careers?
In fact, mentoring and coaching have always played an important role in the development of the automotive industry.
Let’s go back in time.
Otto coached Maybach (Mercedes Benz) – the spark plug
Wilhelm Maybach (1844-1929), co-founder of Mercedes Benz, was known for advanced engine design, especially for luxury vehicles.
Maybach had a mentor before he joined Benz: the German engineer Nikolaus Otto (1832-1891), the inventor of the four-stroke Otto engine, which is now the technical concept for most vehicles on the planet. Maybach honed his engineering skills and gained invaluable experience in engine design and development under Otto’s guidance. He is said to have come up with the idea of switching from ignition tubes to spark plugs after a conversation with Otto.
Edison coached Ford (Ford) – the production system
Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) and Henry Ford (1863-1947) had a close friendship and professional relationship. Both kept a fixed schedule and pursued various joint ventures. Ford even had a portrait of Edison prominently displayed in his office.
Edison was known for his endless experimentation and iterative improvements. He believed in constantly testing and refining ideas until they were perfected. Ford recognized the importance of process streamlining and continuous improvement to increase efficiency and productivity.
Ford followed a similar way of thinking when developing the Ford Production System, using Edison’s methodology as a guide.
Lutz coached Barra (General Motors) – Turning a dinosaur around
Mary Bara (1961) is a well-known female CEO in the automotive industry. It is widely known that Bob Lutz (1932) coached Bara (“iron fist in a velvet glove”) to CEO. He credited her with the success of the cars launched during her tenure as head of product development (Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra, Cadillac CTS, Corvette Stingray C7). Since then, she has had to manage recalls and restructuring, shift focus to electric vehicles early on (e.g. Chevy Bolt in 2016), launch Cruise autonomous driving and invest in connected services. Bara is now one of the longest-serving CEOs in the industry.
Page coached Musk (Tesla) – the car as a connected platform.
Elon Musk (1971), who portrayed himself as a brilliant inventor on the level of Edison, naturally denied having a mentor in a 2013 interview. However, he admitted to having received valuable advice from Larry Page (1973), the famous developer of Google’s page ranking algorithm. Musk and Page had a close personal relationship, with Musk occasionally crushing on Page’s couch. What they talked about is anyone’s guess. However, Tesla as a company can be viewed as a platform business, with the car serving as the technology platform at the center, enabling customer interactions across multiple functions. This has made Tesla the most valuable car brand.
Marchionne created de Meo (Renault) – Renaulation, breakthrough imminent.
During my time as Luca de Meo’s Strategy Director (1965), when he was President of SEAT, Sergio Marchionne (1952-2018) was mentioned to me as Luca’s idol and mentor. Luca was promoted to CEO of Fiat by Marchionne before being poached by the Volkswagen Group.
Apart from that, he never mentioned a coach or mentor to me. I never dared to inquire about his mentor. I still wouldn’t.
Because that is a private matter. I have far too much personal respect for him.
However, I could see the obvious results of a coaching process.
Luca’s clarity was and is exceptional. Take a look at this interview with him.
It was remarkable that he not only arrived at the office later than others, but was also very well prepared. He took time to think and learn. He pursued ideas for a very long time and became known for building car brands, for example. That is an endurance sport. Many former SEAT/CUPRA colleagues can now read his handwriting in what is happening at Renault, in the “Renaulation”. The progress is remarkable, even if it is still too early to call the game. The next wave of restructuring of the European car industry is upon us, and Luca is ready for it.
Coaching and mentoring have taken the automotive industry to new heights, so the story goes.
But we can only guess who the real mentors of famous personalities were. Because coaching is personal and must remain unnoticed by the public.
However, coaching and mentoring are even more necessary, especially in today’s overly complex connected electric vehicle environments.
Take a closer look around you at work, especially at people you admire for their talent and achievements. Can you see the results of mentoring or coaching? As awareness and availability of coaching will grow, this highly effective learning format is likely to see a boost in the coming years.
Because a focused, in-depth conversation creates clarity.
The rest is consistent execution.
