What Ford Chairman and CEO, Alex Trotman, Told Me About Success
We live in a world flowing with information and yet ignorance abounds. We live in a world of opportunities, but some feel stifled and constrained at every turn.
What’s going on?
In my own case, when I am overwhelmed and confused, I turn to those who have ‘been there, done that.’
One such person I turned to is Baron Alex Trotman, the first foreign-born (British) Chairman and CEO of a Big Three American auto company.
Baron Trotman told me:
For starters, know your stuff. Study hard at your chosen profession. Master its skills. Today’s working world is an intensely competitive place, and knowledge is the basic price of admission.
Think and compete globally. Markets, capital, technology, information and products increasingly ignore national borders. You need to learn about other cultures — how they think, how they communicate, how they do business. A second language is good; a third better.
Be flexible but durable. The world is changing; don’t let it change without you. The ability to learn, adapt, and absorb the inevitable failures are key to staying in the race.
Know how to lead. Leadership is more than “authority”; it’s courage, vision, ethics and a grounding in reality as well. Think about leadership. Read about it. Study it in the leaders you respect. It’s important.
And remember, none of this works without determination. Success is not for the ambivalent. It’s for those who know what they want and go after it, no matter how difficult the path.
What new pathways will you carve for yourself?
Excerpt from Prepare for Greatness: How to Make Your Success Inevitable by Everett Ofori