Nardelli: Accelerating our transformation

[rickaren]

Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli sent an e-mail to employees this morning. Here is a portion of that message: "Last week, our top leadership team met for two days in the first of five sessions aimed at continuing and accelerating our transformation of Chrysler into the leading company that we all want it to be. Investment in leadership is critical to any company’s success, and during our meetings we asked our leaders to challenge themselves and one another to lead Chrysler’s revival as a strong, independent company. The intensity, candor and quality of participation were exceptional, reflecting the team’s high intellect and passion we all feel for this company. Change is the only constant in business, and we must change faster inside the company than the outside world—or else we’ll be losing ground. But keep in mind, a period of rapid change presents tremendous new opportunities to those that can adapt fast. The discussions and knowledge we shared will help equip our leadership team to better manage and lead in this fast-changing environment. To maximize the impact of last week’s meetings, our leaders will also share what they learned with employees in the weeks ahead. In spite of all the change, there are some things that do stay the same, and one of Chrysler’s greatest leaders, Lee Iacocca, said it best in a speech he made in 1979: 'If the old-fashioned American virtues of hard work and dedication still work in this country—and I believe they do—we will not fail. Our people are the hardest working, most dedicated individuals I have ever been associated with, and they believe in this company.' Those words ring as and true today as they did then. Each of you has a pivotal role to play in Chrysler’s resurgence. Working together, we are creating a new Chrysler—and I am confident we will all be proud of the results." To read the entire e-mail, go to The Scoop.