I joined an internet forum to find out how to connect my bluetooth phone to the car and I get a cascade of comments: "that's the least of your problems" was the kindest. The poster slogan "The car in front is a Toyota" has graffiti "lucky it's not behind you".
So it was good to see Toyota president Akio Toyoda making a sincere bow of apology. I accept his apology.
It is the sign of a good leader to take responsibility for errors and failures of their team. Then to fully take on board the lessons learned.
“FIRST, get the cow out of the ditch. Second, find out how the cow got into the ditch. Third, make sure you do whatever it takes so the cow doesn’t go into the ditch again.” This is the advice - quoted by the Schumpter business column in the Economist - that Anne Mulcahy, the former boss of Xerox, says became her mantra as she fought successfully to revive the fortunes of the copying and printing firm.
And I am talking about sincere apology too. None of this "SORRY. This bus is not in service." or spinning to play the issue down. You have to admit the cow is in the ditch. Some say that Akio Toyoda did not bow low enough. I say that we could do with a lot more sincere bowing for apology. Bow .. Sir Fred Goodwin. Bow ..Victor Blank. Bow ..Rick Fuld.
