LOS - Believe It or Not

From: <name removed> [mailto:<e-mail address removed>] 
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 2:36 AM
To: <e-mail address removed>
Subject: Personal and Confidential


I am extremely disappointed!  In a few hours I will report <company>'s financial 
performance for the quarter and for the year.  What the hell happened?  

I worked relentlessly to build a solid plan with my direct reporting team.  We committed 
as a team to do whatever it takes to make the plan a reality.  Our resolve did little to 
mobilize our 23,000 employees. 

The countless hours I and the team spent in town meetings attempting to reach our 
employees.  Everyone in the town meetings nodded and clapped suggesting they understood 
and were committed to what needed to be done for us to succeed.  Yet offline I know they 
talked among themselves about how clueless I and the leadership team were at identifying, 
communicating, and executing a successful plan for the company.

Our plan was excellent.  I communicated it constantly.  I know our employees had the 
abilities and resources to successfully execute the plan.  Yet they didn't.  Why didn't 
they get it?

Don't place blame!  Look in the mirror.  I am the one solely accountable to lead this 
company.  For the most part, everyone within <company> gives a good day of work for a 
good day of pay.  To get any more than this rests squarely on my shoulders.  Are they not 
getting it because I am a poor leader?  

The board says fiscal '03 is my last chance to prove I am the right person to lead 
<company>.  Obviously, my approach to aligning the troops to achieve our corporate 
priorities in '02 did not work.  '03 is here and I need to do things differently.  

But what?