TASK-RELATED ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS 93 LEADER IN ACTION Ford Executive Joe Hinr
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TASK-RELATED ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS 93 LEADER IN ACTION Ford Executive Joe Hinrichs is a Troubleshooter with a Human Touch When he was thirty years old, Joe Hinrichs was regarded as see a small light in the cubby that enabled phone chargers to a boy wonder in automobile manufacturing. Less than twenty be plugged in. years later, he became the executive VP and president, The Americas, Ford Motor Company, placing him incharge of a busi- spot-Ford·China where the company trailed GM and Volkswa ness that generates 70 percent of the company's business. gen in sales. He worked hard to learn Mandarin, often practic Much of his career has involved taking the leadership of difficult ing with a company chauffeur. Hinrichs pushed for the boosting manufacturing problems. This includes getting the vehicles cniti sales by offering its SUV, which were gaining acceptance with cal to Ford's future out the door without any glitches. Hinrichs was once assigned to a major company trouble Chinese consumers. The strategy worked, and Ford soon gained Hinrichs joined Ford in 2000 as a plant manager at a trans- over 4 percent of the Chinese auto market. mission plant, after holding positions at GM and the investment In terms of his approach to people, Hinrichs is perceived to have a smail town, Midwestern style. A Ford dealer said that lot of the qualities Alan Alan Mulally, the legendary former CEO of Ford] possesses. He a variety of roles at Ford including president and CEO of Ford Motor Company of Canada, group Ve Global Manufacturing and labor Affairs, and group VP and president of Asia Pacific and Africa Hinrichs "has a common touch and a seems very dedicated to Ford. In 2007. Hinrichs was placed in charge of Slobal manufao n 2016 Hinrichs accepted the position of Chairman of the key assignment of integrating Ford's 104 fac National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSCD), tories across the world. At the same time, he was expected to accelerate the pace of Ford's globalization efforts. As GM youngest plant manager at age twenty-nine Hinrichs facilitated a turnaround of an inefficient GM Powertrain manufacturing facil ity in Fredericksburg, VA. His approach was so innovative that it became the subject of a Harvard Business School case study. The organization advances business opportunities for certified minority business enterprises and connects them to corporate advancing Asian, Black, His- panic, and Native American suppliers in an international supply members. NMISCD is committed to chain. Hinrichs eaned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Dayton, and MBA from Harvard Business n December 2012, Hinrichs returned to Dearborm, Michigan, to become president of Ford America's most profitable busit School as a GM ellow ness unit. During his tenure in that assignment, Ford America attained record profits. Hinrich has also been placed in charge QUESTIONS of the manufacture of vehicles that were experiencing Elitches 1. In what way does it appear that Hinrichs highly empha- during their product launches-the Lincoin MKZ, and Ford Escape, and the Ford Fusion. Hinrich was given responsibility also for leading an effort to fix the Myford Touch infotainment 2. What evidence do you see that Hinrichs emphasizes con sizes a task orientation and initiating structure in his sideration (or humanistic) in his approach to leadership? Hinrichs was once visiting a Ford assembly plant in Louis ble for its release. He carefully examined the hatchback on the in aligning the door. Hinrichs suggested, "We knew this would fter HiProtile The same day he told the chief engineer that he would like to ne 14.2016.00 1-2 ville, Kentucky where he pored over an early production version Source: Original story created from facts and observations in the following Key Releases, The Wal sports utility vehicle with a team responsi sources: Mke Ramsey. "Ford Boss Tees Up for Street Jourmat, February 15-16, 2014, pp. 81. 84: Joseph R. Hinrichs Named Chairman of NMSOC, NMSDC, June 9.2016, pp 1-4; Adrienne SUX. The complex shape of the opening presented a challengeyecomDnber 14.01-4: Bradford Were. Selco, "Joe Hinrichs Named Ford's Manufacturing Chief. IndustryWee Successes, Ford's Hinrichs Tackles Launch Problems lea eAtonews.com 1. My 29,. 2013, pp. 1-13.-10seph R was going to be hard to do going in. But we have to get it rghtHinichs The Ford Motor Company Media Center https//media ford.com).Explanation / Answer
ANS#1. Joe Hinrichs was a task oriented an initiative taking leader this could be figured out from the incident quoted that when he started at the powertrain plant in Fredericksburg, VA , there the factory was inefficient and it was struggling through a number of issues which made it unprofitable,but Hinrichs took the challenge and took some benchmark decisions and tackled those issues while streamlining its operation and its labour issues.
Another incident quoted says that when at one of the ford assembly plant there was some difficulty while assebling one of the hatchback cars he said to his workers that this thing how so ever difficult but has to be done right which shows his leadership with goal oriented approach.
While Hinrichs was looking after China Auto market he started learning Mandarin often with his driver to gain acceptence .
ANS#2. The humanistic approach of Joe Hinrichs leadership is evident from the statement of a ford dealer that he has a common touch and approachable and also while being Chairman of NMSCD he adavnced the business opportunities to the certified minority business enterprises and connected them to participate in the business expansion.
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