Our people just have that American spirit toward their country, their company and most importantly for us, toward their job of developing exciting products. This longstanding "maverick culture" of Chrysler - the candor of its people, the willingness to take constructive risks, the ability to reach consensus and take actions - is very much in place, and helps implement a very ambitious turnaround plan designed to restore the company's financial health.
As I look back to November 2000, Wolfgang Bernhard (our Chief Operating Officer) and I were the only two individuals in senior leadership positions of the company to come over to the U.S. In spite of that fact, there were reports of hundreds of Germans coming over to lead Chrysler. Nothing was further from the facts.
When once I was asked how many Germans would be coming over, my answer was clear: "Five. Me, My wife and our three kids!"
Actually, Wolfgang and I instantly found the Chrysler spirit alive and kicking. Metaphorically speaking, the people of Chrysler were ready to run. The only question they asked: "Where do we run to?"
Speaking of leadership, I'd like to digress for one second. This week, as you know, was the 6-month mark, post 9/11. When coupled with the Enron situation, it provided a pause to reflect on what leadership involves today. More specifically, it serves to remind all of us as businessmen and women that integrity plays a crucial role in our day-to-day activities. From the boardroom to the shop floor, we need to strengthen our values and forge a re-invigorated sense of ethics. The Enron case provides an excellent case-in-point to understand how a company's apparent lack of ethics in some senior leadership positions can destroy people's lives and their fundamental trust in the "system."