20 Years Later: Catching Up with the First Generation of GTs (Part II)

Leaders Who Lift You Up

When we asked the first generation of GTs (Graduate Trainees) about the most memorable people they met at Ford, they unanimously spoke of the leaders they encountered during the "infancy" of their careers.

As Jackie puts it: "At Ford, most leaders are the 'uplifting' type.

They not only offer care and protection but actively lift you up, helping you reach higher ground."

A few years ago, another leader, Brett Burin, fought to get Chelsea the position of Product Manager for the F-150 Raptor.

However, just as this happened, Chelsea discovered she was pregnant.

Worried it might affect her work and the trust placed in her, she reported her situation to her superior.

Brett’s response was calm and reassuring: "It’s okay. You didn't have to tell me that specifically. It has no necessary connection to the new job."

Just as a child needs parental encouragement when helpless, Lanny also faced moments of bewilderment in the workplace. Fortunately, there was always a supporting force behind him.

During his "Spreadsheet Warrior" phase, Lanny often had to coordinate across departments. Whenever he faced resistance, his supervisor, Kevin, would stand up to support him without hesitation. "Knowing someone had my back allowed my confidence to build naturally."

Lee Shao, also from the Class of 2005 GTs, feels his greatest luck at Ford was meeting so many super-competent leaders. In his view, leadership is about having the courage to take responsibility, uniting all forces that can be united, and creating hope in places where frustration arises!

Today, when Bruce mentors his own subordinates, he consciously blends the two leadership styles he received early in his career: providing hands-on, detailed guidance initially, and then offering full empowerment once the team matures, pointing out directions only at critical junctures.

A company's culture is the set of values and behaviors collectively recognized by its employees. It requires time to settle, is passed down, and continued from one generation to the next.

For Victor, Ford's culture is defined by "Equality." From the equal dialogue during his interview to the mutual respect between colleagues and leaders in daily problem-solving.

He still remembers the scene at the annual party during his first year: expatriate employees were dressed in costumes, Chinese colleagues were dressed formally, but what touched him most was that the company had invited the cleaning lady who tidied up their office daily.

Seeing her participate with excitement and joy, he realized: Equality here isn't just a slogan.

Dave Schoch, President of Ford Asia Pacific and China, would even get down on one knee when meeting children, keeping himself at their height to communicate as equals.

Bruce and Jackie both highlighted the "Global Vision" Ford provided.

In the process of participating in vehicle product definition, Jackie gradually understood that the design behind a car is the result of the combined effects of social forms, user habits, market opportunities, and infrastructure.

This explains why Europeans prefer smaller cars, the US needs "moderately sized" large cars, and Chinese users have such specific requirements for interior space.

Collaborating with colleagues from diverse cultural backgrounds taught Bruce to step out of a singular perspective.

He learned to think from a fusion standpoint, understanding the logic behind different cultures to better solve problems.

For Lanny, the word that best represents Ford culture is "Integrity."This word was emphasized repeatedly during his first week.

Although he was a bit hazy on it then, he gradually grasped its profound meaning throughout his career.

 Defining what can be done and what cannot—this word established a clear moral compass at the very start of his professional life.

Lee agrees wholeheartedly. Before graduation, he had interned at another company for three months. Compared to the twenty years that followed, those three months felt incredibly long. In his eyes, Ford is a company of "Integrity, Respect, Resilience, and Win-Win advocacy," filled with great people and culture.

The annual party is also a unique part of Ford's culture. From creativity to costumes, the excitement rivals a Spring Festival Gala, truly embodying the spirit of "Work hard, play harder!"

At Ford, the strong human touch is always heartwarming. To this day, on her birthday every year, Chelsea still receives well-wishes from former colleagues and even the CEO.

When young people step out of campus and grow alongside a company, weathering countless work challenges and business fluctuations, their way of thinking and values gradually merge deeply with the enterprise.

In Jackie's eyes, those who stay at Ford for the long haul often share similar traits: they value relationships, take responsibility, and are in the habit of placing team and company priorities above their own.

"My blood is Ford blue." This sentence was spoken to Lanny by Ron Collins.

A year after Lanny joined. At the time, the young GTs were providing feedback to Ron regarding salary issues.

Lanny recalls that Ron's handling of the situation made him feel that the needs of grassroots employees were respected.

But more importantly, he remembered that sentence—one he only half-understood at the time, yet which felt deeply significant. 

Ron said he had been at Ford for seventeen years and had had better outside opportunities, but his blood had long since turned Ford Blue.

It took ten years for Lanny to truly understand the meaning of those words.

It happens when a person goes through growth and ups and downs with a company, until their thinking and values become inextricably linked to its lifeblood.

Speaking of the "Blue Blood" GT project, Lee feels it might have been the luckiest starting point. "Many companies don't hire fresh graduates, preferring those with work experience. Ford not only hired fresh grads but also established a dedicated GT program, providing rich training resources to help young people grow quickly. And these young people, in turn, constantly injected fresh blood into the company."

Looking back, the GTs cultivated by Ford over the past twenty years have not only grown into the pillars of various departments, but many have also become leaders in the industry...

Perhaps that is the greatest significance of a project that has persevered for twenty years.