The Life of the Characters in Lee Iacocca's Works

Iacocca was born in1June, 924+1May1October in Pennsylvania, USA. Iacocca's father Nikolai arrived in the New World on an immigrant ship when he was 12 years old. He started from scratch and owned some assets. During the difficult years of the Great Depression, my father remained optimistic and firm, which left a deep impression on Iacocca. Whenever Iacocca is in trouble, his father always encourages him affectionately: "The sun will always come out. Go ahead and don't give up halfway. " Many years later, when Iacocca suffered setbacks in his career, he inspired himself with his father's teaching, persistently met the challenge, rose from adversity and regained his glory.

Father Nicholas loved cars since he was a child, and he owned a Ford Model T very early, which was the earliest product of Ford Motor Company. Whenever I am free, I play with cars. This hobby is undoubtedly passed on to my son. My son's later career was related to cars.

Early Italian immigrants were discriminated against in America. Iacocca is a man of backbone, and his academic performance is always among the best. He graduated from Lehigh University with two bachelor's degrees in engineering and business. Later, he got a master's degree from Princeton University, during which he also studied psychology.

1In August, 946, Iacocca, aged 2/kloc-0, came to Detroit and worked as a trainee engineer in Ford, thus starting his legendary career in the automobile industry.

However, the internship is not over yet, and Iacocca is tired of working with inanimate machines all day. He is interested in dealing with people in the sales department. After some efforts, Ford's regional manager in Pennsylvania finally gave him a chance to become a salesman.

A salesman's job is full of ups and downs. Iacocca was open-minded and eager to learn, tried his best, and soon learned the skills of sales. Soon, he was promoted to regional manager of Wilkesboro, Pennsylvania. Sales is the key to the automobile industry. Iacocca understood a truth from it: If you want to succeed in the automobile industry, you must stand on the same front with the seller. In the future ups and downs, he always kept this in mind, so he won the support of the seller.

During this period, Iacocca was influenced by a famous figure, that is, Charlie, East Coast Manager of Ford Company. He was also an engineer, and later transferred to the sales promotion and marketing department. At one time, in the 13 community in this area, Iacocca had the worst sales situation. He was depressed by it. Charlie put his hand on his shoulder and said, "Why are you depressed?" Someone will come last, so why bother! "Then he walked away, but he turned around and said," But please listen, don't come last for two months in a row! " "

Encouraged by him, Iacocca had a brainwave and came up with a wonderful way to promote cars: whoever buys a Ford car with 1956 only needs to pay 20% in advance and 56 dollars a month for the rest three years. So that ordinary consumers can afford it. Iacocca called this method "to spend 56 yuan's money to buy a 56 Ford".

This attractive advertisement made Ford's sales in Philadelphia soar like a rocket. In just three months, it jumped from the penultimate in the country to the first. After Ford promoted this installment sales method throughout the country, the company's annual sales soared by 75,000 vehicles. Iacocca became famous for this. Soon, the company promoted him to the manager of Washington, D.C. ..

A few months later, Iacocca, who was only 32 years old, was transferred to Ford headquarters as the manager of two sales departments: trucks and cars. At the headquarters, he began to show his extraordinary management skills and won the appreciation of his boss. Four years later, that is,1960165438+/kloc-0 10, Iacocca took the post of vice president and general manager of Ford Branch at the age of 36. This is only one year later than Iacocca vowed to be the vice president of Ford at the age of 35 in college. The rapid development of Iacocca is rare in the world. After entering the 1960s, he personally developed a new car designed for young people day and night, and named it "Wild Horse". In the first year, the sales volume reached 4.65438+0.9 million, setting a record for American automobile manufacturing. In the first two years, the new Mustang car created a net profit of 1 1 billion dollars for the company, and he also became the famous "father of Mustang". Later, marquis, jaguar and mark 3 luxury cars were introduced, which was a great success. 1970 12 10, Iacocca finally got his wish and became the president of Ford Motor Company, the second largest automobile company in the United States, second only to Ford's boss.

For an instant, it seemed that the whole world was at his feet, and Iacocca had never been so proud. However, God did not let his happiness last long. 1On July 3, 978, he was fired by his jealous boss Henry Ford because of his "high job". I have been a general manager for 8 years, worked in Ford for 32 years and never worked anywhere else. Suddenly I lost my job, and Iacocca could hardly bear the blow. Is this a dream or a reality? Why did fate play this joke on him?

Not only that, Henry Ford wanted to purge Iacocca's supporters. Anyone who keeps in touch with him is in danger of being fired. A week after Iacocca was fired, Murphy, who was in charge of public relations, received a phone call from the big boss Henry Ford: "Do you like Iacocca?" "Of course!" Murphy replied. "Then you are fired." It's that simple.

For a time, Iacocca had no friends and no career, as if he no longer existed in this world. The words "father of wild horses" will never be heard again. Yesterday he was a hero, but today he seems to be a leper, and everyone stays away from him.

What should I do? "Once the hard times come, there is really no choice but to take a deep breath, grit your teeth and go all out." Iacocca said so, and finally did the same. He did not fall.

After he was fired, many big companies, such as Lockheed and International Paper Company, invited him because of his past reputation. But Iacocca believes that 54 is an awkward age: too young to retire and too old to start a business in other industries; Besides, everything about this car flows in his blood. So he still chose the old line of the automobile industry.

He accepted a new challenge-applying for the position of general manager of Chrysler Automobile Company, which was on the verge of bankruptcy.

But Chrysler's situation is worse than he expected. Due to the incompetence of his predecessor, the company was almost in anarchy and lax in discipline. The 35 vice presidents held their own opinions and kept silent with each other. Financial chaos, cash exhaustion; The products are shoddy and the backlog is serious. On the day Iacocca took office, the company announced a loss of $654.38+$600 million for three consecutive quarters. At the critical moment of the company's life and death, Iacocca was not discouraged, and he didn't want to back down. But in-depth investigation and research among employees, and carefully analyze the development trend of the domestic and international automobile market. In order to save Chrysler and ensure the work and life of 650,000 employees, he did not simply lay off employees, but decided to take layoffs as a breakthrough and put forward the major policy of "* * * has sacrifices". Iacocca started from himself, reducing the annual salary of $360,000 to 1 USD, and reducing the annual salary of all employees by 1.25 times.

"In order to tide over the difficulties, Chrysler people must shed the same amount of blood. If someone just waits for someone else to pay for him, but stands by, then there is nothing. " He stressed: "As the leader of an enterprise, the most important thing is to take the lead in putting on a show. In this way, employees' eyes are watching you, and everyone will imitate you. "

Iacocca's practice of reducing the annual salary to 1 USD has no precedent in American business circles, and naturally caused a sensation. Chrysler people have long been extravagant and wasteful. They were all deeply shocked and didn't understand at first. However, the power of example is infinite, and the boss's exemplary role is the best mobilization order. From leaders at all levels to ordinary employees, everyone gradually reached a * * * knowledge. Everyone is willing to tighten their belts without complaining.

"Sacrifice" has brought vitality to Chrysler and made employees see hope. Iacocca led the senior leadership team to rectify the marketing, credit, finance, planning, personnel and other departments, actively supported the development of new products, and made great efforts to grasp manufacturing.

Of course, it is more important to produce marketable products as soon as possible. 1982, the new convertible "Dodge 400" took the lead and sold well in the market, making Chrysler ahead of other companies for the first time in many years. When the K-car went on the market, it also occupied more than 20% of the small car market.

Iacocca once said, "Qi Xin can move mountains and fill the sea together." 1August 5, 983, Iacocca gave the bank representative a check with a face value of more than 813.48 million dollars, which he had only seen once in his life. At this point, Chrysler paid off all its debts. Five years ago today, Henry Ford fired him.