A Clue Where American Manufacturing has Gone

Well this is my first post on my first blog. I’m about to turn 63 and decided I’d better get with it. And of course I’ve had it with politics and our government among other things. It’s time we begin a movement of personal accountability and responsibility. What’s happening right now in my country and yours is our fault for sitting around and being fat, dumb and happy. One by one we need to fix this or our grandkids are toast. They’ll never know the life we’ve known.

I live in rural Montana. Came here in 2000 to get away from the rat race and get around real people. It worked. What a grand place to live. I was in getting my snow tires removed and my summer ones put on at the local tire dealer, Duford Tire. I always chat with the owner, Dana Duford. He’s a great young guy who is all about service. He’s kept me in Cooper Tires (think American manufacturer) since I moved here nine years ago.

So you can imagine my surprise when he pointed out that his Cooper sign is down and he is out of the Cooper Tire business. What? He explained that they have a problem with leaks and he spends all his time repairing, replacing and explaining and he couldn’t afford to do it anymore. Cooper has been unresponsive to the ‘hard’ rubber problem causing it. He also explained what a painful decision it was to drop their line, but that he had no choice. He's selling and recommending Korean made Yokohama tires … well, because they're better. Unbelievable!

So why are we no longer a manufacturing superpower? Folks, it’s a self inflicted wound. There is no accountability. I spent the last twenty years working with the Fortune 50 and 500 and there is NO accountability there and that is why we're losing in the world's economic wars. Look at GM. They’ve been dying a slow death since the 70’s and everyone seemed to know it but the prefumed Prince's in Detroit. The dealers have known it for years but Detroit doesnt listen to them. They need to have an overhaul alright and it needs to start with the executives who flew to DC on their private jets oblivious to the fact they were begging for tax dollars. This whole thing is a leadership issue … we have none!

Remember, you're either part of the problem or part of the solution. One starting point is to make sure you look in the mirror everyday and aren't part of the problem. Let's start by making sure we act in an accountable manner and in our circle of influence we hold others accountable as well. More insight where this comes from, later.