If Mulally sounds like a man in a hurry, it's because he and other executives know the clock is ticking.
Wall Street lost patience with Ford's first Way Forward plan and was not bowled over by the accelerated version unveiled last week -- Ford stock dropped 12 percent the day it was announced.
Mulally's challenge will be to manage change and motivate employees at a time when Ford is dramatically reducing its blue and white-collar work force.
"It's somewhat tenuous around here," Fields said of the morale at Ford's headquarters. "They want to see Ford win."
So does Mulally. The man credited with pulling Boeing back from the brink of financial disaster after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks knows how sweet victory tastes. In a recent meeting with Ford senior executives, Mulally gestured to a financial chart that showed a precipitous decline followed by an upward turn. He pointed to the lowest point.
"Guys," he said, "let's get to the bottom as quick as we can, because let me tell you, the ride up is a lot of fun."
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