The Automotive Leaders Podcast

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It’s the end of 2022, and you know what that means — it’s goal-setting season. 

Many of us automotive leaders find our minds wandering this time of year, envisioning all the success that will come our way in 2023 and setting goals to get us there. 

But the truth is, an estimated 91 percent of people fail to achieve their New Year's resolutions. The biggest reason why? They lack an emotional connection to their goal. Knowing why you want to do something is a huge motivating factor in getting it done.

The same applies when leading a team. We in the automotive industry are great at putting together the metrics and the numbers. But achieving success as a leader is also about articulating the why.

If you really want to make a change within your company culture and achieve your goals in 2023, simply declaring a goal is not enough. You’ve got to inspire, you’ve got to show why a goal is so important and you’ve also got to break it all down with your team.

In this special episode of the Automotive Leaders podcast, you’ll learn three things you can do differently in 2023 to ensure success.

Themes discussed in this episode: 

• What’s a temporal landmark and why they’re the perfect time to set new business objectives
• Why we need to look to the past to achieve success in the future
• How to inspire people around your goals and get where you want to go
• Why culture and processes are integral to getting things done 
• How language makes a difference when holding your team accountable 

Featured Expert: Jan Griffiths (Host)

What she does: Jan is the co-founder and president of Gravitas Detroit, an organization dedicated to cultivating authentic leadership in the automotive industry by providing courses, workshops, speaking events, and more. She is also the host of The Automotive Leaders Podcast

On leadership: “Leadership is [about] inspiring a team around more than the numbers. To be truly successful and reach the goal of a high-performance team, we have to inspire not only our team, but the people around us.” 

Episode Highlights

Timestamped inflection points from the show

[0:57] The power of the restart: 2023 is about to begin, and you’re probably thinking about how you can be a better leader for your team next year. Repeating the same strategies year after year won’t generate success. How are you going to do things differently? 

[3:55] Tip 1: Look in the rearview mirror: Why look back when we want to move forward? Reflecting on your team’s 2022 mistakes and accomplishments will go a long way toward ensuring future success — and it keeps your team engaged in the process.

[6:56] Tip 2: Ask the question, Where am I going?: Metrics and numbers alone won’t help you become a better leader. You need clarity and an emotional connection for your team to understand and execute your goals successfully.

[12:48] Tip 3: Articulate how you are going to get there: In the automotive industry, we’ve got the metrics for everything. But we need to work harder on the ‘how’ — how we’re going to improve our culture and boost efficiency to achieve our goals.

[17:05] Rethink accountability: We need to stop associating accountability with...

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Jessica Robinson is not your average venture capitalist. She started her career, not in finance or investing, but as a professional tea taster.

In fact, Jessica’s entire career path can be characterized by unconventional pivots. After that tea-tasting gig, she fell in love with the mobility industry and spent time working for tech startups like Zipcar and Techstars before moving on to one of the legacy automotive OEMs: the Ford Motor Company.

That’s when she realized where her true passion was in business, specifically the business of changing the way the world moves and improving the mobility industry while she’s at it. That’s why Jessica joined Chris Thomas to co-found, Assembly Ventures, to help uplift the companies moving the industry forward.

When it comes to taking big career leaps like hers, Jessica says it’s all about embracing the fear of failure — and using it to your advantage. 

“In embracing this idea of failure, what you're really looking to do is find better ways,” Jessica says. “In startup life, we call it finding product market fit. It's a little dry and clinical, but the idea here is, you’re really looking for something that makes your customers’ eyes light up.”

Themes discussed in this episode: 

• Is ‘mobility’ more accurate than ‘automotive’ to describe our industry?
• How the addition of EVs is changing the culture of traditional OEMs
• How to tackle big career shifts and shake-ups
• How to lead cultural changes within your automotive company 

Featured Guest: Jessica Robinson

What she does: Jessica is a co-founder and partner at Assembly Ventures, a venture capital fund helping move and transform the world of mobility in the West. She also co-founded the Detroit Mobility Lab, an organization dedicated to helping create a better future for the mobility industry through educational and networking opportunities. With over a decade in the mobility industry, Jessica is a rising global leader and sought-after speaker in her field.

On leadership: “Mindset, I really do believe, is linked to the change that we're talking about in this industry, in the sense that we have the power to choose what we want our companies to be, what the opportunities are that we're going to pursue. And that starts with the mindset of who do we want to be, and everything else follows from there.”

Episode Highlights

Timestamped inflection points from the show

[1:36] From tea taster to venture capitalist: How did one of Jessica Robinson’s first jobs as a professional tea taster kick-start her journey toward venture capitalist and automotive thought leader?

[4:02] An industry rebrand: Does the word “automotive” still accurately sum up our industry today? Jessica explains why the term “mobility” is becoming the norm and how it can take us into the future.

[7:10] Climbing the ladder: From her first auto industry job at Zipcar to a podcast in the sky with Richard Branson for Virgin Media, here’s how Jessica climbed the mobility...

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Learn more about your host, Jan Griffiths in this short video

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As a managing partner at MRA Global Sourcing and a thought leader in supply chain staff sourcing, Naseem Malik has his finger on the pulse of the automotive supply chain industry — and lots of other industries. 

With all the other major challenges facing supply chains in the pandemic era, none has caused as big of a culture shift as the move to remote work. 

According to Naseem, top pre-pandemic questions from talent shifted from What’s the comp? Who will I be working for? to What's the work arrangement? Is this hybrid? Companies that demanded full-time on-site work were not popular with talented candidates.

“And those companies that continue to say, no, we don't care, this is what we want — they struggled,” said Naseem. “They struggled to find people. Not just [find] people, but they're struggling to retain their people.”

In order to keep up with the rapidly changing world of work, automotive supply chain companies need to change their culture and allow more flexibility. A cookie-cutter approach won’t cut it anymore. 

They might look to previous podcast guest Katherine Knight, Mitsubishi’s chief legal officer and chief HR officer, who led the charge to “work from home forever.” In this episode of the Automotive Leaders podcast, Naseem joins Jan to deconstruct that conversation with Katherine, and discuss major changes in work culture across multiple industries including the automotive industry.

Themes discussed on this episode: 

• Cross-industry trends in remote versus on-site work models
• What remote work means for new Gen Z employees
• Why traditional performance reviews are being scrapped across industries
• How being unapologetically yourself makes you a better leader

Featured Guest: Naseem Malik

What he does: Naseem is a managing partner at MRA Global Sourcing and a true thought leader when it comes to sourcing executive supply chain staff. Get Naseem’s informative newsletter.

On leadership: “Just be your raw self. Find your voice and don't be afraid to share it. We talked about this a lot — you are your own brand. You've got to build your own brand. So if you are not honest with yourself and the way you act, feel, everything, it'll be reflected. It'll stunt your growth, it will stunt your development. And it may create an impression about you which is not reality.”

Episode Highlights

Timestamped inflection points from the show

[2:36] Meet the guest: Naseem and Jan discuss how they met, as well as Naseem’s unique cross-industry expertise.

[5:07] At the forefront: Katherine Knight’s statement, “work from home forever,” was a bold one. Mitsubishi is leading the charge for remote work in the automotive industry. But operationalizing it can be tricky.  

[8:00] Flipping the switch: How do companies across...

Relax, recharge, and don't check e-mail

Happy Thanksgiving 2022 from the team at Gravitas Detroit and the Automotive Leaders podcast.

Learn more about your host, Jan Griffiths in this short video

Bonus episode.

Jan Griffiths and Jason Stein sit down behind the mic. and share their perspectives on the OESA supplier conference 2022.

Auto Supply Chain Prophets

Flat Six Media

Cars & Culture

OESA Insiders podcast

Download the 21 traits of authentic leadership e book

Download the 21 traits of authentic leadership e book

Learn more about creating your own internal company podcast

Watch the full video on YouTube - click here

Earlier this year, an announcement by Mitsubishi North America  (MMNA)caught the attention of the entire automotive industry. The company would be shifting to work from home — forever.

At the time, MMNA’’s CEO called it “a critical moment to embrace, change, motivate and retain our talented employee base.” The decision represented a major culture shift for Mitsubishi but also presented some big challenges for company leaders.

So what exactly does “work from home forever” look like for Mitsubishi? A little different than you might think. 

Mitsubishi’s Chief Legal Officer, Chief HR Officer, and Chief Compliance Officer  Katherine Knight says she still sees people in the office every day, and seasonal parties and team meetings are usually still held in person. But the most important thing is that employees are offered to work the way that is most comfortable and efficient for them.

“Everybody is at a different place in their life. And it's one of the reasons why this choice, for me personally, was very important, because I want us to be as inclusive as possible,” Katherine says.

So how’s it going six months into the experiment? “Nobody has suggested we need to mandate days in the office. Absolutely not.”

Katherine joins Jan on this episode of the Automotive Leaders Podcast to talk about Mitsubishi’s move to remote work and how this OEM made that difficult decision. Tune into the episode for more on Mitsubishi’s “cultural revolution,” plus a peek into Katherine’s upbringing as a record store geek!

Themes discussed on this episode: 

• What ‘labor relations’ really means
• Why the shift to work from home was a positive opportunity for company leaders
• Expanding your talent net with remote work
• Why you need to change your performance reviews
• The importance of vision, purpose, and risk-taking in the automotive industry

Featured Guest: Katherine Knight

What she does: Katherine is the Chief Legal Officer, Chief HR Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at Mitsubishi Motors. As a C-suite executive at Mitsubishi North America, she led the charge in 2022 to allow U.S. employees to work from home forever.

On leadership: “ I'm trying to lead the department in a particular type of vision and a particular way of working. And that encompasses a lot of other things. It encompasses authenticity. It encompasses transparency. I don't expect people to go along with the vision if I'm not being completely transparent with them about what the challenges we're going to have are and how we're going to have to change how we do things. And I also don't expect them to go along with the vision if they get something different from me today than they do...

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The reality of practicing leadership is different from talking about it. No one knows that better than Dr. Andy Palmer, who Automotive Leaders interviewed recently. And there’s no more important space for the right kind of leadership than the automotive industry.

Anne Partington, a mobility leader in the transportation industry and commercialization director for advanced transportation, explains: “We are living through immense and intense disruption across all of the automotive industry and with that brings opportunity for novel approaches and the culture change to support rapid innovation”.

Between traditional command and control OEM and California tech culture clashes, it’s ripe for opportunity and growth. So how is Andy Palmer really leading the charge?

“[He’s] running three start-up companies — not just one. And he sits as a board member on a fourth,” Anne says. “That is a demonstration of true commitment to innovation: To be in the thick of it.” Spearheading DEI initiatives and all-in commitments to net-zero emissions takes real guts in the automotive space. It’s hard to drive change, and even harder to make it stick.

But likability in a leader can go a long way in inspiring real innovation spurred on by culturally diverse teams. “Every time there is a challenge or a failure, that is a great opportunity to learn,” Anne says. “When leaders like Andy Palmer share those experiences, and in that manner are sharing their vulnerabilities, it makes them much more identifiable.”

Together with host Jan Griffiths, Anne breaks down the key learnings from the interview with Andy, with a thorough deconstruction of what leadership and culture really mean for an evolving automotive industry. They share what really resonated and what the automotive space can expect now and in the future.

Themes discussed on this episode: 

• Why understanding social and technology trends is important to driving cognitive diversity and inclusion in organizations
• The importance of actually living your values to drive real change and growth across different teams with diverse experiences
• Going all in on your mission and being willing to put yourself on the line
• Why automotive and the entrepreneurial spirit mesh together so well
• What disruptive challenges automotive faces now and in the future — and what to do about it

Featured Guest: Anne Partington

What she does: Anne Partington is a mobility and transportation expert in the automotive space. Her work as a commercialization director for advanced transportation focuses on advancing new technology in the market. Her areas of expertise include mobility, innovation, sustainability, inclusive leadership and supply chain management.

On leadership: “Sharing that life is a journey of ups and downs, successes and challenges, makes a leader really approachable. There is no one of us that has that perfect journey of having a vertical trajectory all the way up — it's quite stepped. And every time there is a challenge or a failure, that is a great

The reality of practicing leadership is different from talking about it. No one knows that better than https://www.drandypalmer.com/ (Dr. Andy Palmer), who Automotive Leaders https://player.fm/series/the-automotive-leaders-podcast/meet-dr-andy-palmer-godfather-of-the-ev-and-ceo-of-switch-mobility (interviewed recently). And there’s no more important space for the right kind of leadership than the automotive industry. https://www.linkedin.com/in/annepartington/ (Anne Partington), a mobility leader in the transportation industry and commercialization director for advanced transportation, explains: “We are living through immense and intense disruption across all of the automotive industry, and with that brings opportunity for novel approaches and the culture change to support rapid innovation”. Between traditional command and control OEM and California tech culture clashes, it’s ripe for opportunity and growth. So how is Andy Palmer really leading the charge? “[He’s] running three start-up companies — not just one. And he sits as a board member on a fourth,” Anne says. “That is a demonstration of true commitment to innovation: To be in the thick of it.” Spearheading DEI initiatives and all-in commitments to net-zero emissions take real guts in the automotive space. It’s hard to drive change, and even harder to make it stick. But likability in a leader can go a long way in inspiring real innovation spurred on by culturally diverse teams. “Every time there is a challenge or a failure, that is a great opportunity to learn,” Anne says. “When leaders like Andy Palmer share those experiences, and in that manner are sharing their vulnerabilities, it makes them much more identifiable.” Together with host Jan Griffiths, Anne breaks down the key learnings from the interview with Andy, with a thorough deconstruction of what leadership and culture really mean for an evolving automotive industry. They share what really resonated and what the automotive space can expect now and in the future. Themes discussed in this episode:  Why understanding social and technology trends is important to driving cognitive diversity and inclusion in organizations The importance of actually living your values to drive real change and growth across different teams with diverse experiences Going all in on your mission and being willing to put yourself on the line Why automotive and the entrepreneurial spirit mesh together so well What disruptive challenges automotive faces now and in the future — and what to do about it Featured Guest: Anne PartingtonWhat she does: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annepartington/ (Anne Partington) is a mobility and transportation expert in the automotive space. Her work as a commercialization director for advanced transportation focuses on advancing new technology in the market. Her areas of expertise include mobility, innovation, sustainability, inclusive leadership, and supply chain management. On leadership: “Sharing that life is a journey of ups and downs, successes and challenges, makes a leader really approachable. There is no one of us that has that perfect journey of having a vertical trajectory all the way up — it's quite stepped. And every time there is a challenge or a failure, that is a great opportunity to learn. When leaders like Andy Palmer share those experiences, and in that manner are sharing their vulnerabilities, it makes them much more identifiable. […] That’s also very inspiring for people who want to take risks. to try new things, to try to be supportive of others, to bring diverse voices and marginalized communities to the table who historically have not been present [or] had a voice.” Episode HighlightsTimestamped inflection points from the show [2:05] Key takeaways: Anne breaks down the main ways the https://player.fm/series/the-automotive-leaders-podcast/meet-dr-andy-palmer-godfather-of-the-ev-and-ceo-of-switch-mobility (Dr. Andy Palmer interview) resonated with her. [5:04]...

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The automotive industry is changing fast — and we’re not just talking about the pandemic. The electric vehicle revolution is going to be a shift as monumental as when cars first began selling on the market.

There’s no one who knows this better than Andy Palmer, also known as the “Godfather of the EV.” As the former COO of Nissan, Andy led the Nissan Leaf project, which became the world’s first mass-market EV, and has continued to work in new energy vehicles and batteries throughout his career.

According to Andy, startups and even old companies who don’t catch up with the EV revolution are going to fall behind, and many will fail completely. And an essential part of survival requires reflecting on their company culture and making necessary changes.

“This is so big that getting your corporate culture right is the only way that you could get to a 70% possibility of success. It doesn't guarantee success, but it gets there an awful lot more if you have people that basically know what they're working for, like what they're working for, are consistent in what they're working for, and have the energy to deliver what they're working for,” Andy says. “And you only do that by setting the tone and the culture of the companies that you're working in.”

Tune in to the first episode of the Automotive Leaders Podcast as Jan sits down with Andy to talk about the EV revolution and what it will take for leaders in the auto industry to survive it and thrive. Make sure to stay ‘till the end of this episode to hear more about Andy’s glory days as a punk rocker and he and Jan’s shared admiration for Vivienne Westwood!

Themes discussed on this episode: 

• Why it’s important to step outside the corporate bubble
• The importance of values for auto supply chain leaders
• Why company culture will be crucial to the EV revolution
• How diversity makes a better team and a better product
• What apprenticeships can do that formal higher education can’t

Featured Guest: Dr. Andy Palmer

What he does: Andy, known as the “Godfather of EVs,” is the former CEO of Aston Martin and former COO of Nissan. Today, he is the CEO of Switch Mobility, a zero-emissions EV bus and van manufacturer, chairman of the board at InoBat  battery company and chairman of the electric scooter company Hilo.

On leadership: “A work ethic is really, really important. You don't get to be a leader if you don't have a work ethic. So I would say that's almost a hygiene factor … the importance of being genuine, the importance of being yourself, the importance of having a clear vision of your own values, and then living by those values. The ability to disagree with your boss, but not necessarily in a violent way … learning to influence by doing and not simply blowing in the wind, which so many people do."

Learn more about your host, Jan Griffiths in this short video

Episode Highlights

Timestamped inflection points from the show

[2:05] Lifelong commitment: After leading the

We're back!

The Automotive Leaders Podcast is officially launched.

Here's the story behind the rebrand and what you can expect in future episodes.

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Easily navigate our back catalogue of episodes

Learn more about your host, Jan Griffiths in this short video