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Enron Mail |
Good news! Please find a message from Power Systems CEO John Rice:
Last week, I spent several days with people in Washington, D.C. and at our Global Research Center (GRC) in Niskayuna, NY, who play large roles in support of our growth plans. In Washington, I visited with a number of Senators and Representatives who are shaping energy legislation. The purpose for these meetings was to introduce our business and to find out where we could be helpful in providing information to support their work. I also met with Bob Card, Under Secretary at the Department of Energy, whose office manages most of the government funding effort in support of new energy technologies. Bob had recently visited the GRC and commented on the outstanding work being done there and the close collaboration that existed with GEPS. While I was in Washington, there was yet more "swirl" coming now from WorldCom and (even) Martha Stewart! The people I met with were very concerned about all the recent examples of poor corporate leadership. But it was gratifying to me to see the respect they have for GE and the reputation for integrity that goes with our name. I also spent a day with Jon Ebacher, Vic Abate, Scott Donnelly (leader of the GRC), and their teams, discussing some of the great new technologies that are making a difference for our customers today, and creating the foundation for our future. I agree with Bob Card's assessment, and really think that the collaboration between GEPS and the GRC is outstanding and exemplifies the best of what we mean by "boundaryless behavior." I love the enthusiasm that was evident in every discussion, and am particularly pleased with the work being done to integrate our newest acquisitions - Bently Nevada, GE Wind and PII. This is the kind of work that will separate us from all the other companies out there that are just buying businesses to get bigger. Great technology and great people continue to be our most important assets. When we get it right, we can't be beat. When we get it wrong, our customers wonder why they cannot do business with the "six sigma" GE they read about. Little things can go a long way toward making the large, complicated global business that we are simpler and more "user friendly" for our customers to work with. Customers sometimes ask us to help with problems that belong to someone else - another person, function, or even business. In these situations our response MUST be to make sure the problem gets quickly communicated to the teams that can resolve it. Believe it or not, we have had several recent examples where GE people have responded with "it is not my department" or "try calling Jim" rather than take the initiative themselves to help. To put it mildly, this is unacceptable. To put it bluntly, people in customer facing positions who respond like this will not be left in their jobs. When it comes to customer centric behavior, everyone has to be in the game and we cannot let "functions," "departments," or "P&L's" become barriers! In these uncertain times, you and I should be certain of one thing, and that's the importance of integrity. With everything going on in today's business world, integrity must be absolute. It has to guide our decision-making process - and ultimately defines who we are. This deeply held value has been, and will continue to be, a cornerstone of our competitive advantage, and every single GEPS employee in every corner of the world has a role to play. Finally, in a few days we will be reporting on yet another "best quarter" in the long history of our business. Thanks to all of you for these results and for all you are doing to help us get ready for change - and success - in the future. John
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