A New Era at Gibson - The A.R.T. of management takes hold

[FLICKOFLASH]

Seriously, Gibson doesn't need more top-heavy management crap. They are not a management company. They produce a product and charge a lot for it. They need to engender pride in craftsmanship, and you will never get that by replacing leadership or implementing different management techniques.

1) reward the workers on the floor not only with good pay, but recognition. I want to know that the guy building my guitar actually gives a crap about what he's doing. If he's pissed off because he's got five managers yelling at him for menial bs, then he's not going to produce a quality product.

2) Promote product ownership within the company. Have a single person building the guitar from start to finish. Give them ownership and pride in a job well done, and reward them for a job well done.

3) Open a real custom shop and put your best builders in that shop. Let customers come in and define the specifications for the guitar they want (color, weight, features, etc). Make that custom shop the big goal for your builders - the better they build the more likely they get promoted into the custom shop.

All very good points & not just be made in USA but Handcrafted in the USA

 

[FLICKOFLASH]

He literally said nothing with that statement

I think bottom line he wants someone who is passionate about guitars who live & breath guitars & not just a bean counter but have excitement & motivation & keep pushing forward & not just rely on the current.

 

[FLICKOFLASH]

What about the guys on the factory floor, why is my new SG cutting my hand up with
the fret ends. Pay attention to the actual building and quality of the guitars please.

Where did you purchase it may I ask ?

 

[Blues4U]

All very good points & not just be made in USA but Handcrafted in the USA

Flick--Myself as well as many others have been making those sorts of suggestions on Henry's site since the beginning-The powers that be absolutely refuse to acknowledge these points-

They don't comment, refute the points or anything--They ignore them.

If I have learned one thing from internet forums it is this-When your partner in conversation ignores what you say, it generally means it is a valid point with merit and they don't have an answer or counterpoint!

 

[NoStatic]

He literally said nothing with that statement

He said quite a lot.

He said its my way or the highway. If you wont do it my way, I will replace you with someone who will. I am in the process of surrounding myself with people that will not argue with me.

WTF fuck he is posting this narsisistic manifesto on the internetz and wtf its being reposted here remains a mystery.

 

[Blues4U]

I think bottom line he wants someone who is passionate about guitars who live & breath guitars & not just a bean counter but have excitement & motivation & keep pushing forward & not just rely on the current.

Flick--Have you not paid attention to Henry's words on his site--I believe he is the king of the Bean counters and only wants his minions to walk in lockstep with the almighty King Henry-

 

[ext1jdh]

All very good points & not just be made in USA but Handcrafted in the USA

I'll be awaiting my factory tour and personal signature model at Henry's convenience. I'll name my sig the "Hot Dog Cupcake"

 

[Blackie]

Gibson should be an ESOP company or some derivitive form to instill pride and quality in the product.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee-owned_corporation

 

[Ed Zeppeli]

If Gibson really wants to expand, they need to move outward from the guitar business. You can only flood the market with so many 3k guitars.

I'm pretty sure that Gibson owns a few subsidiaries. Maybe they could focus on those or acquire a few more.

 

[SteveGangi]

Sounds like the art of BS to me.

Typical "think outside the box but only as far as I let you", and "you are empowered - meaning you have no authority to make it happen but are fully authorized to take blame when it fails" and "this is a team, which means you will follow my orders with no backtalk". Accountability usually means "I will hold you accountable when my stupid decisions backfire but I will never own up to it myself".

In short, it looks like Henry J is an autocrat and is whining about how hard it is to make his "inferiors" do it his way. Everyone is a bad guy except him. Everyone is against him. Out to get him. One man. Alone. OH GOD PLEASE.

Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh

I'm in the government. For over 30 years, I've heard all the outside the box change for the sake of change constant process improvement accountability empowerment teaming bullshit. That's what it is. It's f&$%king bullshit. Henry's just crying because his little robots merely did what he told them, without jumping for joy every time he farted.

I think bottom line he wants someone who is passionate about guitars who live & breath guitars & not just a bean counter but have excitement & motivation & keep pushing forward & not just rely on the current.

No. Passionate people will argue and fight and tell you when they think you are wrong. They will TELL you when you are being an idiot. Henry just wants robots who follow every order he gives without question, and that is not passion. That is just job preservation, as in "screw it if it's wrong, it's what I was told to do and I need the job".

 

[geochem1st]

 

[Blues4U]

 

[jeff_farkas]

One day a thread like this might go well. On second thought.. na these threads will never go well here.

 

[Blues4U]

One day a thread like this might go well.

Well, Henry J should take the advice of Josey Wales--"Don't piss down my neck and tell me it's rainin'"

 

[jeff_farkas]

well, henry j should take the advice of josey wales--"don't piss down my neck and tell me it's rainin'"

+1

 

[FLICKOFLASH]

One day a thread like this might go well. On second thought.. na these threads will never go well here.

I am going there to hit the hard issues straight on but seems you pussys just want to whine bitch & moan . You'd think this was a Fender forum or something. You want real change first change your attitudes of being so negative. Instead of bitching why not work to make a difference . The door has been opened but you guys seem too ignorant to notice & walk in.

 

[Ride on a Pony]

Flick, why do you buy into this garbage, and what makes you think anyone here should take it seriously?

I'm sure a significant proportion of the members hear sit through meetings each day across the world and hear this exact same crap. It's just a load of empty words.

 

[allbusinessjoe]

I've been through a lot of this corporate-speak in meetings, handbooks, and mission statements. However, how useful any corprorate presentations are with an acronym involved is subjective. Most people are afraid to come forward with their ideas for fear of being ostracized or being accused of not being on the same team. For example, I once read a similar corporate acronym chart with the statement, "R = Reward the messenger." In theory, anyone who alerts management of a problem should be rewarded and the company can take immediate corrective action. However, in the real world, the "messenger" will be lucky remain friends with his coworkers or even lucky to keep his job.

Remember what happened to Jerry McGuire when he published his own ideas for his company to read? I think life and the above movie teach similar lessons: if you work at a company and have ideas, you should keep them to yourself and start your own company.

 

[Blues4U]

I am going there to hit the hard issues straight on but seems you pussys just want to whine bitch & moan . You'd think this was a Fender forum or something. You want real change first change your attitudes of being so negative. Instead of bitching why not work to make a difference . The door has been opened but you guys seem too ignorant to notice & walk in.

Hey now, I have walked in

I have offered many straightforward and reasonable suggestions--Some have been well received, some have been poopoo'd but with an explanation of why--I can deal with that too--

But Henry refuses to answer the tough questions and you off all people know this--

I want Gibson to succeed and I also want them to make a quality, affordable product.

Hell, I am ready for a career change--If I thought the place actually gave a damn and was willing to do right by their customers, I might even seek employment there--

 

[ext1jdh]

I think we've had some posts here that would lead to good business practices. Plenty of complaints, sure, but some useful posts as well.

And to be entirely honest, we are not the ones who should be working to make a difference, it should be Henry and Gibson reaching out to their customers.

I'm always available on a consulting basis if Henry wants to pay my fee.