SENTINEL WATCH October 26, 2009 Issue

REINVENTING DETROIT

SUSAN TISH

MANY INDUSTRY OBSERVERS HEAVED a sigh of relief as General Motors quickly emerged from bankruptcy this summer. But to those here in Detroit, it seems the challenges have just begun. Thousands have lost their jobs, and those who remain must now fix what's left of the embattled automaker.

Much has been said about the difficulty of turning around a ship of this magnitude, especially in today's stormy times. Having worked at two large automotive companies, I know that the mentality of "that's the way we've always done things" can make it hard for management to transform a company into a smaller, more agile, profitable one.

And it's not just automotive employees who are struggling with change. Millions of other Americans have been left without work as a result of the economic downturn. All these individuals are facing the difficult need to reinvent themselves amid a drastically changing economy.

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