The well-known American businessman Edward Whitacre Jr. is renowned for his executive positions at AT&T and General Motors (GM). His method of overseeing these sizable businesses was distinguished by a distinct understanding of the tasks that needed to be completed. Following the global economic crisis, GM was having serious financial difficulties when he took over as CEO.

Whitacre's words perfectly capture his goal upon joining GM: to turn the business around and put it back on the path to success. In his mind, he was a doctor who identified a disease and recommended a course of treatment to get well. He wanted to make sure that GM would prosper in the long run, not just solve its current issues.

Whitacre concentrated on a few crucial areas to accomplish this. His first goal was to increase GM's profitability through cost reduction and operational simplification. Getting rid of things that weren't necessary to make room for what really mattered was like clearing out a cluttered attic. Second, he used creative product development and strategic alliances to try to improve GM's market position. Lastly, he worked on setting up the business for future success by making sure it could successfully compete in a constantly shifting industry.

Understanding that it would be pointless to address present problems without first establishing a foundation for the future, Whitacre's strategy placed an emphasis on a combination of short-term fixes and long-term planning. His conviction that strategic thinking and methodical execution are essential for overcoming obstacles and achieving long-term success was demonstrated by his leadership at GM.