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With cameras flashing and a swarming crowd that includes Dragons’ Den star Robert Herjavec, Marchionne, uniformed in his trademark black sweater over a collard shirt, stands calmly between a classic 500 and its modern kin. After a brief window for media to photograph him alongside Remo Ferri, president of Remo Ferri Group of Automobiles, and Reid Bigland, president and CEO of Chrysler Canada, he begins to move towards the stage. But Marchionne can barely take a step without a handshake thrust towards him or a plea for a quick snapshot.

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Their enthusiasm is certainly justified. Not long ago, a metaphorical sign hung from Chrysler factories reading, ‘Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.’ And now, standing before them, is the man who tore it down. Last year, Chrysler posted a $183-million profit while also paying back its $6-billion bailout six years before its due date.
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They say history tends to repeat itself, and with this rapid resurrection, it’s hard not to think of Lee Iacocca, Chrysler’s president and CEO from the late ’70s to early ’90s, who launched the Dodge Caravan and the Plymouth Voyager, which helped revive the company during the ’80s.

“I believe the essence of leadership is assumption of the moral duty to take an active part in building the future of the organization and of society as a whole,” says Marchionne of his leadership style – a statement backed by his reorganization of Chrysler’s archaic bureaucratic management structure. Through a near-complete changing of the guard, a tactic he also applied at Fiat years earlier, Marchionne uncovered 26 young, overlooked leaders from within Chrysler to help guide it into a renaissance. “What I have learned from my experience as a chief executive is that culture is everything,” he says. “A change in culture is something much deeper and longer-lasting than a simple change in industrial or commercial practices.”

Often labelled a workaholic for his relentless work schedule, which is split between Fiat’s headquarters in Turin, Italy and Chrysler’s in Auburn Hills, Michigan, Marchionne prefers to immerse himself in the organization as opposed to commanding above it. “Nothing happens on the 15th floor,” he says of the move to bring his Chrysler office from the top floor to the fourth. “My neighbour on one side is the head of engineering and on the other side is the head of manufacturing. I can build a car with the people on the fourth floor. That’s what I care about.”

Marchionne and his entourage finally make it to the stage and a hush falls over the crowd. Ferri, a boyhood friend of Marchionne’s, grabs the mic and welcomes the audience. “I must say that I’m very, very happy to see Fiat back,” he says to a round of applause. “I was much more convinced with Fiat coming back because I saw the leadership that Fiat was taking.”

Interestingly enough, Marchionne’s ascension to the Fiat helm was quite serendipitous. “Ironically, the Agnelli family picked Sergio Marchionne as CEO of Fiat as a sort of pinch-hitter or emergency choice,” says Jennifer Clark, author of Mondo Agnelli: Fiat, Chrysler, and the Power of a Dynasty (Wiley, 2011). When Gianni Agnelli, past president of Fiat and grandson of its founder Giovanni Agnelli, died in 2003, the company was already in dire straits. Gianni’s brother Umberto took over, but died of cancer in 2004, “leaving the family leaderless and the company without a chairman.” Giuseppe Morchio, Fiat’s then-CEO, offered to take control, but the Agnelli family feared this would give him too much power. They refused. He resigned. In desperation, the family turned to Marchionne, who was already a member of Fiat’s board, and successfully running another one of their companies in Switzerland, asking him to take up the mantle of CEO in 2004. As Clark explains, “It was one of the hardest decisions he ever made, because the company was losing millions each day.” But the move paid off. In 2005, Fiat had its first profitable quarter in years and has been making strides ever since.

As Ferri wraps up his speech and welcomes the Fiat-Chrysler CEO to the stage, Marchionne expresses what a great pleasure it is to be back in Ontario, a province he once called home, and to spend time with his long-time friend and fellow Ferrari enthusiast. “One of the things that Remo and I share is the incredible passion for Ferrari. In fact, I did pick up my only North America Ferrari [a 430 Scuderia Spider] here from Remo last year,” says Marchionne, while hinting at possibly purchasing a black California this time around.

But after the pleasantries, Marchionne shifts to business. “Chrysler gained the most market share of any company in Canada in both 2010 and 2011,” he says. “So far, in 2012, we’re the No. 1 seller of vehicles in this country.” He adds that Fiat, which was once struggling with its relaunch into North America, was now on track. “In 2011, the 500 in Canada outsold the Mini Cooper by 50 per cent, and it’s more than doubling it so far this year,” he says to more applause. “And I’m confident we’re on our way to becoming a permanent part of the automotive landscape here in Canada.”

After his speech, Marchionne reiterates his plans to bring Alfa Romeo back to Canada in 2014, and to introduce a new five-seat Fiat 500L and electric 500 next year. But even with all these successes – saving 300,000 American jobs connected to Chrysler through its industrial supply chain, rolling out the Dodge Dart, the first compact sedan Chrysler has produced in over a decade, and making both car companies profitable again – Marchionne remains reserved, instead crediting the work of Fiat and Chrysler’s employees for their success. “The important thing now is to stay humble and maintain the discipline that the restructuring forced, so that we can reap the benefits of the changes that have been made.” And with Marchionne at the wheel, the horizon looks bright.

CL: Your father was a member of the Carabinieri (national military police of Italy). What did he teach you about life, and how did it shape your attitude towards business?

SM: As an officer with the Carabinieri, which would perhaps be similar to the Mounties here in Canada, he passed on to me some of the most precious things in life. He taught me about integrity, civic responsibility and the sense of duty: moral values by which a sense of responsibility always prevails over indifference, action over disinterest, conscientiousness and dedication over the fashion of the day. 

CL: It’s rumoured that you prefer to wear lace-less shoes because it saves time. What is the value of time in this type of industry?

SM: It’s about allocating time and resources. I like simplicity almost to the point of being monastic. That’s why I made a decision to start wearing black sweaters and pants. I don’t want to spend the three seconds deciding whether to wear a blue one or a black one. Wearing lace-less shoes and growing a beard also saves time and helps [to] make my life a little easier.

CL: What’s your favourite Fiat? Do you own any classic Fiats? If so, which ones, and why?

SM: My favourite car among the Fiat-Chrysler range? That’s like asking a parent to pick his favourite child!  No, actually I don’t own any classic cars, but what I can tell you is that my very first car was a Fiat 124 Spider, a gift on my 16th birthday … or maybe a sign of destiny. And now I have some Ferraris, which I almost never drive, unless I find the time to race them on a track. What I drive here is a Charger, a bit modified, but a Charger. In Europe, either I drive a Chrysler 300 or a Grand Cherokee. But my personal garage has a lot of room and lots of cars, including a special matte black version of a 500.

CL: You’ve now helped pull two companies from the precipice of bankruptcy. What’s been the key to making both Fiat and Chrysler major players again?

SM: Simply put: the people. Organizations, when all is said and done, are but a collection of the collective will and aspirations of their people. Every success story is based on the ability of men and women to drive cultural change on a certain order of things. Like any other business, Fiat and Chrysler needed to embrace the challenge of the new and see the future as a huge opportunity. They needed to live the culture of change as a necessity, of feeling comfortable in the discomfort associated with uncertainty, of measuring itself each day and of rooting itself in the values of competition and the market.

And now that the men and women of Fiat and Chrysler have been to hell and back, they have learned to look at the world in a different way than before, like a survivor does. We have gained strength from the experience of overcoming adversity. We don’t shy away from making tough decisions, and we are able to adapt to challenges. And the decisions we make are informed by the experience of near-extinction and a resolve to never again get so perilously close to demise.

www.maranello-fiat.ca

“It’s a feast for the eyes, as well as the palate,” says Daniela Nicosia, co-owner of The Cookie Messenger, Canada’s only cookie bouquet company. Along with her partner, Gioia Grandinetti, the pair creates colourful arrangements of edible art that are ideal for any occasion. For spring celebrations, a pastel floral bouquet will break the mould of conventional sweets, and with Mother’s Day around the bend, a personalized family bouquet with your mother’s photo as the centrepiece is a unique and considerate way of expressing appreciation.

Using all-natural, high-quality, peanut-free ingredients, these customizable and appetizing arrangements are personable and long-lasting, so you can enjoy each mouthful long after the celebration has ended. “Imagine sending a bouquet of flowers that not only look good and smell good, but taste good as well.”

www.cookiemessenger.com
416.262.9058
71 Strada Dr., Unit 1, Woodbridge, Ont.

“For plant roots to thrive, they need a proper balance of moisture, nutrition and aeration,” says Syd Pell at Miracle-Gro. “Clay soil is dense and heavy, with tiny pores, so the oxygen level is low. Water cannot readily pass through, causing drainage problems that essentially drown the plant. At the other extreme, sandy soil has large pores and is low in organic matter, making it difficult to retain nutrients as water drains away far too quickly. If the roots can’t get sufficient water and oxygen to transport nutrients, the plants will shut down.”

Pell points out that because most Canadian homes sit on clay or sandy soil, creating an improved growing environment became a priority for the Miracle-Gro research and development scientists. He says that years of study and testing has resulted in an innovative new product called Expand ‘n Gro. With just a single application, this soil mix can turn native soils, like clay and sand, into lighter, fluffier, more fertile soil.

“Can you imagine your garden with up to three times more vegetables and flowers and much larger plants?” he asks. “Those results – including tomato yields that are up to 12 times more plentiful
– are recorded in field tests of the
new product.”

Pell explains the nature of Expand ‘n Go as a planting mix for use in both containers and in-ground gardens. It contains Miracle-Gro plant food and coir – a sponge-like fibre derived from coconut husks. Once watered, these fibres expand up to three times their size. When mixed with a base soil, this creates up to 90 per cent more air space and makes the soil up to 40 per cent lighter. “This will improve aeration, moisture retention and drainage, giving nearby plant roots what they need
to thrive.”

Expand ‘n Gro is also light to work with. One small bag does the job of a sack of planting mix three times its size. Gardeners can spread a one-inch layer of Expand ‘n Gro on top of the native soil and mix it in four-to-six inches deep. “After that,” says Pell, “the garden’s soil structure will be significantly improved for years.”

STORY COURTESY OF NEWS CANADA

Bullock is especially impressed with its designers, Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M), a Swiss firm that’s created over 70 roller coasters internationally, including Canada’s Wonderland’s Behemoth, which debuted in 2008. “They’re pretty much the most-applauded roller coaster designers. They’ve designed roller coasters that are just revolutionary,” he says, adding that their rides are typically smooth and comfortable, unlike some others that can be punishing on the body. By signing on to design Leviathan, B&M actually broke its own height record, which came as a surprise since the firm previously hesitated to create any coasters over 250 feet. Canada’s Wonderland’s vice-president of marketing, Dave Phillips, compares B&M to the Mercedes-Benz of roller coasters, admitting that the $28 million price tag is a premium worth paying for, even if it comes just four years after investing $26 million into the Behemoth. “Cedar Fair allocates anywhere between $60 – 85 million back into their parks every year in capital investments, so we’re the big benefactor of the big capital investment for 2012,” says Phillips, adding that attendance over the last five years has been one of the top three in North America. “That’s why you build rides like this that have the superlatives … it’s just ways to basically get people’s attention and say, ‘Hey look, this is big, come ride it,’” says Bullock.

Phillips hopes that having two oversized coasters will finally put an end to any lingering rumours surrounding the relocation of Canada’s Wonderland. “It’s become an urban myth that we’re selling; it’s always interesting to me because you know we put in a substantial Behemoth coaster, then we put in the Leviathan, and these aren’t things you just pick up and move,” he says. Testing of the ride will commence in a few weeks, and will consist of filling the 96-seat coaster with water dummies to simulate real people. Once that process is complete, Phillips will be one of the first to jump on-board prior to the official launch on April 27th, which will feature online bidders of the First-To-Ride Auction supporting the SickKids Foundation. “It’ll be that, ‘Here I go!’ The heart races and when it’s all over, your eyes have water in them because of the speed and you come to the station at the end and you’re like, ‘What just happened?’”

www.leviathan.canadaswonderland.com

I’m not trying to brag, but I have a pretty cool job. I produce musicals, write books, host radio shows, shoot videos, get interviewed on TV and help big Canadian companies reach new levels of success. When someone asks what I do for a living, I obviously don’t give them the entire list, and instead default to one thing by saying, “I’m a professional speaker.” Quite often, the person will not dig deeper and will say something like, “Wow, that sounds like fun. And do you live in Toronto?” I kid you not when I say that at least 99 per cent of the time the person I’m speaking with does not follow-up with lines like, ‘Interesting, so what subjects do you talk about on stage?’, ‘How did you get involved in a career like that’, or ‘What types of audiences do you speak to?’ The same happens when it comes up in conversation that I’ve written a book.

I realize that many people will read the above lines and interpret them as being narcissistic. If this is what you are thinking, I can assure you that I have many close friends who are just as interested in my life as I am in theirs. I’m simply trying to illustrate a point. How interesting does the information have to be before someone asks a question? Do we have to win a Stanley Cup, invent the light bulb or go to the moon before someone says, ‘Wow, what was that experience like?’

I’ll say it again: people are fascinating. And it’s the fascinating components of their lives that can be your gateway to an entirely new and exciting world. Every human being that you interact with or pass by on the street has something positive to offer you. It could be the lead on a new job, an introduction to your life partner or a tip on choosing great restaurants in the city. And the only way you’re going to find out is if you ask. If you commit yourself to asking people questions about who they are, you will naturally discover ways in which they can enrich your life.

When people attend networking events, the biggest mistake they make is asking others what they do for a living. Once that person answers, they automatically cross-reference this information with what they themselves do for a living, and often come to the conclusion that this person can’t do anything for me. ‘Oh, you’re a computer engineer? That’s great. I’m a makeup artist.’ But makeup artists can have friends who organize volleyball tournaments and computer engineers can be avid volleyball players. The only way this information is going to squirm its way onto the table is if the person shows interest in the person and not just what they do for a living. Don’t try to network on a career. Instead, network on a life and the results will amaze you.

Speaking of networks, how powerful is yours? If you lost a job, needed a mechanic or wanted to find the best math tutor for your child, how quickly could your network solve that problem for you? The answer to that question can be answered by asking another question: How do people feel when they talk to you? Do they feel excited, interested, enlightened, inspired or plain-old bored? Since the history of time, people go out of their way, promoting and making time for those who have made them feel good. The power of your network is directly related to the way people feel when they are around you. Showing interest in people and making them feel awesome during your conversations gives them every reason to want to contribute to your own life. You are literally strengthening your network one conversation at a time. The success we experience is directly related to the human relationships we hold. The stronger your relationships, the greater your success. That won’t happen if you only talk about the weather.

Everyone has a story, and very few ever get the chance to tell it. That’s an opportunity for you. A better opportunity is to create an amazing story for yourself. Ask the right questions and other people will help you write it.

CL: What is at the heart of your label?
MA: Alya Couture is named after my grandmother – it’s a tribute to her. She was a seamstress for society weddings and I would always accompany her through the market, looking for beads and all those gorgeous silk fabrics that we have in that part of the world [Jordan]. She taught me little secrets of the trade when I was young. Today, I try to make my gowns and dresses work year-round, and really look for longevity and value. Couture dresses in the past were something that were passed on from your great-grandmother to your grandmother, to your mother and now you, who gets to wear it again. This is what I really try to bring back – things that are very well made and of high-quality.

CL: What did you learn while studying at the prestigious fashion school Istituto Marangoni?
MA: I started [in Toronto] at the International Academy of Design and Technology. When I finished, I wanted to be in the big picture, so I thought about going to Paris, Milan, London or New York. Since I was already in North America and London fashion really wasn’t my kind of style, it was either Paris or Milan. I stuck with Milan because I didn’t know any Italian, so I thought maybe I’d pick it up there. I was initially in the one-year master program at Marangoni, which is the school where [Domenico] Dolce, from Dolce & Gabbana, and [Franco] Moschino attended. Because I speak a lot of languages, they would always send me to the fashion shows to work as a dresser and backstage help. I, of course, networked, and got a job with Nazareno Gabrielli, a long-established Italian name that does high-end suiting.

CL: Did you always know that you wanted to design gowns?
MA: I thought I was going to do ready-to-wear, but when the European Union started I couldn’t renew my visa and I had to leave, so I went to Dubai. When I was there, I worked as an image consultant and on television for a while, on shows like What Not to Wear. Then I started working with an event company doing special events with them and costumes. Because that part of the world has lots of events and is really demanding on evening wear, everybody started asking me to do dresses for them. I didn’t really know that I wanted to do gowns, and then I just fell in love with it all over again. It was sort of like digging back to my past.

CL: What is something you know you do differently than others?
MA: A lot of handwork – hand finishes that you can’t do on machines. Most of that time we had sewing machines, but real couture was all handmade. I’m fascinated with beading and I try to incorporate it in my collections as much as possible. I use a lot of chiffon because I like the fluidity and softness of it. It gives a nice silhouette when you walk in it. I always think about that; how is it going to look when the person walks into a room? How is it going to move on her when she’s dancing? Most of my dresses don’t really come to life unless somebody walks in them.

www.alyacouture.com

You can really Lead Without a Title.
Knowing what to do and not doing it is the same as not knowing what to do.
Give away what you most wish to receive.
The antidote to stagnation is innovation.
The conversations you are most resisting are the conversations you most need to be having.
Leadership is no longer about position – but passion. It’s no longer about image but impact. This is Leadership 2.0.
The bigger the dream, the more important to the team.
Visionaries see the “impossible” as the inevitable.
All great thinkers are initially ridiculed – and eventually revered.
The more you worry about being applauded by others and making money, the less you’ll focus on doing the great work that will generate applause. And make you money.
To double your net worth, double your self-worth. Because you will never exceed the height of your self-image.
The more messes you allow into your life, the more messes will become a normal (and acceptable) part of your life.
The secret to genius is not genetics but daily practice married with relentless perseverance.
The best leaders lift people up versus tear people down.
The most precious resource for businesspeople is not their time. It’s their energy. Manage it well.
The fears you run from run to you.
The most dangerous place is in your safety zone.
The more you go to your limits, the more your limits will expand.
Every moment in front of a customer is a gorgeous opportunity to live your values.
You’ll never go wrong in doing what is right.
It generally takes about 10 years to become an overnight sensation.
Never leave the site of a strong idea without doing something to execute around it.
A strong foundation at home sets you up for a strong foundation at work.
Never miss a moment to encourage someone you work with.
Saying “I’ll try” really means “I’m not really committed.”
The secret of passion is purpose.
Do a few things at mastery versus many things at mediocrity.
To have the rewards that very few have, do the things that very few people are willing to do.
Go where no one’s gone and leave a trail of excellence behind you.
Who you are becoming is more important than what you are accumulating.
Accept your teammates for what they are and inspire them to become all they can be.
To triple the growth of your organization, triple the growth of your people.
The best leaders are the most dedicated learners. Read great books daily. Investing in your self-development is the best investment you will ever make.
Other people’s opinions of you are none of your business.
Change is hardest at the beginning, messiest in the middle and best at the end.
Measure your success by your inner scorecard versus an outer one.
Understand the acute difference between the cost of something and the value of something.
Nothing fails like success. Because when you are at the top, it’s so easy to stop doing the very things that brought you to the top.
The best leaders blend courage with compassion.
The less you are like others, the less others will like you.
The thoughts you think today determine the results you’ll see tomorrow.
Excellence in one area is the beginning of excellence in every area.
The real reward for doing your best work is not the money you make but the leader you become.
Passion + production = performance.
The value of getting to your goals lives not in reaching the goal but what the talents/strengths/capabilities the journey reveals to you.
Stand for something. Or else you’ll fall for anything.
Say “thank you” when you’re grateful and “sorry” when you’re wrong.
Make the work you are doing today better than the work you did yesterday.
Small daily – seemingly insignificant – improvements and innovations lead to staggering achievements over time.
Peak performers replace depletion with inspiration on a daily basis.
Take care of your relationships and the sales/money will take care of itself.
You can’t be great if you don’t feel great. Make exceptional health your #1 priority.
Doing the difficult things that you’ve never done awakens the talents you never knew you had.
As we each express our natural genius, we all elevate our world.
Your daily schedule reflects your deepest values.
People do business with people who make them feel special.
All things being equal, the primary competitive advantage of your business will be your ability to grow Leaders Without Titles faster than your industry peers.
Treat people well on your way up and they’ll treat you well on your way down.
Success lies in a masterful consistency around a few fundamentals. It really is simple. Not easy. But simple.
The business (and person) who tries to be everything to everyone ends up being nothing to anyone.
One of the primary tactics for enduring winning is daily learning.
To have everything you want, help as many people as you can possibly find get everything they want.
Understand that a problem is only a problem if you choose to view it as a problem (vs. an opportunity).
Clarity precedes mastery. Craft clear and precise plans/goals/deliverables. And then block out all else.
The best in business spend far more time on learning than in leisure.
Lucky is where skill meets persistence.
The best Leaders Without a Title use their heads and listen to their hearts.
The things that are hardest to do are often the things that are the best to do.
Every single person in the world could be a genius at something, if they practiced it daily for at least ten years (as confirmed by the research of Anders Ericsson and others).
Daily exercise is an insurance policy against future illness. The best Leaders Without Titles are the fittest.
Education is the beginning of transformation. Dedicate yourself to daily learning via books/audios/seminars and coaching.
The quickest way to grow the sales of your business is to grow your people.

http://www.robinsharma.com

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