Grassroot Leadership - Ford Motor Co.
Ford has always attracted and nurtured capable managers and technicians, but it has failed to do the same for change agents and leaders. So, as part of the automaker's cultural overhaul, Ford is embarking on a sweeping attempt to mass-manufacture leaders. It wants to build an army of “warrior entrepreneurs” — people who have the courage and skills to topple old ideas, and who believe in change passionately enough to make it happen.
Ford Motor Company announced key changes to its senior management team as it continues to strengthen its automotive business, improve the company's operational fitness, and accelerate a strategic shift to capitalize on emerging opportunities. In announcing the leadership changes, Ford President and CEO Jim Hackett said Ford Motor Company is very fortunate to have an experienced and committed executive team in place to significantly strengthen their business while building towards their vision of becoming the world's most trusted mobility company. Their objective is to lead business to new levels of operational fitness, product and brand excellence and profitability.
Ford views grassroot leadership as the best vehicle for creating a successful business.
The management function being explained in the above passage is:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Directing
Option (1) Controlling — Incorrect. Controlling compares actual performance with standards and corrects deviations. The passage does not speak of this.
Option (2) Directing — Correct. The passage is about building leaders who can inspire change. Leadership is one of the four elements of directing, along with supervision, motivation and communication. Directing is the function of instructing, guiding and inspiring people so that they work towards the goals of the organisation.
Option (3) Planning — Incorrect. Planning decides in advance what to do and how. Ford’s vision is mentioned, but the passage is about developing leaders, not about making plans.
Option (4) Staffing — Incorrect. Staffing fills jobs with the right people. Ford’s concern is how people lead and bring change, which is directing.
Note: The passage is the NCERT case study ‘Grassroot Leadership - Ford Motor Co.’, which has been reproduced by NTA in the exam.
NCERT (2026-27 Edition): “Ford has always attracted and nurtured capable managers and technicians, but it has failed to do the same for change agents and leaders. So, as part of the automaker’s cultural overhaul, Ford is embarking on a sweeping attempt to mass-manufacture leaders. It wants to build an army of “warrior-entrepreneurs” — people who have the courage and skills to topple old ideas, and who believe in change passionately enough to make it happen.” “Meaning … In the context of management of an organisation, directing refers to the process of instructing, guiding, counselling, motivating and leading people in the organisation to achieve its objectives. You can observe here that directing is not a mere issue of communication but encompasses many elements like supervision, motivation and leadership. It is one of the key managerial functions performed by every manager. …” |