Charlie Rose GM Fest with Rick Wagoner and Bob Lutz

Charlie Rose is one of the best interviewers on TV in the US. The other is Brian Lamb of C-SPAN. Both ask questions designed to not only get information but encourage conversations. They aren't part of the self-indulgent "it's all about me" cable TV crowd.

That was most evident on Charlie Rose's PBS show Monday and Tuesday nights this week. He devoted both shows to General Motors (GM/NYSE). It was great stuff -- and I'd have enjoyed both immensely even if I wasn't a (currently underwater) GM shareholder.

The first night Rose devoted the entire hour to sitting down with Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner. From the point of view of GM stockholders, this may have been the most important of the two shows. And that's because this is where the discussion involved cash, cash burn and bankruptcy.

But the highlight was definitely the second night -- which featured Bob Lutz.

Much of this hour was about the Chevy Volt (which figured prominently the first night as well). Rose conducted these interviews in Michigan and you can tell he's excited about the Volt for environmental reasons, and because it's GM's chance to "leapfrog" and be a "game-changer." All well and good. And, if the Chevy Volt is a big hit in 2010, Lutz will go down in American business history -- and maybe even American history, period. If that proves to be the case, I hope observers remember to credit Rick Wagoner for hiring him (one of the smartest moves anyone in authority can make is to hire people smarter than they are).

But I enjoyed the Lutz interviews for more than just the Chevy Volt. For one thing, the man is 76 years old and looks 50, if not younger. He's sharp, funny, and you can tell he's a leader. Listening to him talk, you get the feeling that those working under him respect him totally and would leap over tall buildings to please him. Not because he rules them with whip but because he inspires them. How many supervisors can do that? Not many (and it may take leaping over tall buildings to bring the Volt off successfully).

When I bought GM stock in 2005, I knew of Lutz very generally -- that he was a "car guy" come out of retirement in a place (Detroit) run by financial types for far too long. I had never seen him interviewed at length. And maybe that's a good thing, at least at the time.

I like to buy companies with good management, but I try to resist the temptation of falling in love with any one executive. ESPN personalities often poke fun at each other over having a "man crush" on certain athletes. And right now, my knees are getting weak for a certain grey-haired stud in Motor City.

Would I buy GM stock if I didn't own it already based solely on these Charlie Rose programs? No, anyone still needs to do their due diligence. But I would be rooting for Lutz -- and Wagoner -- even if I didn't own the stock. And I hope Lutz one day writes a book.

Comments

[Dr. Hans J. Kugler, PhD]

Wow!!!
Have they stopped trying to push the - bottomline polluting - hydrogen car down our throats?
With the sound of crushing the EV1 still in our ears, its hard to believe (-but I wish they would-)that GM is really serious about the Volt.

[John]

Dr. Hans: Did you see the Charlie Rose shows? Some think GM is not only serious about the Volt, but practically betting the company on it.

[Dr. Hans J. Kugler, PhD]

John:
Yes, I saw the show.
I wish that GM would be serious about it!!!
Plug-in hybrids are definitely the most important cars. Wouldn't it be nice if an American company would do it, before beaten to the punch by a foreign car Co.?? BUT
A Chevy $ 40,000+???
Then you have to lease a ($ 30,000 value) battery pack???
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