Revolutionizing the Road Ahead: Traditional to Tech in Automotive

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In this podcast, Jan Griffiths talks to Kristin Trecker, Chief Human Resources Officer at Visteon Corporation, a global auto tech company. The focus is authentic leadership and transformation in the automotive industry —how to roll with change, grow the right mindset, and drive real impact. Trecker shares her 5-year journey in automotive, underlining the need to adapt, learn, and network. She's all about true leadership, especially in these fast-changing times.

Jan and Kristin discuss ditching the old top-down leadership for newer, agile styles. Leaders must flex, admit missteps, and foster learning and teamwork. They also dig into how authentic leadership fuels innovation, spotlighting how Visteon's learning culture and Agile Software method spark small yet game-changing innovations.

Kristin ends by pushing leaders to step up, link with strategy, and grow their businesses. She's all for making things happen, staying in the know, and boosting the auto industry's drive forward. This podcast digs deep into Kristin's journey and leadership impact. It's a roadmap for change, learning, and pushing the industry's pedal to the metal.

Themes discussed in this episode:

• Innovative Transformation in the Automotive Industry
• Developing a Talent Supply Chain
• Visteon’s Holistic Culture Change
• Technological Shift of a Legacy Auto Company
• The Importance of Having a Growth Mindset as a Leader

Featured Guest: Kristin Trecker

What she does: Kristin is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Visteon Corporation. She excels in driving cultural transformation and using technology to propel business success, while her skillful blend of strategic vision and operational prowess nurtures high-achieving teams.

On leadership: “I also asked my team, give me feedback. Did I do something wrong? Or should I have done something different? …. Because no leader is perfect. And if you can develop that two-way conversation, that mutual trust, you can just go so much more quickly.”

Mentioned in this episode:

• Sachin Lawande, President and CEO of Visteon Corporation  
• The Automotive Leaders Podcast Episode 36: Meet Warren Harris, CEO of Tata Technologies
• The Automotive Leaders Podcast Episode 65: Meet Stephen M. R. Covey, Global authority on trust, leadership, and culture. New York Times best-selling author
• The Automotive Leaders Podcast Episode 78: Meet the ‘Godfather of the EV’ and CEO of Switch Mobility, Dr. Andy Palmer

Episode Highlights:

[00:05:24] Revolutionizing Talent Supply Chain: Kristin delves into the concept of the talent supply chain and its transformative impact on the automotive industry. Drawing parallels from traditional supply chain practices, Kristin explains how Visteon is reshaping its organizational culture to resemble a tech company, fostering employee empowerment and accountability.

[00:08:24] Empowering Gen Z in the Workforce: Jan and Kristin explore the shifts in workforce expectations and values, highlighting Gen Z's emphasis on purpose-driven work and aligning company culture with individual contributions. They discuss how embracing these changes can increase engagement, meaningful connections, and positive organizational impact.

[00:15:29] Reimagining Performance Management: Jan and Kristin candidly discuss the shortcomings of traditional annual performance reviews and the need for a more agile and employee-centric approach. They emphasize the value of ongoing conversations, real-time recognition, and transparent feedback to foster trust, alignment, and rapid growth within organizations.

[00:27:18] Balancing Tradition and Innovation: The conversation delves into the challenge of balancing automotive industry traditions with the demand for innovation and rapid transformation. Kristin and Jan discuss how companies must evolve their cultures and leadership styles to align with new industry trends.

[00:32:32] Applying Lessons from Other Industries: Kristin draws parallels between Formula One racing and the automotive industry, emphasizing the value of iterative improvements and the role of technology in driving success. The conversation highlights the importance of being open to change and embracing new ideas.

[00:36:18] The 21 Traits of Authentic Leadership: Kristin Trecker's favorite trait of authentic leadership is the "growth mindset," which aligns with her passion for continuous learning and adapting to new challenges. She emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself and being open to new possibilities.

[00:44:59] Advice for auto industry leaders: Kristin recognizes the importance of creating an impact in an ever-evolving landscape, empowering leaders to steer through industry shifts and trends with purpose and vision.

Top Quotes:

[00:04:59] Kristin: "Asking for help when you need help. I think that's probably something that will speed up how your company operates when you can develop that sort of culture.”

[00:05:31] Jan: "You do you, the only thing you can control truly in this world is yourself. You cannot control what others think of you and you cannot control their behavior. But you can control you, and you can influence your team.”

[00:11:29] Kristin: "I think culture is all about a lot of little things that you do within your company, it's decisions that you make, it's how you interact with people, it's where you focus, and that creates culture."

[00:37:46] Jan: "Growth mindset brings you back to being 100%, your authentic self and believing in yourself.”

[00:44:59] Kristin:  "Find a way to make an impact in your business."