I come at this wth a perspective of multiple years of experience in GO and in the Divisions and yes the Stores as well. The day that Dave Dillon left as the leader of the company started us on the path we are on today. The decisions since his departure are a direct result of challenges that the company is facing. This calamity of errors will find their way into Business School curriculum and at some point be an example of a Classic Business Case Study with the purpose of teaching future business leaders what not to do.
I have seen many comments on this website that says Rodney is greedy. I don't believe for one moment that he is personally greedy or wants one more dollar that he currently has. All in all, he lives a very simple life considering his wealth and is in fact very charitable.
Power is the motivator for Rodney and not Greed. In his efforts to establish and maintain the power that sustains him, he made many mistakes including the following:
- -He had to have a $250 Billion Company in 5 Years. Why and for Who? In his desire to achieve this we have left the true values of the company and repaced them with posted slogans on the conference room walls and playing emotional videos with little jingle music at the beginning of each meeting. Any company that has to print its core values on every correspondance, state its purpose (Feeding the Human Spirit), and start every meeting and conference call with an Uplift! is "Fake News." and nothing but Wall Art. The truth is if you have to tell someone that you are honest and are of high character, then there is a problem.
- He is an isolationist. He systematically controls his environment and the people around him (the Directors, executive leadership, etc.). He does not like to be challenged or questioned. He hates when he has to compete for the air in the room. Some would say that this is the reason that Don McGeorge got fed up and left. Their was not enough room for Dave, Rodney, and Don to coexist. We would have been better off under Don. He knows the Grocery Business.
- -Rodney thought he was Entitled. As a young whipper snapper financial guru, he was credited with saving the Kroger Company after the attemped KKR takeover in the late 80's. His contribution in debt restructuring and debt management was considered to have saved the day. This very well may be true, however, I think that falling interest rates quarter over quarter for several years as well as favorable commodity prices driving manufacturing profits may have had a little something to do with it also.
- -He does not believe in Inclusion: Now this may be where some of you from non-Kroger Banner Divisions get a little sideways with me but here goes it. He has insulated himself with non-Kroger
Banner leadership. That is all except for his God Daughter. His Leadership team have brought their cronies into their leadership teams and have absolutely made it impossible for any Kroger Banner leader to move up or much less matter. Look at the Division Presidents. Most are all from over Rockies or from outside the company. Look at the VP's in G.O. How many Merchandising Folkes in leadership are from Kroger Banner Divisions? Just 1 that I know of and he just got there after being on a West Coast assignment for a couple of years. I personally don't care where leadership comes from but when there is no balance, no inclusion, your not going to get the best. Remember that "Inclusion" is one of those words that we put in print and post on our conference room walls (Wall Art) that the company has to make sure that you know that it stands for.
- -Tim Massa: Rodney made a very very bad hire here. The Chief People Officer is so full of himself. Really Timmy, taking inside camera shots of you and a guest going for a little ride along is well, narcissistic. Even if you didn't come up with that stupid idea, anyone with any wisdom whatsoever would see how childish that is. So Timmy must be a Manchild.
Ok. Time to go to bed but hope to finish tomorow.