Alan Mulally

The automobile has moved into the mainstream of our integrated digital world.

I found a new love in Google. I'm a Googler now.

It is just more rewarding to do things in a supportive environment.

What I've learned is the power of a compelling vision.

The most important thing that most countries around the world believe in is letting the markets determine the currency.

Positive leadership - conveying the idea that there is always a way forward - is so important, because that is what you are here for - to figure out how to move the organization forward. Critical to doing that is reinforcing the idea that everyone is included.

At the most fundamental level, it is an honor to serve - at whatever type or size of organization you are privileged to lead, whether it is a for-profit or nonprofit. It is an honor to serve. Starting from that foundation, it is important to have a compelling vision and a comprehensive plan.

Where you really get in trouble is if the market is dropping and the economy's slowing down and you don't take action.

I know how inter-dependent the world is.

I've just seen it all - I've seen the bird flu, I've seen the Asian economic meltdown, SARS, 9/11, economic cycles.

I've been through geopolitical and economic cycles.

I taught my executive team how to argue.

We've always loved the automobile, and we all love Henry Ford's original vision to open the highways to all mankind, the freedom and movement.

Ford had a number of different strategies over the years that they thought obviously made sense at the time, just like all the different brands, and also the regional operations.

Google is really committed to improving everything. So it has been really fun to participate in all of their different moonshots.

The Chinese love Ford's product line: they love the quality, the fuel-efficiency, the safety, the brand.

All of us want to know that we are doing great things, that we are touching a lot of people, and that what we are doing is something bigger than ourselves.

Consumers want safe and really efficient automobiles.

I was the lead designer and the general manager of the triple 7 and, of course, the dynamite 787.

There's a Ford dealer in every city around the United States. They're the fabric of the community. They're either head of the chamber of commerce or the priest, or I mean they're just the fabric of America, and they took care of us.

My favorite expression is a tag line or an advertising and marketing campaign that Ford ran a number of years ago. They ran it for almost 12 years, and it was, 'Have you driven a Ford lately?'

More and more people realize the importance of economic growth, near-term and long-term in the U.S., and the competitiveness with other countries around the world.

Whatever we do toward energy independence has to be done in the context of using less resources.

If you're going to be world-class, you have to focus.

We don't worry over macro-economic factors when investing, as we are always thinking about the long-term.

The reason I loved working at Boeing was because I loved the idea of air travel as a way of bringing people and cultures together - because when we come together as people and cultures, we realize that we are not that different after all, and when we realize that we are not that different after all, the world becomes a better place.

I don't see anything changing about our desire for quality and fuel efficiency and safety and smart design, no matter what the vehicle size.

It's all about competitiveness: are you making the products that people really do want and value, and are you making it more efficiently and using less resources and less time than the competition?

It's just really important that we have boundaries and guidelines to operate. Our homes, the cars, everything is going to be on the Internet. And so what are the guidelines? What do we want?

Both Boeing and Ford are absolutely committed to safe and efficient transportation.

It was an honor to serve at Boeing on the 777.

It's really important that we have an improvement curve on fuel mileage and CO2 reduction.

With Sync technology, we're seamlessly connected to the Internet, hands-free, and able to focus on the road but also able to handle guidance and navigation and play your music.

The similarities between commercial airplanes and automobiles are striking. It's all about safe and efficient transportation using the latest technology and the best fuel efficiency.

I'm more convinced than when I accepted this job that we can create a viable Ford Motor Co. that makes cars and trucks that people really do prefer. And we can make them using minimum resources and minimum time and be competitive with our competition.

A gas tax could be one important element of an integrated energy policy.

Man, have I become a car guy!

When I arrived in Ford, a decision was made to sell many marquee brands. This was because 85 per cent of the sales were from Ford and Lincoln brands. We were clear that for the company's strong future, we needed to focus on the Ford brands.

I believe America should make things.

I had a great life at Boeing. I'd been there for 37 years and contributed to all the Boeing airplanes as a designer: the 707, 727, 37, 47, 57, 67 and 'triple 7' and the 87.

Having one national standard for mpg and CO2 is extremely important.

If you have to improve your fuel efficiency every year, it leads to innovation.

The purpose of business is to make a reasonable return by making products and services that people want and value. If you are not, you are wasting resources.

I grew up with Microsoft. I know the leadership of Microsoft.

I have a lot of respect for Microsoft.

At Ford, one of the behaviors is you listen, and you don't have side conversations during the meeting. It's just so important everybody stays focused.

My career has been spent developing airplanes.

Everybody cares about not only quality and functionality, but they also want the power of choice, whether it's a small vehicle or a large vehicle.

We're so interdependent, and what one country does is such an important part of what happens in the global economy.

I really do believe that working together works, and it's amazing to me.