All Cars, All the Time

Fields to Jet Home With the Rest of Us

...well, he'll be on the same plane at least.

When your company is in trouble, and Ford certainly is, everyone has to tightened their belts. Recently Mark Fields came under criticism for using Ford’s company jet to go home to Florida on the weekends. Regardless of what you think about Fields living in Florida instead of Michigan, there was this issue of a private jet taking him home. Of course the deal was all “above board” with Fields’ contract including this feature as a perk. A really pricey perk. In a gesture of support Mr. Fields has elected to take commercial flights and not the company jet. Of course Ford will pick up the cost of the tickets, but those tickets are a bargain compared to what the company was spending.

It’s the right move to make, it’s just a shame that it took public scrutiny to make it happen. I know that some executives feel entitled to the perks they receive because they believe themselves to be the best and deserve to reap the benefits. However, now is not the time to take Ford to the cleaners. Want perks? How about free Ford vehicles to give to friends and family instead of private jet trips? That shows support for your brands and still gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling that your getting all that you deserve.

As one boss said to me right before he fired a co-worker of mine, “No one is irreplaceable.”