Denny Slagle, president and CEO of Mack Trucks, the second-largest producer of heavy trucks in the world, learned quite a bit about himself and his workforce when he dyed his hair and grew his beard for a tour of his company's manufacturing operations. During his stint on CBS' Undercover Boss, his expectations about his employees and their dedication to the 110-year-old truck maker were reinforced, but his own predisposition to learn too fast was altered. Slagle explained to BNET's Matthew DeBord his takeaways from the experience.
Mack Trucks CEO Denny Slagle Fails at Being a Superperformer
Mack Trucks CEO Denny Slagle Fails at Being a Superperformer
Going After It Full-Bore
BNET: What compelled you to go on the show?
Slagle: We were approached by the producers on April 1, so initially we thought it was a joke. When we found out it was serious, I went through the appropriate channels, to see if it would be okay with our board of directors. And then we went after it full-bore. It was an opportunity to showcase our employees and what we're doing.
BNET: What was your disguise?
Slagle: I didn't come up with it myself. We collaborated with the producers. I had a light beard that was dyed, my hair was colored darker, and I wore heavy glasses. When my family saw it, they were absolutely flabbergasted.
BNET: How did it work out?
Slagle: I was always afraid of being found out. But no one recognized me. In one instance, I encountered a manger I'd been in a meeting with two weeks before. He just said that they were glad to have me.
Mack Trucks CEO Denny Slagle Fails at Being a Superperformer
The CEO Makes a Fool of Himself
BNET: How was your performance?
Slagle: I had to learn to slow down and get things right. I wanted to superperform, and I didn't want to make a fool of myself...but I made a fool of myself.
BNET: Were there any examples of that?
Slagle: On one occasion, I mistook a scanning gun for a drill. One of the people I was working with at the time thought it was so funny that they just about spit out their chaw of tobacco. I was also concerned that someone would refer to the CEO, but no one did. But I was ready if it came.
Mack Trucks CEO Denny Slagle Fails at Being a Superperformer
Exceeding Expectations
BNET: Did you learn anything important about Mack Trucks or its employees?
Slagle: That we need to capitalize on the skills we have at our factories. Our employees' abilities exceeded my expectations. They are genuinely concerned about the performance of the company. They want to make sure that they have a secure future.
Mack Trucks CEO Denny Slagle Fails at Being a Superperformer
It's a Business, Not a Country Club. But ...
BNET: Will Mack do anything differently because of your experience?
Slagle: We need to involve our employees more in decision-making. This is a business, not a country club, of course. We need to be productive. But there are things we can do to better the working conditions at our facilities, such as improving ergonomics.
Mack Trucks CEO Denny Slagle Fails at Being a Superperformer
Working on 100 Percent Commitment
BNET: Has this experience changed the way that you'll manage the company?
Slagle: I walked the production lines before, but I'll walk them differently now. I also learned that before the financial crisis, there were excesses on both the management and labor sides. But a lot of that has been scrubbed out of the system now. What we like to say is that if 100 percent commitment is the cost of doing business, then we need to work on every percent.