What does your CEO Drive?
A recent study shows that 12% of CEOs in the United States drive a Mercedes Benz vehicle. This puts Mercedes nearly in a tie with BMW (which garnered 13% of CEOs who responded). One especially interesting aspect of the survey was that, out of all the employees who were interviewed, only 10% did not know what kind of vehicle their CEO drives.
This begs the question: what does your CEO’s car say about her?
Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, is famous for having driven a Ford pickup for most of his life. Warren Buffet drove the same Lincoln Continental for seven years. Some CEOs choose to drive a hybrid to show their concern for the environment. Some CEOs drive sports cars, to demonstrate that they are risk-takers or quick movers.
When your CEO drives a Mercedes vehicle, however, it says something different. It says that your CEO cares about quality. In many ways, it also says, “I’m a success, and so is our company. I’m proud of what our company has done, and want to show it off with a Mercedes vehicle.” In some ways, it helps to give employees confidence that the company is doing well.
Of course, choice of car can have an unintended effect, too. If a CEO is generally disliked around a company, any car choice will be the wrong one. If employees see their CEO as distant and even stuck up, they’ll criticize his choice of a BMW. On the other hand, if that same CEO drives a GMC pickup, they’ll criticize him for “pretending” to be able to relate to them.
CEOs who have a lot of dealings with client companies or vendor companies may choose to drive Mercedes vehicles to demonstrate to those other companies how stable and successful his company is. They recognize that a person’s choice of vehicle says a lot about them, and they want to put out the best possible impression. A Mercedes is one of the best ways to do just that.
Clearly, a CEO’s choice of vehicle is an extension of his relationship with his employees, with his company, and even with those his company does business with. If you’re a CEO or are interested in portraying an image of success, visit your Devon area Mercedes Benz dealership today.
Filed Under: Fashion & Lifestyle
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