Nickname: Morty

Review: Execution is what it will take to get Nortel back on track. After 2 stints at Nortel, I decided to head for greener pastures. Nortel has some great people, great culture, and is well liked by many in the marketspace. But the missing magic ingredient is execution! You need to walk the talk and deliver-- from the channel partners on the street through the ranks of order management, product development, etc. Best of luck as you turn the ship around! It should be an exciting journey!

Date reviewed: Jan 26, 2006 8:02 PM

Nickname: FromTheHeart

Review: Mr. Zafirovski - Watch out for Nortel VPs and Directors that survived all the cuts. Getting rid of all these wily resources is the first step you should take. A lot of Nortel talent in Product Marketing has been lost during the last four years when HR ruled the roost. Get rid of every single HR person there. It is Technology Leadership and Customer Relationships that made Nortel successful, not HR, Finance and Legal folks. Bill Owens was taken for a ride by Senior Management at Nortel. Don't let yourself get stuck in the same situation. Hire back some of the Alumni who have been with the company for more than six years.

Date reviewed: Oct 19, 2005 11:27 PM

Nickname: ulvi

Review: I do not think Nortel will get around its problems with constantly changing its CEO. Remember, John Roth, Frank Dunn, Bill Owens. And now Mr.Zafirowski. I am afraid during the 5 years decline in the sector, Nortel has lost its very own precious product development and marketing guys that might lead it back on track when upward trend is started. So as the market share shrunk, Nortel has cut its own branches. Now it is mentioned that, Nortel is not a big player any of the market segment it's playing. What else did they expect? Again, unfortunately Nortel has already lost its main power engines and for a while it will be struggling to either build up new engines, or shrink a bit more to fill up smaller holes. I hope Mr. Zafirowski will take the harder way and make Nortel a big player again. Good luck.

Date reviewed: Oct 19, 2005 10:02 AM

Nickname: Wilson

Review: I left Nortel becuase I had no faith in the executive leadership team. Owens was another executive who could not meet his commitments in a timely manner, yet he will be rewarded financially. Very typical of this company.

Date reviewed: Oct 19, 2005 2:40 AM

Nickname: stock holder

Review: Good luck Mr. Zafirovski! The first order of business should be to hire a sales executive and an operations executive from your primary competitor! Fire up the sales force and give them the products and systems they need to win!

Date reviewed: Oct 18, 2005 9:21 PM

Nickname: ExNorteler

Review: Good Luck to the new CEO. Please get rid of that inverse pyramid and let the talented employees at the lower rings of the echelon show you what they can really accomplish. The back stabbing has been going on for too long and along the way stupid mistakes (eg selling off the Access and DSL business)were made because of territorial (read Business Units) wars and greedy executives whose yearly goals were not share holders values but stuffing their own pockets with options and bonuses.

Date reviewed: Oct 18, 2005 8:30 PM

Nickname: Roger

Review: Having been a client of Nortel for many years and having had to pay for it personally because of too much chutzpah, too much "macho" posturing and too little in the way of concrete, sustainable and world-leading action, I firmly believe that the sharp no-nonsense focus of an energetic athlete like Mike Zafirovski will help revitalize Nortel...and maybe it will finally discover and exploit what its good at...besides "fudging stuff". Tough mission...lets hope the Board give him the support he needs...surgery without anasthetic requires courage, conviction and, yes, support!

Date reviewed: Oct 18, 2005 7:02 PM

Nickname: nene

Review: sono sicura di grande successo per mr. Zafirovsky (lo dicono le stelle) 2 scogli da superare ma ce la fara'. In bocca al lupo Mike...stai sicuro, il lupo morira'. ciao nene [Editor's Transalation: I'm sure of great success for Mr. Zafirovsky (they say it will be the stars)...2 obstacles to overcome but he'll do it. Good luck]

Date reviewed: Oct 18, 2005 4:34 PM

Nickname: Oracletoddler

Review: Thank you for a great article that is also very true. And as far as your future vision for Nortel - I am sure Zafirovski shall deliver and surprise us all. Good luck on your new position Zafirovski. You got a great company to lead and a wonderful experience and talent to excel it! Oracletoddler

Date reviewed: Oct 18, 2005 3:48 PM

Nickname: can2usa

Review: The market challenges will be huge, but motivating the current staff will be a bigger challenge. To date, most employees have worked out of fear of losing their job without even cost of living increases for the past 5 years. During that period executives have enriched themselves with $million bonuses for staying, going and starting. The 'illegal' bonuses delivered $10m to ~30k employees and $60m to a couple of hundred execs. Everyone is doing a good job 9-5, but there is little or no 'extra' effort' - the thing that makes companies successful. Mike has his work cut out.

Date reviewed: Oct 18, 2005 3:30 PM