In the premiere episode of "Undercover Boss," a new prime time television program, Larry O'Donnell, a 1980 engineering graduate, trades office meetings for garbage collection.
As a result, he teaches himself and America poignant lessons in running a multi-national company with 45,000 employees.
Larry, president of Waste Management since 2004, agreed to participate on the show to garner an up-close look at the frontlines of his company. As an anonymous trainee in different positions, he could see how and where improvements could be made from both an operational and morale standpoint.
“Undercover Boss” follows high level corporate executives as they slip anonymously into the rank and file of their own companies. Along the way they learn about themselves, the effects their decisions have on others, where the problems lie within their organization, the perception of their company and discover the unsung heroes of their work force.
The show debuted at a special time following the Super Bowl, Sunday, Feb. 7 on the CBS Television Network. The series moved to its regular Sunday (9-10 p.m., ET) time period on Feb. 14.
Friday, Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. in the ACES Conference Room 2.401, students from the Cockrell School of Engineering and McCombs School of Business viewed the episode with Larry O'Donnell before it aired nationwide and asked him questions about corporate leadership. His responses can be viewed on the Cockrell School YouTube site.
