General Motors CEO Mary Barra personally responds to every letter she receives, maintaining a handwritten tradition despite leading a $65 billion automaker, according to fortune.com. At the 2025 New York Times DealBook Summit, Barra highlighted that she writes back to all correspondences, ranging from loyal Chevrolet drivers to concerned schoolchildren affected by plant closures.
Barra’s practice of replying by pen and paper continues even as AI technologies have automated many communication tasks. She described receiving letters from customers marking milestones like odometer readings of 200,000 to 400,000 miles, as well as letters expressing dissatisfaction. This hands-on approach reflects her belief in intentional communication, a habit she has maintained throughout her career at GM, from assembly line worker to CEO.
This personalized engagement underscores Barra’s leadership style, which has helped her repeatedly top Fortune’s list of Most Powerful Women in Business. Her openness to direct communication fosters respect and humanizes the corporate leadership, making the company’s top office more accessible to workers, customers, and strangers alike. Barra has emphasized that while no one is always right, openness and responsiveness are key to building trust.
Barra’s commitment to responding to every letter exemplifies a leadership approach that values direct connection. She spoke about this practice at the 2025 New York Times DealBook Summit, reinforcing the importance of personal communication even in a high-tech, fast-paced industry.