Advice from the Top: At Johnson Controls, growth is good

— -- But Johnson Controls, maker of automotive interiors and auto batteries and an expert on making buildings energy efficient, intends to do that and more. It plans 50,000 more employees the next three to four years, says new CEO Stephen Roell, 57, who offered advice to USA TODAY corporate management reporter Del Jones on how mature members of the mega club can stay aggressive and avoid growth pitfalls. Following are excerpts edited for clarity and space.

Q: If growth were easy, every company would be Google. What makes it so difficult?

A: The biggest obstacle is the depth of management, to have managers who can operate globally in foreign and emerging markets.

Q: The U.S. economy has turned dicey. We may be in a recession. Time to play it safe?

A: We're a little contrarian. I still believe that this is purely a correction in what was an overheated residential housing market. There is no reason to believe that the non-residential market will fall in a typical recession. We're seeing growth in health care, education, even office buildings and airports. A slowdown seems to be the concern of people in our stock. But we see double-digit growth opportunities across a wide spectrum. A lot of companies are enjoying international growth, and that is going to allow them to get through this cycle. There is always opportunity.

Q: We're deep into the political season. Are you seeing anything from presidential candidates that might threaten long-term growth and job creation?

A: I'm watching for any unique positions on energy, but I'm not seeing anything that alarms me. It's probably not a topic they think they can differentiate their platform on. They've decided to focus on the economy or the war. I'm looking to see the candidates' view of isolation and their willingness to work across the world. I'm looking for free trade, open markets. (He declined to say whether he endorses a particular candidate.)