RIM is past the point of being in hard shape as a company — they are in dire need of change and it has to be done now.

[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]The pompous attitude of the company’s leaders and the disastrous product launches of late clearly show that RIM has lost touch with what will make a device popular these days. Whether it’s a smartphone or a tablet, RIM has no idea what to do anymore.

Here are seven things that I feel RIM must do to get itself back on course”

1. Get rid of co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Baisille. This is the most important change the company needs to make. These two are responsible for RIM’s successes and they are solely responsible for its downfall. If they are allowed to stay, the company is doomed.

These two should be replaced with one CEO that has vision, not just a number cruncher. I’m sure RIM has lots of people that can make sure projects are on budget, but it’s sorely lacking people that have the outlook to make a product people will buy in two or three years.

2. Get back to basics. Just like any good hockey team that’s going through a tough time, RIM needs to simplify. It needs to start releasing products that pass quality control, instead of pushing known buggy products to customers. It doesn’t get any simpler than giving your customers something that works.

3. Innovate. At this point, RIM can’t innovate or follow. They’ve tried to follow Apple and have proven to be failures at doing that. While simplifying, have a team of engineers innovating on the hardware and software side of things. Focus on products for next year and the year after, not things you can release next month.

4. Be ready. The PlayBook is a perfect example of a company not being ready for what’s coming. RIM was completely caught off guard by the iPhone and then by the iPad. This goes right back to poor leadership, but everyone in the company has to be ready and willing to make changes.

5. Work on QNX. If QNX is in fact the next generation operating system for future RIM devices, then make sure its ready. While the OS is okay right now, it’s still far from what’s being offered by the competition.

6. Stop making stupid promises. Mike and Jim are full of stupidity. I’ve never seen CEOs make so many stupid statements as these two did in the months leading up to the launch of the PlayBook.

7. Hire some new engineers. It’s time for some new blood at RIM. Do whatever you have to, pay whatever they want, but go to some of the top companies and hire away their people. This also means cleaning house at RIM to make room. It has to be done.

RIM needs to address its problems and it needs to do it now. The new CEO should talk to the press once to tell them what’s going to happen in broad strokes and then get to work.