Winning

By Jack Welch and Suzy Welch

Book Overview

Jack Welch knows how to win. During his forty-year career at General Electric, he led the company to year-after-year success around the globe, in multiple markets, against brutal competition. His honest, be-the-best style of management became the gold standard in business, with his relentless focus on people, teamwork, and profits. Since Welch retired in 2001 as chairman and chief executive officer of GE, he has traveled the world, speaking to more than 250,000 people and answering their questions on dozens of wide-ranging topics. Inspired by his audiences and their hunger for straightforward guidance, Welch has written both a philosophical and pragmatic book, which is destined to become the bible of business for generations to come. It clearly lays out the answers to the most difficult questions people face both on and off the job. Welch's objective is to speak to people at every level of an organization, in companies large and small. His audience is everyone from line workers to MBAs, from project managers to senior executives. His goal is to help everyone who has a passion for success. Welch begins Winning with an introductory section called "Underneath It All," which describes his business philosophy. He explores the importance of values, candor, differentiation, and voice and dignity for all. The core of Winning is devoted to the real "stuff" of work. This main part of the book is split into three sections. The first looks inside the company, from leadership to picking winners to making change happen. The second section looks outside, at the competition, with chapters on strategy, mergers, and Six Sigma, to name just three. The next section of the book is about managing your career--from finding the right job to achieving work-life balance. Welch's optimistic, no excuses, get-it-done mind-set is riveting. Packed with personal anecdotes and written in Jack's distinctive no b.s. voice, Winning offers deep insights, original thinking, and solutions to nuts-and-bolts problems that will change the way people think about work.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060753943
• ISBN13: 9780060753948
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

One Word: EXCELLENT

This is an excellent book! From the moment you start reading you will not be able to put it down! This is not a book from someone that simply went to Yale or Harvard and in his late 30's decided to write a book that just reiterates what he learned in Business School! This is a book from a seasoned Chief Executive who was on the Top of one of the biggest companies in the world....GE! He has seen it all and experienced all that a company (large or small) will go through. The values and principles he describes in his book are second to none and can be applied in any company! Want to know how it feels to be the boss and want to achieve results.....then by all means read Jack's Book!!

words from a man at the top !!!

A wide canvas is painted by the author who needs no introduction. From basic fundamentals of values , mission and strategy to People leadership, Mergers and crisis management. It is interesting to see how minds of CEOs work and their perspectives on various organizational dimensions. Shows how mindset needs to change when a functional manager aspires to become a generalist.

Learn how to win from Jack

This book is fabulous. Jack writes about what it takes to make intelligent choices and gives some great examples. Years ago, I heard Jack ask the question, "How do we identify the best?" and it struck me that this man doesn't settle for second best. From business decisions such as acquisitions and human resources, Jack shows himself as an optimizer. So if you want to win in business, read this book from cover to cover. I highly recommend Optimal Thinking (Wiley) to be read in tandem to minimize downtime and make the most of any situation.

Welch gave this one all his attention

This book shows a lot of passion and careful thinking from Jack Welch. It's a great representation of his latest ideas applied to modern business. There is also a level of honesty in his perspective that is refreshing compared to other books he has written in recent years. I just read a Wall Street Journal article where he discussed emotional intelligence as a critical quality leaders need, so I also purchased "The Emotional Intelligence Quick Book." It was really great and an excellent pairing to this book.

A slightly more insightful Jack Welch shares wisdom

There are two ways to look at this book and at Jack's management philosophies. One can focus on Jack Welch the person, or Jack Welch the business leader. For those who choose to focus on Jack Welch as a person and how he lived his personal life, then I suggest he is not the man to follow. However, if you want some simple, powerful and proven management practices, then he is arguably one of the best ever. I continue to be amazed at the simple clarity of his message: empower others, ask questions, tap into the potential of all of your associates, choose integrity and candor over charts, graphs, and politics, and spend more time in action instead of planning and posturing budgets. I cannot read his words, or hear him speak without feeling again as I did as a member of his team at GE. Without fail, I was inspired and honored to be at a company which really believed that bureaucracy was to be avoided, and those who could look at reality without the politics and act accordingly were highly regarded. The one aspect I did not count on was that after leaving GE due to geographical and travel demands, those simple truths which engage and inspire people to reach stretch goals would be so rare. In fact the most basic aspects of candor and open honest dialog about the business are punished in some organizations. The book itself is written in a conversational tone. It is easy to read, and feels as though you are in a dialog with him over a cup of coffee. Several key themes emerge which may be surprising to others who know him by reputation only. One, Jack holds no malice and actually celebrates those whose careers involved leaving GE for roles elsewhere. This is a rather unique view, as many organizations have a misguided loyalty requirement that actually stifles the very performance potential they seek. Second, Jack seems to be more reflective of how he missed the boat on the whole work/life balance concept. Third, his willingness to openly admit mistakes is refreshing and contrary to his criticisms by others of his ego. I found the sections on developing people, and setting business strategy to be most helpful. He understands, where few others do, that huge PowerPoint decks and consultants will not meet the need of your clients, nor will the usual political tactics help your business move forward. I recommend this book highly, it is much more real than anything he has written before, and his passion and energy jump off every page.