The Welch Way : 24 Lessons from the World's Greatest CEO [Paperback]

Jeffrey Krames (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0071387501 | ISBN-13: 978-0071387507 | Edition: 1

Unlock the Welch in You. "The Welch Way" is the first book written specifically to help employees infuse their careers with the actions and success strategies of business icon Jack Welch. This accessible, fast-paced book draws on Welch's career to explain how workers can follow the proven Welch model to: face reality, use change as a competitive weapon, defy tradition, fight fear, overcome bureaucracy, pounce on every opportunity, set stretch goals, move beyond boundaries, spark others to perform, get good ideas from everywhere, and have fun. Jack Welch transformed GE into the world's most valuable corporation - and became one of history's most admired and successful CEOs - by cutting through bureaucratic noise and letting hands-on, frontline employees tell him what needed to be done. "The Welch Way" shows you how to work the Welch magic in your career and reach new heights in today's wide-open, idea-driven workplace.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Unlock the Welch in You

The Welch Way is the first book written specifically to help employees infuse their careers with the actions and success strategies of business icon Jack Welch. This accessible, fast-paced book draws on Welch's career to explain how workers can follow the proven Welch model to:

• Face reality
• Use change as a competitive weapon
• Defy tradition
• Fight fear
• Overcome bureaucracy
• Pounce on every opportunity
• Set stretch goals
• Move beyond boundaries
• Spark others to perform
• Get good ideas from everywhere
• Have fun

Jack Welch transformed GE into the world's most valuable corporation­­and became one of history's most admired and successful CEOs­­by cutting through bureaucratic noise and letting hands-on, frontline employees tell him what needed to be done. The Welch Way shows you how to work the Welch magic in your career and reach new heights in today's wide-open, idea-driven workplace.

About the Author

Jeffrey A. Krames, Vice President and Publisher of McGraw-Hill's business books division, is considered a leading authority on General Electric's acclaimed former CEO, Jack Welch. He is the editor of four books and the author of two on the maverick CEO, including The Jack Welch Lexicon of Leadership.

Product Details

• Paperback: 62 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (September 26, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071387501
• ISBN-13: 978-0071387507
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Human Resources & Personnel Management
  • #19 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Business & Investing > Management & Leadership > Motivational
  • #20 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Business & Investing > Management & Leadership > Leadership

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful!, March 1, 2004

By 

Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Welch Way : 24 Lessons From The Worlds Greatest CEO (Hardcover)

Jack Welch, the former chairman of General Electric, is still a heroic managerial figure to many businesspeople, and his wisdom has found its way into the book market in many and various ways. Of course, numerous books are available about Six Sigma, the managerial philosophy that Welch made famous. But Six Sigma was only part of Welch's legacy. In this slim guide to the counsel of the man who earned the sobering sobriquet "Neutron Jack," author Jeffrey Krames summarizes Welch's philosophy in 24 leadership principles, followed by brief notes and exercises for training managers. We recommend this admiring condensation of Jack Welch's managerial strategies as an introductory summary which may whet your appetite for a deeper look at Welch's distinctive take on corporate leadership

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Handy Handbook on Welch, March 11, 2003

By 

T K Rao (Chennai, Tamilnadu India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Welch Way : 24 Lessons from the World's Greatest CEO (Paperback)

The Welch Way authored by Jeffrey Krames is a real handy employee handbook for enhancing corporate performance. I found the book educative and entertaining with easy to use and easy to apply lessons to work life. This short book is different in the sense that it offers profound information and value in the form of 24 lessons from the wisdom of the world's greatest business leader, Jack Welch. No wonder The Business Week aptly describes Welch as 'The Gold standard against which other CEOs are measured'. During his tenure he transformed GE into the global benchmark for corporate leadership, maximizing productivity and labor efficiency.

The lessons offer insights into the aspects - Lead Vs Manage, importance of being informal, keep it simple, face reality, embrace change as an opportunity, challenge tradition, fight bureacracy, respect intellect and values, live speed, instill confidence, articulate vision and have fun etc.

The three most important points to pick up are - simplicity, speed and self-confidence.

It is learnt that on the foundations of boundarylessness Welch constructed his learning organisation. The declaration of Welch that 'Six sigma is the most important thing we've ever had - it is better than going to Harvard Business School' is interesting.
Further his 4E's of leadership - Energy, Energize, Edge and Execution inspire any leader. He says speed is everything which keeps business and people young. He declares that Business is about passion, winning, creating new things. Business is about ideas and fun and excitement and celebrations - a superlative perspective indeed !

Jeffrey Krames, Publisher of McGraw-Hill's business books has given a wonderful gist of what Jack Welch has to offer to the corporate world. The book is crisp in rendition and short. An ideal refresher and a handy handbook for all employees.

A must read to reflect and share the wisdom with colleagues.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Cliché-packed, April 19, 2002

By 

Gerald F. Kelly (Santa Monica, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Welch Way : 24 Lessons from the World's Greatest CEO (Paperback)

Welch's paternalistic management wisdom as revealed through his prophet, Jeffrey Krames.
In handy, bite-sized nuggets, too--not a chapter
longer than 2 pages. Each chapter illustrates a "Lesson",
how Jack Welch learned it and put it into action and how
you can do it, too, along with a saying of Chairman Jack.

Sadly, the book is written in an annoying style that
combines the breezy cheerfulness of self-help books
and the unquestioning reverence of official Communist
Party biographies of Stalin or children's Sunday
School stories about the works of Jesus.
The "in today's <insert modifier(s) here> world"
phrase, beaten to death in so much of what passes
for business writing abounds here.
Why are so many business books so poorly written ?
The author is VP and Publisher of McGraw-Hill's business
books division. Hmmm, may have answered my own question.

Of course there are many good suggestions in this book,
but none terribly original; whole business book genres
revolve around "quality", "eliminating boundaries"
and getting rid of bureaucracy. Unfortunately, most
bad managers probably think they have already learned
these lessons,too.