jack welch

MANAGING LESS IS MANAGING BETTER

In addition, managers want to manage. They want to keep

their fingers on the pulse of the business and keep close tabs on

their employees.

Welch responds with one word: Relax.

One welcome by-product of this approach is an increased

management focus on the big issues. For Welch, “managing less”

at GE meant that his leaders had more time to think big thoughts

and be more creative. They gained time to look beyond their

own fiefdoms and think about how they might help other GE

businesses.

Business is simple. Complications arise when people

are cut off from vital information.

They did not expect a plan of operation to survive beyond

the first contact with the enemy. They set only the broadest

of objectives and emphasized seizing unforeseen opportunities

as they arose.

The boldest

vision may be the best vision.

DOWNSIZE, BEFORE IT’S TOO

LATE!

These are the businesses that we really want

to nourish. These are the businesses that will

take us into the twenty-first century. They

are inside the circles. Outside the circles you

have businesses that we would prefer not to

pursue any further.