One of the really interesting books I read about management is “Winning” by Jack Welch, Chairman and CEO of General Electric between 1981 and 2001, who transformed the industrial giant from a sleepy “Old Economy” company with a market capitalization of $4 billion to a dynamic new one worth nearly half a trillion dollars.
“Winning” describes the management wisdom that Welch built up through his four and a half decades of work at GE, focusing on actual management techniques. And even thought GE is a giant company, the basic lessons that a person can take away from this book are applicable in companies of all sizes.
The book is divided into five major sections that cover management from all sides:
Underneath It All: Here he talks about missions and cultural values, as well as candor, differentiation among employees, and inclusion of all voices in decision-making.
Your Company: Here he covers issues around one’s own company or organization: things like leadership, hiring, letting go of people, the people management in between, as well as crisis management.
Your Competition: This discusses competition, and the external factors that can influence a company’s success: strategy, budgeting, growth, mergers and acquisitions, and the implementation of Six Sigma.
Your Career: This takes it a bit more personal with a focus on individual career issues; how to find the right job, get promoted, deal with a bad boss and go about work-life balance.
Tying Up Loose Ends: Here he answers some general interesting questions that don’t fit into any of the previous categories and that he’s received in the last several years while traveling the globe addressing audiences of executives and business-school students.
“Winning” is a great management book based on the true and successful experience of one of the best managers of our time. It’s a very worthwhile addition to any manager’s bookshelf and really enjoyable read.
[Amazon: Winning – Jack Welch]
