Winning Reviews

• A slightly more insightful Jack Welch shares wisdom

  
  By AMWSZ61FILX2J on 2005-04-07
  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.
  
  
  

• this time Welch nails it

  
  By A1MPV30BGNTE1P on 2005-04-07
  It appears that (after a couple of misfires) Jack Welch has finally written a book to match his legend. It probably also helps that his new wife Suzy (and co-author), a former editor at HBR, knows a thing or two about writing. No matter what you think of either Welch, this book is worth the price of admission.
  
  Put "Winning" on the top shelf next to "Good to Great" and "Built to Last." In fact, Welch's "Winning" is the perfect complement to Collins' two-some. Collins' work is dramatically research-based, Welch's is utterly life-based. In particular, I enjoyed his 8 leadership principles that balance soft skills (communicating vision, building trust, motivating others) and character attributes (making the tough call, being positive, being nurturing to the core). I also enjoyed how Welch answers his critics on the infamous 20-70-10 rule and his hiring frameworks.
  
  One strength of "Winning" is in the breadth of topics covered - both in the realm of organizational leadership as well as career development. Lots of books do one well, but Welch manages to excel in both without being superficial or glossying-over (though most other books aren't 350+ pages!).
  
  Make no mistake about it - the ideas presented are not new. For example, two of Welch's leadership principles: "exude positive energy" and "push and probe with a curiousity that borders on skepticism" sound a lot like Collin's "confront the brutal facts, yet never lose faith" principle. But it's Welch's down-to-earth writing style that helps you understand these timeless principles in a fresh way. As you're reading, you can almost picture him speaking the words in some business school auditorium or some Fortune 100 management retreat. The words are deceptively simplistic, but it's Welch's wisdom at its best - boiled down to the very essence from four decades of rough-and-tumble managerial experience.
  
  If you're still unsure, I found this excerpt in Newsweek (google "jack welch newsweek excerpt 2005") to be helpful and informative.
  
  

• Where's the Real Deal?

  
  By A3380KRLFIBOWF on 2005-04-07
  Reading some of the previous reviews posted on this book it's interesting to note how many others easily separate/compartmentalize the "man" from the "business" man, Jack Welch. That is a dangerous position to hang one's hat on. It avoids speaking of one's character/substance as a decision maker in life in general. Clearly these reviewers have no qualms about having folks buy into the old adage "do as I say and not as I do/did." Neutron Jack sidesteps some very basic facts about the real nature of his management style in this baby, namely the ruthlessness and unethical nature/quality of the man behind the business choices. Clearly this is an attempt to resurrect both his and his wife's sullied images. There's nothing new in here and it certainly didn't give me any eye-popping, startling insights. Same old messages. Jack will always be out there hawking his goods, spinning his spin. There will always be those that seek his calculated advice for lack of their own personal, innate good counsel.
  
  

• Jack and Suzy Huckster

  
  By A2PKYLJBDZ769E on 2005-04-13
  It's Jack, he's back, repackaged, yet again, but this time he's hired his third wife Suzy to help with his tired old message. What's simply mindboggling here though is that Welch and his newest wife have chosen to tackle the issues of integrity and ethics in the work place in this business how-to book. Were this not so disturbing, it would be just plain laugh out loud laughable. These two have taken it upon themselves to be messengers, to show folks the way how to win in business. Integrity? Ethics? Jack/Suzy? Let's not forget who exactly we're talking about here. Suzy Welch (formerly Suzy Wetlaufer) is the former Harvard Business Review Editor who embarked upon an affair with a married Mr. Welch while working on an article about him for the Review. Talk about an utterly stupefying breach of journalistic ethics. Let's not bother with the moral/immoral issue here. No need to, after all this is business. For argument sake, let's confine ourselves to ethics and integrity. Let's also give credit where credit is due. Ms. Wetlaufer was indeed successful prior to this venture. Over time, she succeeded singlehandedly in creating an atmosphere so riddled with mistrust and unpleasantness in her own office at the HBR, that she ultimately had no option but to willingly step down from her position a few months after her affair became public knowledge. However calculated that final decision to step down may have been, it certainly was not forthcoming until several of her colleagues chose to quit their jobs at the HBR rather than work alongside a colleague so unprincipled and so unethical. But this is all nothing new. The press had a field day with it. Articles in Vanity Fair, New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal abounded. Christopher Byron even chronicles that and more in his hysterical book "Testosterone, Inc." Feel free to meet the real Jack and Suzy Welch there. Better yet check out Tom O'Boyle's "Jack Welch, GE and the Pursuit of Profit.
  In truth, real winners will agree that winning in business, winning in life, is about conducting oneself in an ethical, principled, and honorable way among your coworkers. It begins and ends there. Full stop. Anything else along the way, such as recognition, awards, fame, money, is simply gravy. Without those virtues in hand, no one is a winner. This version of "Winning" is, let's not forget, Jack and Suzy's version. Ever the opportunists, ever the recreators of history, ever the self promoters, ever the experts on telling folks "how to" and what it takes to win in the world of business without addressing the truth of their own deeply troubling business practices. What a world, what a joke. It's the make believe world of Jack and Suzy.
  
  

• A lot of effort by the reader for a few insights.

  
  By ATN1SSKTJD8Z8 on 2005-04-15
  Any time you pick up a book with a title like "Winning" you should know you are getting yourself into an exercise in self-congratulation. Glib titles like Welch's previous "Jack: Straight from the Gut" are quickly becoming the hallmark of Welch's books. For some reason I gave this one a chance, hoping it would be better than the aforementioned "Jack." No such luck.
  
  Welch is an extremely talented leader and businessman, but only a few nuggets of his wisdom fall out of this doorstop of a book. The rest really comes across as Jack writing for Jack and his new wife (For whom he dumped his old wife after praising her effusively in the aforementioned "Jack").
  
  There are far better books out there on managment and business. Try "Good to Great;" it's a whole different format, but you'll get a lot more ideas on making yourself and your company better.
  
  
• What a winner
  By A1I2JWCTMRO0D1 on 2005-04-16
  This book is one endless, self congratulatory, public relations work of art, courtesy of Jack, Suzy and Rupert Murdoch, Jack's good buddy, who owns the publisher of this baby, Harper Collins. This book borders on the ridiculous as self stroking goes, hence the title. One need look no further than Christopher Byron's analysis of Jack and Suzy Welch in his book, "Testosterone Inc." to get at the real character and history of these two "winners." Or, for more of a business oversight on Jack's ethics, try picking up Tom O'Boyle's investigative book, "Jack Welch, GE and the Pursuit of Profit." First rate. You'll find Jack's real management style in there. What's of particular interest in Byron's book is how he compares the original hard cover version of "Straight from the Gut," pre-Suzy, to the paperback version that was released post-Suzy. In the paperback version Byron exposes how Jack rewrites history for his own purposes. Read Byron's book, and then compare the hard cover version with the paperback version for yourself. Fascinating stuff. What's striking and of particular interest with regard to Mr. Welch, is how seemly lacking in emotional IQ the man evidently is. By his own admission, in the paperback version of "Jack" he credits Suzy with, "having taught me the meaning of love." Really now. It took the man till his mid sixties to learn what love was? What does he think his first wife of twenty-eight years was doing when she, for all intents and purposes according to "Winning," raised their four children single-handedly? What about his mother, the mother he claims doted on him and that he loved so dearly? Did she not teach him the meaning of love? Apparently not. What about his children and all his grandchildren? Where are they in his heart? Where do they factor in, in his learning curve? How tragic and embarrassing for them that their father/grandfather knew not what love was, till then came Suzy. Just in the nick of time! How utterly clueless and classless this man is. What astounding insensitivity. What bombastic nonsense. Jack is the perfect case study for the old adage, "there's no fool like an old fool." I'll take my advice elsewhere. Thanks anyway Jack, Suzy and Rupert.
  
  
• This Book Is Not Needed - Jack & Suzy Have Huge Egos
  By A3PWF2AQ5XYALW on 2005-04-08
  Jack & Suzy have very big egos, too big! These big egos have led to hundreds of selfish corporate mergers of which at least half have been disasters for the workers and stockholders. In many of these mergers the only persons who benefit are a few managers at the top who end up with golden parachutes. Enough of these big egos. We need more humble and faithful leaders in the future. High-energy is fine. Intelligence is wonderful. However, the giant egos and the one-hundred million dollar pay packages are a disgrace. Let's stop killing off the middleclass and destroying our Country. Our leaders only deserve a modest multiple of the middleclass pay rates.
  
  Jack says that if you, average worker, work for a company and there are problems at the top, then you can just quit that company and go someplace else. Do not complain. It is not ever that simple for the average worker. Most workers have limited choices and are powerless to deal with corruption at the top of the company where they work. In most companies the power is held by a few persons at the top who are often too detached from the plight of the vast majority of workers.
  
  
• Nothing like overdosing on self-serve
  By A3UAA52IARCZHW on 2005-05-07
  Load up on a hefty dose of the art of self-serve. What a flagrant work of PR from these two pathetic souls. It's the same old tired message Welch always spews, only difference here is he's got a new wife, the disgraced former editor of the Harvard Business Review, eager to spin a repackaged version. The writing style is what you'd expect. Nothing stellar. It is full of infantile pseudo-profundities such as "I think winning is great. Not good great. Because when companies win, people thrive and grow. There are more jobs and more opportunities" and "leaders never score off their own people by stealing an idea and claiming it as their own". If indeed managers need the help of books like this to be good at their job, then it must be time to sing a requiem for common sense.
  What does astonish this reader is the Welches mind boggling bid at addressing the issues of ethics and integrity in the workplace. Wonders never cease with these two. Their joint shamelessness amazes. Call it what you will, but for all those uninformed - Jack's soulmate of a third wife and co-author, Suzy Wetlaufer is the former editor of the Harvard Business Review who ultimately had no option but to resign her post at the HBR as a direct result of her moral and ethical breaches. This is all public record. Facts are facts. Read Chris Byron's "Testosterone, Inc." or any number of articles available online from the Wall Street Journal to New York Magazine to Vanity Fair. Clearly, Jack and Suzy would rather you not bother with such details. Why waste your time. Jack and Suzy are here to tell you all about integrity and ethics, and what it takes to win. How ridiculous. How desperate.
  
  
• Neutron Jack can't handle the tough questions
  By A2V08G3JTRA3Q7 on 2005-04-20
  What's interesting about this book is the extent to which Welch counts on his fawning friends in the media to throw softball questions in all the interviews he agrees to in order to promote this latest attempt at salvaging his blackened reputation. Case in point: Dan Rather seeking redemption in the eyes of his superiors and colleagues for his own disturbing fall from grace. Dan claimed he "worked hard" to get the interview with Jack and Suzy for "60 Minutes Weds." Really? It certainly didn't hurt that Dan's boss, CBS chairman Les Moonves is good buddies with Jack. Published reports had both men vacationing together with their young paramours at the same hotel over the Christmas holidays last year. Les and his newest wife, CBS's morning anchor Julie Chen, can easily be found on the internet, beaming at the book party for both Welch's in New York. Nor did it hurt that Dan's colleague at "60 Minutes Wednesday," is Charlie Rose - also a good friend of Jack and Suzy's who not only went to their book party, but attended their wedding as well. Yet CBS and Dan would like the viewing public to believe that Dan had to "work hard" to get the go ahead from Jack and Suzy for the segment. Uh huh - Having viewed the obsequious interview, one can only imagine at what price Dan had to sell his soul for the exclusive on that interview. What lightweight questions for a man who signed off with the motto, "courage." How tragic. Then there's Newsweek and Dan McGinn's glossy PR for "Winning." Where's the real "news" in the article a critical reader might ask. It rivals People magazine and The Star for it's "news" coverage. For a sample of what happens when Jack is confronted with legimate, hard hitting questions about his style of management, check out the following quotes in The Harbus Online by members of the audience at Harvard Business School's Leadership and Values Forum event April 12th, 2005. Jack found Professor Khurana's line of questioning a little too tough. Make that, a little to courageous and direct for Jack's liking.
  "Usually HBS guest speaking events are moderated in minimalist fashion and are not intended to question the speaker as much as to give him or her forum to evangelize a point of view. I think this is what Mr. Welch had in mind and was caught off guard by the style of the questioning."
  From Jonathon Fitzhugh's (OB) assessment, "I am definitely a Jack Welch admirer, but he was much less diplomatic and even-tempered in person than I would have imagined from reading his earlier books."
  Elli Kaplan (OC) was less generous, remarking, "I was stunned by what I saw - Jack Welch was clearly not interested in answering the questions and was condescending, disrespectful and appallingly rude to Professor Khurana."
  Now there's a candid assessment of Jack Welch when he's confronted with truly probing, legitimate, tough questioning and not the lightweight, eager to please, eager to impress, carefully scripted fare he is used to answering from the gentle questioning of his fawning buddies in the media.
  
  
• It's A Broken Record
  By A19BMXNJTK9GBT on 2005-04-09
  Winning is merely a newly packaged version of the same old tired messages which Welch has repeated so often, book after book, talk after talk. I'd hoped when I'd finished reading I'd have found some truly new and exciting words of wisdom to take away; something to make the time spent reading his latest effort, along with the cost of the book, worthy of the price of admission. It just wasn't here. Sorry guys. I can't help but surmise there's another agenda at play with the publishing of this book. Perhaps Jack finds it difficult being out of the spotlight and needs to feel he's regained some of the respect he's lost over the past few years. What better way than, yet again, to repackage and get out the message for potential new/late comers. Welch does come off a bit softer in general, but that is in all likelihood do to a woman's crafting. Or, it could just be the hits he's taken in public over his perks and divorce have taken a toll on old Neutron Jack. But for now, he should give it - and the rest of us weary of mere opportunists, a rest.
  
  
• Very Strong on Experience Sharing Weak on Breakthrough Ideas
  By A2H3OXTHIL05SE on 2005-04-05
  You will enjoy this book very much if you see it as Jack Welch (now an ultra-high price Consultant and Coach to CEOs and corporations) sharing business experiences with you in person through his own words. It certainly worths the dollars for picking brain from this management genius. In areas, like Differentiation (20/70/10 Rule in grooming the best staff, pruning the bottom 10%), Strategy, Hiring, Firing, Merger & Acquisition, Handling Bad Boss, Career Path & Promotion, and Frequently Asked Questions on Management & Leadership. You won't find many new idea if you read Jack, his Autobiography and other management books on the Jack Welch & GE. This book will become a classic, just like the book, Who Said Elephant Can't Dance and the Will To Lead, which are all strong on experience sharing, not just theorizing. One beauty of this book is that it uncovers many myths on management and leadership, especially those conceptual theories on Mission Statements & Values, Core Competence, and the like. One thing strong about Jack is that he is candid and down to earth on his approach on energizing people. His points of view on Energy, Energizing People, Edge, Execution, and Passion make this book a useful business manifesto of its time, especially in an era of doing more with less, globalization, and digitalization.
  
  
• Not to be taken Seriously
  By A3PXRP0SNX1JRL on 2005-04-14
  Jack Welch I am sure was a good manager, but throughout the book he talks about the importance of loyalty, honesty and integrity. This is from a guy who has admitted cheating on his wife. It seems Jack falls into the category of do as I say--not as I do. I am sorry I bought this book. It is really preachy, but the author needs to follow his own advice and come down from the mountain.
  
  
• He left out a few important points...
  By A1KB7T06DH1HS3 on 2005-04-15
  Looking at the way this phoney has actually lived his life, he forgot a few salient points: Dump the first wife for a younger dimmer model, get a bad eye job, and gorge yourself on the shareholders' dime, but do it legally. There, now we've got an honest look at Jack's philosphy of winning.
  
  
• A preachy book
  By A2RIT9GJZQ4VEX on 2005-04-19
  This is a preachy book that truely reflect GE's culture - Preachy.
  Other than that, I really don't care about the moral issues around him. I tried very hard to find the "intelligent" stuff in this book. I found none.
  
  Let me quote reviews from another reader:
  "If you're looking for substance here - you won't find the wisdom or motivation for achieving greatness you might be thinking you'll find. " Period.
  
  
• Garbage
  By A25GTJ9HC5SUVM on 2005-04-07
  This book is garbage, don't waste your time. Jack's ego must need a lift.
  
  
• Jacky boy, is your ego that thin?
  By A3L9ITICJRQWT9 on 2005-07-08
  I wrote a review here once before for this travesty. It was eloquently written, filled with all sorts of useful and intelligent facts, certain to persuade any of the staunchest and steadfast supporters of this moron. But, it *mysteriously* disappeared. So, I'll keep this one short and to the point:
  
  This guy is a joke. He is an adulterer, a borderline psychopath, an ego-centric, snake-oil salesman, who only achieved any sense of glory by unsrcrupulous stock acquisitions/sales and questionable business dealings. He's regurgitated this garbage in countless formats in his prior books, and is thrilled beyond belief that countless rank-and-file idiots line up, so-willing to shell out their $$$ to buy into it. He laughs at it and at such people, and is even doing it right at them on the cover. That's not just smiling for the camera people.
  
  Enjoy.
  
  
• A Tough-Minded Career Guide for Corporate Life
  By A2RQ0AT4XZUIXL on 2005-04-21
  How do corporate managers really think? When they make a move, what's really going on? This book has the answers. Like the lyrics of The Apprentice opening song, this book reminds us not to take anything personally. It's just business.
  
  The first part of Winning describes Welch's philosophy of leadership. Reward the top performers, he says. Take care of the middle and then boot the bottom. Cruel? No, he argues. People should know where they stand.
  
  I believe Welch is right -- as long as you appreciate his perspective. He's speaking as a manager and corporations view people as resources. Except for some qualities which he believes can be trained, the company's job is to choose and keep only people who really contribute to the mission.
  
  As a career consultant and coach, I often talk to people whom Welch would categorize as misfits. Some were disrupters at more than one company -- who eventually found a home in a unique position or started their own businesses. Some recognized they were misplaced in a particular company or industry.
  
  Welch doesn't deal with "what happens after ," and that's really not the organization's job. Rather I would encourage everyone to take the feedback as a guide and move to a career that's more rewarding. Hire your own career guide who will be your own resource and advocate.
  
  Surprisingly, the best part of Winning is the second half, dealing with individual career management. Often people who achieve great career success cannot explain what happened. Not Welch.
  
  I like his criteria for choosing a position, especially the importance of "credentialing." Will this job help you move to the next? I've been using a more general term, "marketability."
  And I like his discussion of matching your sensibilities -- i.e., personality and culture -- to the job's. These elements often drive people to new careers, more than the work itself. He acknowledges that heading down the wrong path can block off opportunities to reach a satisfying career. Too many self-help authors opt for empty words of cheer, along the lines of, "You can be whatever you want." Welch reminds us that business, like a lot of life, can be tough.
  
  And I applaud his realistic question: Are you taking this job for yourself or to satisfying someone else's agenda? Sometimes you do have to subordinate to family or other needs -- but be upfront and don't complain. Just do what you need.
  
  Other guidance on getting ahead -- how to be a team player and how to manage a bad boss -- avoid the usual platitudes. Decide on your long-term objective, he says, and make an informed decision.
  
  Welch's advice applies, of course, only to well-managed, reasonably sane companies. If you find yourself frustrated with his advice, you probably belong outside the corporate arena. Individual industries have unique customs and informal rules. Some companies have hidden agendas of their own. People can be set up to fail.
  
  But most of the time, you won't go wrong with Welch's advice, even if you've landed in a mess. And if you keep landing in one messy situation after another, it's time to ask what's really going on.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• WARNING!
  By AP7X9NM8MBE28 on 2005-05-18
  I have no doubt that the book version is excellent. I have no doubt that the message is great, but the audio cd version of this book sucks. Jack Welch reads it so slow that it sounds like he is reading it to a group of first graders who don't speak english. I wish I hadn't opened the package because I would love to return the cds. I might as well have thrown the money in the waste basket.
  
  
  
  
  
• Don't Bother
  By A14FJL80129X48 on 2005-04-10
  This is just regurginated truisms from every business book I have ever read, He even manages to steal one of Harvey Mckay's quotes and re writes the quote to make it seem different
  
  
• Unimpressed
  By A1PHCTHZ2RE5N6 on 2005-04-16
  Welch is everywhere touted as a managerial genius, but nothing in this cliche-filled book demonstrates genius to me. This book is tired, superficial, and a bit cheesy. The "insights" it offers can be found in dozens of other business books. Whatever Welch was as a manager, if he was a genius his brilliance is not apparently reducible to the written word.
  
  Here are some deep insights: "Leaders establish trust with candor, transparency, and credit." (Gee, thanks for that.) "Attach every change initiative to a clear purpose or goal." (Uggh.) "Create effective mechanisms...to motivate and retain" (Uh, thanks, Jack.) God it is so tired and DULL.
  
  A book written by Welch, in plain English, without gloss or MBA jargon or a view to his legacy, may have been useful. But the clumsy cliche-heavy hand of former HBR-staffer Wetlaufer (now Mrs. Welch) is apparently all over this thing (I cannot believe Jack Welch used all this tired jargon-speak in his day-to-day dealings as a boss). I don't know if Welch was a great manager or lucky or a good self-promoter or all three; but I DO know this book left me feeling like I wasted my money.
  
  If you work in a big corporation where jargon matters, then maybe this book is OK. If you are an entrepreneur, I do not believe it has much value.
  
  
• Welch gave this one all his attention
  By A3K2YDOHWXW9BJ on 2005-05-12
  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.
  
  
• Practical book to educate leaders
  By A27TNL43L5WOB9 on 2005-04-07
  In my opinion, this is Jack's best book. Having read the ground-breaking books of this decade, including Good to Great and Optimal Thinking: How to Be Your Best Self, and Jack's previous book, I didn't think that I would learn much from this one. I was wrong. Jack writes about how to lead, achieve results, and bring out the best from employees in a down-home way. He is an incredible mentor because he gives you a visual picture of the thinking and action that is required for outstanding success. Bravo Jack.
  
  
• Sickening, Horrible, better term may loosing...
  By ATQQSLVQV2ODH on 2005-04-27
  I was carefully going line by line to find out where is the hidden message for winning. After going through the book I was trying hard to recollect where is the clue for winning in this book. Most of the stuff in this book are not new, you will find them everywhere in other business books.
  
  it looks like author try hard to hire only winners. In his hiring process, he hired 50% winners initally, then later in his career , he sharpened the process to hire 80% winners. As per his strategy, those 20% who are not winners, whom he hired by mistake are "let Go" (Authors term for firing...)
  
  I have read many such books, I never had a sickening feeling like this book. There is nothing motivational or new info in this book.
  
  I would request the author to withdraw this book from market and rewrite with civiliased strategies for winning..
  
  
  
  
  
• Pull that review
  By ADEG2GYKYNGDP on 2005-07-13
  A colleague of mine wrote a well written, concise, albeit critical review here as well, not just about the book, but it's co-authors Jack and Suzy Wetlaufer, (the latest Mrs. Welch.) Mysteriously, it too was pulled several times despite it's being reworked. Not sure what's up with that, or more importantly, Amazon. No doubt Jack's paid flacks/lawyers are working overtime on this site. Here's a winning thought that Jack and Suzy would surely love shoved down our throats - Who needs the truth and freedom of speech?
  Now who here doesn't love these two winners?
  
  
• Excellent Book on How to Run a Successful Company
  By AXTL2TGBPQDHI on 2005-08-10
  Winning by Jack Welch is a must read for anyone who wants to succeed in business. The book is informative and readable, and offers specific actions I can take to win in the marketplace.
  
  The parts of the book which I found interesting were creating a company's mission statement, documenting its values and coming up with a strategy. I also found Jack Welch's explanation of the value of candor convincing, and his discussion of work-life balance provocative.
  
  His comments on differentiation (using Six Sigma to rank employees), and on the value of the business press were instructive.
  
  Mission Statement
  In Winning, Jack Welch writes that a mission statement must answer the question, "How do we intend to win in this business?" Otherwise, he suggests that a mission statement can turn into "a set of generic platitudes that do nothing but leave employees directionless or cynical," such as "XYZ Company values quality and service" or "Such-and-Such Company is customer driven."
  
  Using GE as an example, Jack describes an effective mission statement: "To be the most competitive enterprise in the world by being No. 1 or No. 2 in every market - fixing, selling, or closing every underperforming business that couldn't get there."
  
  To me, this mission statement and the way he describes creating it makes sense.
  
  Values
  Related to the mission statement are values, specific and concrete behaviors which give employees a roadmap to follow to achieve the mission statement.
  
  Using Bank One as an example, Jack Welch describes values that are explained well.
  "Never let profit center conflicts get in the way of doing what is right for the customer."
  and
  "Always look for ways to make it easier to do business with us."
  and
  "Give customers a good, fair deal. Great customer relationships take time. Do not try to maximize short-term profits at the expense of building those enduring relationships."
  
  In my opinion, Jack Welch does a good job describing how a company should create and document its values.
  
  Strategy
  Moving on to strategy, I also felt Jack described an effective way to develop a company's strategy. He describes 5 areas in which to focus when developing a strategy (in his book, he drills down into detail under each focus area):
  What the Playing Field Looks Like Now
  What the Competition Has Been Up To
  What We've Been Up To
  What's Around the Corner
  What's Our Winning Move
  
  The way he describes creating a strategy makes sense to me.
  
  Candor
  Jack also makes a compelling case on the value of candor - frank, open and direct talk - in business. In his experience, candor generates more ideas, speeds decision making and cuts costs.
  
  In my opinion, what Jack Welch fails to address is the difference between candor and being a non-team player. If I disagree with my boss, am I being candid or a non-team player?
  
  Relatedly, Jack also fails to address how to be candid. If I criticize my boss, perhaps I am being candid but I may make her defensive, causing her to feel she has to be candid and criticize me back. This can quickly turn into a slugfest with no winners.
  
  These issues aside, I was helped and reminded of the importance of candor by Jack Welch's discussion of this topic.
  
  Work-Life Balance
  Jack Welch spends chapter writing about work-life balance, perhaps trying to show that he has a soft side.
  
  However, he makes so many harsh statements on this topic that I find it hard to believe that he values work-life balance. For instance, he writes, "Your boss's top priority is competitiveness. Of course, he wants you to be happy, but only inasmuch as it helps the company win."
  
  He also writes that "the Korean grocer who just opened his shop in New York doesn't worry about whether he has time to get to the gym" and "99 per cent of the entrepreneurs in China's huge emerging competitive workforce don't wring their hands about working late at night."
  
  He also showcases a woman named Susan whom he quotes as saying, "When I went to Japan and China, my daughter was about seven - old enough to lay a real guilt trip on me. I cried my eyes out all the way over. But I had made a conscious decision about work-life balance, and part of that decision was to travel for my career."
  
  Susan goes on to say, "I knew I'd always have flexibility in my job when I needed it. I had earned it with commitment and performance over the years."
  
  What I concluded from reading this chapter on work-life balance is that Jack Welch believes in work-life balance provided I have earned the right to work-life balance by superlative performance beforehand which came from working late, traveling on demand, and so on.
  
  Thus, work-life balance is something I can earn after working for a number of years with no work-life balance.
  
  Differentiation and Introversion
  Differentiation is the topic which Jack Welch is perhaps best known for, dividing employees into the top 20% performers, middle 70%, and bottom 10%, who are let go.
  
  What I found interesting was his almost tangential comment in discussing this topic that "the world generally favors people who are energetic and extroverted.... in business, energetic and extroverted people generally do better."
  
  Having been in business for many years, it is obvious to me that introverts do worse in business. But this observation flies in the face of the interpretation of the Myers-Briggs test, where introverts are told that they are no worse off, "just different." In business, introverts are a lot worse off, and I am glad that Jack Welch followed his own advice on candor and stated the obvious.
  
  Mentors and the Business Media
  Jack lists many mentors in his career, from "the executive education teacher" who helped him learn to speak publicly when he was 26, to the PR woman who taught him the Internet at age 60.
  
  A mentor which surprisingly he puts on par with the others is the business media. According to Jack, he "learned mountains about business just by reading every financial newspaper and magazine" he could get his hands on.
  
  He goes on to say that he believes that "the business media is such a good teacher..." and that he is amazed when he meets "a young person who doesn't just consume it. Don't let that happen, this mentor is right there for the taking."
  
  Conclusion
  I am glad I read Winning by Jack Welch. I got useful information out of it on how to succeed or win in business. I value Jack Welch's insights about mission, values and strategy. His comments about candor are a good reminder of the importance of frankness in business. He writes that work-life balance is available but only if I earn it through good performance.
  
  He believes that extroverts are more successful in business and he places the value he gets out of business media on par with his other mentors.
  
  
  
• Is the spin doctor in?
  By ADCNJYU3UKNSL on 2005-06-06
  GE is a true corporate success story, and Jack Welch clearly deserves the credit for developing the dynamic and goal focused culture that made GE what it is. As a CEO, Jack Welch was a "tough guy" who played by the rules, and that's something to be admired. Still, Welch's first book "Straight From The Gut" also revealed that Jack is all about Jack. Not surprising, therefore, to see that this book is more about reinventing Jack (and Suzy) than anything else. Both took quite a hit to their reputations over the last few years, due to incredibly bad judgment and self-serving ethical lapses while in leadership positions. What better way to turn this around than to claim to be gurus on the topic of winning with integrity...the ultimate self spin-doctoring. For those who worship Jack for being Jack, I'm sure this book will have appeal. But for a book on true winning leadership styles, read Andy Grove's "Only The Paranoid Survive", and leave this one on the shelf.
  
  
• Learn how to win from Jack
  By A19V9F0ZQZZZKE on 2005-07-24
  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.
  
  
• Boring Nonsense.
  By A2REQUI85URT87 on 2005-04-27
  
  WINNING is not destined to become the bible of business for generations to come, despite what the jacket declares. It ambiguously and laboriously gives confusing answers to the most easy, trivial questions people face on the job. Welch's aim is to lecture people at every level of the organization. His audience is clueless line workers, college students, MBAs, project managers and senior executives. He lays out obvious business "principles" and devotes most of WINNING to the pointless aspects work. Welch's grim, excuse-ridden mind set is boring. His goal is to hinder anyone and everyone who has a passion for success.
  
  
• Weaker than his last book
  By A3JW7K465J5N6O on 2005-04-18
  Jack Welch makes a strong case for honest feedback, so here is mine. I liked his previous book, Straight from the Gut, very much. Even though that was put together in a rush while he was still the Chairman and CEO of GE, Jack Welch really came alive. His new book, though not bad, does not come close, for two reaons:
  
  First, one of Jack Welch's defining features, it seems, is that he has the gift to be brutally honest with those around him and with himself. While this shines through at times here, far too often the language is softened, there is an attempt to include all perspectives, and there is too much consultant-lingo. The approach and style sonehow seem distinctly more like a Harvard Business Review article than the last book. There's nothing wrong with that except it's distinctly not Jack Welch's style. Sentences like "you can win" or "change is not bad" are really unforgivable. At least I don't want to pay money for them.
  
  Second, this book was written from the perspective of the retiree who participated in many Q&A sessions after retiring from GE. This somehow contrasts with the powerful authority Jack Welch had when he was writing as the Chairman and CEO of the world's most valuable company, and it shows in his style.
  
  The book is strongest where he recounts his GE experience - there's no doubt about up or down and right or wrong. But it gets weaker where he does not talk about first hand experience - eg, the paragraphs about anonymous friends or acquaintances who experienced this or that.
  
  Some of the chapters are very powerful - the one on differentiation and the one on work life balance, for instance. What makes them great is that they are the condensed wisdom of many years of experience of a truly impressive leader. Had he just kept is at that, this could have been a great book. As it is, he changed his perspective (and editor) to the last one. And yes, change can be bad. Very bad. It can cost two stars.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• A VERY BREEZY OVERVIEW BUT NO NUGGETS OR DEPTH!
  By A34FASE1DB4C3 on 2005-06-06
  If you're looking for some real nuggets or depth of thought, this book does not deliver! Its theme is simple: what it takes to win in today's business. Topics covered include:
  - the importance of mission and values;
  - how candor leads to winning;
  - eight rules of leadership;
  - guidelines for effective hiring;
  - eight practices for managing people;
  - parting ways;
  - change; and
  - crisis management.
  
  A section is devoted to basic topics of business management:
  - strategy;
  - budgeting;
  - organic growth;
  - mergers and acquisitions;
  - six sigma.
  The Welches devote a section to career:
  - the right job,
  - getting promoted,
  - what to do when you encounter a bad boss,
  - work-life balance.
  It wraps up with a chapter on a hodge-podge of topics that didn't fit any place else.
  
  The authors glibly glide over a wide range of subjects. The topics sound good but there's little meat on these bones. It is a very fast fly-over, with no special insights-just a breezy overview about things (largely basics) you should know-and probably do.
  
  Of course the book is sprinkled with some of Jack Welch's old favorites, such as his "candid, clear-cut performance system" of 20/70/10. At best, and being a bit kind (which Jack would never do), the book barely makes the middle 70%.
  
  

• Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
• Winning: The Answers: Confronting 74 of the Toughest Questions in Business Today
• Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
• Jack: Straight from the Gut
• Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies