Winning
by Jack Welch, Suzy Welch
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Book Reviews of Winning
Book Review: Built to Last
Summary: 4 Stars
In combination with his first book "Jack: Straight from the Gut," Welch's newest book "Winning" offers both sides of leadership--the personal in "Jack" and the professional in "Winning." For sheer interest and intrigue, buy "Jack." For management wisdom, read "Winning."
As in many recent business books, Welch begins with internal company culture issues, highlighting candor and empowering employees. He then moves to the heart of a book titled "Winning" as he discusses external competition issues and how to come out on top. His final major section shifts from the company to the employee with advice for developing a winning career.
One point that moves counter to advice from books like "Good to Great" and "Built to Last" counsels readers to spend more time in action instead of planning. As the CEO of a long-standing giant corporation with literally hundreds of managers and dozens of leaders under him, Welch could afford this advice. However, for the up-and-coming entrepreneur or the leader of a small company, failure to plan can lead to frantic movement in the wrong direction. Granted, as you plan, you'd better be moving because today's fast-paced business culture will otherwise leave you behind. Still, the application of this principle and of others must be idiosyncratic to your personality and your professional setting.
Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the chairman of a growing graduate school program, the founder of three companies, and the author of "Soul Physicians" and "Spiritual Friends."
Book Review: Full of energy and a passion for results
Summary: 5 Stars
Having read Dr Welch's earlier book "Jack: Straight from the Gut", I was eagerly awaiting the release of Winning. This book is logically split into several sections and chapters ranging from Strategy, Performance Management, Mergers and Acquisitions, Recruitment, Promotion and finally a chapter on answers to questions on China and other issues not addressed in the other chapters.
True to his style, candor is the hallmark of this book. One may not fully agree with Dr Welch on many issues, and he has not changed his opinion and conviction on some of the policies that he rigorously implemented at GE. But this book is an excellent summary in crisp and simple text, distilling his over four decades of experience in working for and leading one of the most admired companies of this planet.
Those interested in a serious discussion of management theories and looking for an approach based on data and research may be disappointed. But if one is looking for what works and what does not in reality, this book is sure to impress.
Content is one thing about books. What makes this book very different from what could have otherwise been published as a summary of concepts is the first person narrative style of the author. Every page is filled with energy, strong belief and commitment to the ideas discussed. After all this is a book based on true personal experience and not a discourse on theoretical concepts.
Dr Welch, thank you so much for this wonderful gift to next generation managers.
Book Review: A VERY BREEZY OVERVIEW BUT NO NUGGETS OR DEPTH!
Summary: 2 Stars
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%.
Book Review: Solid yet nothing new
Summary: 4 Stars
Welch has written several books since he stepped down from the CEO position at GE. Naturally, his books have focused on leadership, management and CEOing one of the biggest and most complex corporations in the world. In Winning, Welch talks about his formula for successful management on all it's aspects: hiring, firing, prioritization, mergers and acquisitions, dealing with change, work life balance, budgeting, six sigma, and dealing with a bad boss. Much of his advice is pretty common sense and mundane but on several instances, he does have some good arguments regarding differentiation and rewards. According to Welch, every working environment has 10% stars, 70% grunt workers and 20% sub par performers. He advocates pampering the stars lavishly, and developing a very clear performance-reward relationship in order to motivate and incentives workers to move from one performance bracket to another. His "differentiation" method is a discrimination system based on performance where people move up or down strictly according to their performance. Overall, I must say that there's no new gospel in this book. It's simply a solid, common-sense management book from a very credible and authoritative character with a rich life long experience in corporate management. If nothing else, you will find here a reminder of what it takes to be a good manager in a time and age where good managers are hard to come by. Read and apply.Book Review: I wish I loved it...
Summary: 2 Stars
I've followed Jack's career for almost the entirety of my own. He has always exemplified the very epitome of meritocracy - you earn everything you get - both good and bad. Brash, harsh even, and absolutely ruthless, you could hate him, but you have to respect him. He was everything Harvard Business School was not, and he pushed it right back in their face. Out of respect for THAT Jack, I give the book a 2, not a 1.
Sadly, by now, he's pushed it back in his own face. He's turned into everything he ever hated - a spoiled rich boy, who cannot see his own faults and his own failings. Even more than his own self-blindness, is his staggering blindness to the failings of SUZY, for whom this book is his gift. She is incredibly talentless - a complete hanger-on - something the Jack of his prime would have dismissed out of hand. But something seems to change in men as they age - and Jack's been hit hard. His family, who has been his personal faithful, is pushed aside for a young (well, younger) woman who makes him feel young. So Sad.
For me, tHe book is truly just a bone thrown at that feeling - an outlet she could never have without her connection to him, expousing wisdom she still does not possess. It is shallow and weak, like her, and it is a pathetic window into how far Jack has fallen.
There's no fool like an old fool, and this book is a testament to that.