19 Quotes & Sayings By Jack Welch

Jack Welch, the former chief executive officer of General Electric, was one of the most influential business leaders in America. He led GE to record profits and grew the company into a $100 billion enterprise over his 20-year tenure. He is credited with transforming GE from an industrial company to a leader in high technology and financial services. His management and business philosophy centered on three principles: deliver results; create shareholder value; and hire smart people — people who were strong in their competencies and willing to work hard Read more

"Smart people," he said, "will do what it takes to make GE a great company."

Face reality as it is, not as it was or...
1
Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be. Jack Welch
Control Your Own Destiny or Someone Else Will
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Control Your Own Destiny or Someone Else Will Jack Welch
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Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion. Jack Welch
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An organization's ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage. Jack Welch
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Willingness to change is a strength, even if it means plunging part of the company into total confusion for a while. Jack Welch
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A strategy is something like, an innovative new product; globalization, taking your products around the world; be the low-cost producer. A strategy is something you can touch; you can motivate people with; be number one and number two in every business. You can energize people around the message. Jack Welch
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The Internet is the Viagra of big business. Jack Welch
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Number one, cash is king... number two, communicate... number three, buy or bury the competition. Jack Welch
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I was afraid of the internet... because I couldn't type. Jack Welch
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I've learned that mistakes can often be as good a teacher as success. Jack Welch
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Globalization has changed us into a company that searches the world, not just to sell or to source, but to find intellectual capital - the world's best talents and greatest ideas. Jack Welch
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What's important at the grocery store is just as important in engines or medical systems. If the customer isn't satisfied, if the stuff is getting stale, if the shelf isn't right, or if the offerings aren't right, it's the same thing. You manage it like a small organization. You don't get hung up on zeros. Jack Welch
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In order to lead a country or a company, you've got to get everybody on the same page and you've got to be able to have a vision of where you're going. America can't have a vision of health care for everybody, green economy, regulations - can't have a bunch of piece-meal activities. It's got to have a vision. Jack Welch
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Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others. Jack Welch
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You've got to eat while you dream. You've got to deliver on short-range commitments, while you develop a long-range strategy and vision and implement it. The success of doing both. Walking and chewing gum if you will. Getting it done in the short-range, and delivering a long-range plan, and executing on that. Jack Welch
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Change before you have to. Jack Welch
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Don't manage - lead change before you have to. Jack Welch
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Control your own destiny or someone else will. Jack Welch