Jack Straight from the Gut

by Welch, Jack; Byrne, John A.

• ISBN13: 9780446690683
• ISBN10: 0446690686
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-10-01
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Summary

It's hard to think of a CEO that commands as much respect as Jack Welch. Under his leadership, General Electric reinvented itself several times over by integrating new and innovative practices into its many lines of business. In Jack: Straight from the Gut, Welch, with the help of Business Week journalist John Byrne, recounts his career and the style of management that helped to make GE one of the most successful companies of the last century. Beginning with Welch's childhood in Salem, Massachusetts, the book quickly progresses from his first job in GE's plastics division to his ambitious rise up the GE corporate ladder, which culminated in 1981. What comes across most in this autobiography is Welch's passion for business as well as his remarkable directness and intolerance of what he calls "superficial congeniality"--a dislike that would help earn him the nickname "Neutron Jack." In spite of its 496 pages, Jack: Straight from the Gut is a quick read that any student or manager would do well to consider. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards

Author Biography

Jack Welch joined GE in 1960. In 1981, he became the eighth chairman and CEO. He lives in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Table of Contents

AUTHOR'S NOTE	ix
PROLOGUE	xi
SECTION I EARLY YEARS
1 Building Self-Confidence	3	(18)
2 Getting Out of the Pile	21	(6)
3 Blowing the Roof Off	27	(10)
4 Flying Below the Radar	37	(12)
5 Getting Closer to the Big Leagues	49	(14)
6 Swimming in a Bigger Pond	63	(28)
SECTION II BUILDING A PHILOSOPHY
7 Dealing with Reality and "Superficial Congeniality"	91	(14)
8 The Vision Thing	105	(16)
9 The Neutron Years	121	(18)
10 The RCA Deal	139	(16)
11 The People Factory	155	(14)
12 Remaking Crotonville to Remake GE	169	(16)
13 Boundaryless: Taking Ideas to the Bottom Line	185	(20)
14 Deep Dives	205	(12)
SECTION III UPS AND DOWNS
15 Too Full of Myself	217	(14)
16 GE Capital: The Growth Engine	231	(20)
17 Mixing NBC with Light Bulbs	251	(24)
18 When to Fight, When to Fold	275	(26)
SECTION IV GAME CHANGERS
19 Globalization	301	(16)
20 Growing Services	317	(8)
21 Six Sigma and Beyond	325	(16)
22 E-Business	341	(14)
SECTION V LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD
23 "Go Home, Mr. Welch"	355	(22)
24 What This CEO Thing Is All About	377	(24)
25 A Short Reflection on Golf	401	(6)
26 "New Guy"	407	(24)
EPILOGUE	431	(8)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS	439	(1)
AFTERWORD	440	(7)
APPENDIXES	447	(19)
INDEX	466