Marshall Goldsmith

JUNE 16, 2013

A moderately good accountant who is great with people outside the firm and skilled at managing very smart people? And not many people remember that Jack Welch has a PhD in chemical engineering. In fact, even when all other things are not equal, your people skills often make the difference in how high you go.

Chemicals 133

Chemicals Welch CFO CEO 133

Harvard Business Review

AUGUST 16, 2012

We all know bad managers — be they ambitious and aggressive, doing whatever it takes to move up the corporate ladder, or the opposite: managers thrust into their position without the skill or the will to do the job properly. I continue to be a little puzzled about why so many managers do such a poor job.

Management 16

Management Gordon Welch Chemicals 16

Harvard Business Review

JUNE 12, 2012

Within two years after becoming chief executive of General Electric in 1981, Jack Welch completed one of his most far-reaching initiatives: reducing the number of GE business units from about 150 to 15. In effect, Welch set out to focus the company on the businesses where it had the potential for greatness, and to jettison everything else.

Welch 8

Welch Diversity Hedge Chemicals 8