What will I learn about: why encouraging absolute candor over a polite "make nice" culture is essential for evaluating ideas quickly and unlocking your team's full brainpower?

Discover why encouraging absolute candor over a polite "make nice" culture is essential for evaluating ideas quickly and unlocking your team's full brainpower.

What will I learn about: the 20-70-10 employee evaluation method to effectively reward your top performers, aggressively coach the middle majority, and confidently let go of the bottom tier?

Master the 20-70-10 employee evaluation method to effectively reward your top performers, aggressively coach the middle majority, and confidently let go of the bottom tier.

What will I learn about: Apply the three essential "acid tests" of integrity, intelligence, and maturity to meticulously hire top talent, and learn how to fire underperformers with transparency and fairness?

Apply the three essential "acid tests" of integrity, intelligence, and maturity to meticulously hire top talent, and learn how to fire underperformers with transparency and fairness.

What will I learn about: how to become an inspiring, trustworthy leader by developing your people, openly embracing the risk of failure, and making tough calls rather than worrying about popularity?

Find out how to become an inspiring, trustworthy leader by developing your people, openly embracing the risk of failure, and making tough calls rather than worrying about popularity.

What will I learn about: craft highly specific, actionable mission statements that clearly define how your company intends to win, completely avoiding overused and vague business platitudes?

Learn how to craft highly specific, actionable mission statements that clearly define how your company intends to win, completely avoiding overused and vague business platitudes.

Winning

How to successfully run a company, manage people and build a career

Jack Welch with Suzy Welch

★ 4.3 / 5(106 ratings)

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Categories:

Management & Leadership Motivation & Inspiration

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Have you ever wondered why Jack Welch calls the lack of 'candor' the biggest dirty little secret in business, and how it’s holding your team back?
💡What if you could implement a controversial 'differentiation' strategy that identifies your top performers and eliminates the fluff from your management style?
💡Are you curious about the specific '4-E' framework used by one of history’s most successful CEOs to pick winners and build a high-performance culture?

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Key Takeaways from Winning

✓Discover why encouraging absolute candor over a polite "make nice" culture is essential for evaluating ideas quickly and unlocking your team's full brainpower.
✓Master the 20-70-10 employee evaluation method to effectively reward your top performers, aggressively coach the middle majority, and confidently let go of the bottom tier.
✓Apply the three essential "acid tests" of integrity, intelligence, and maturity to meticulously hire top talent, and learn how to fire underperformers with transparency and fairness.
✓Find out how to become an inspiring, trustworthy leader by developing your people, openly embracing the risk of failure, and making tough calls rather than worrying about popularity.
✓Learn how to craft highly specific, actionable mission statements that clearly define how your company intends to win, completely avoiding overused and vague business platitudes.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Winning

Mind Map

Winning

Managing People & Leadership+

Strategy, Growth, Change & Crises+

Career Management+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 11

According to the book, what was the purpose of GE's 'Work-Out' sessions?

A. To provide physical exercise programs for highly stressed executives.
B. To allow employees to discuss better ways of doing things without their bosses present.
C. To evaluate and terminate the bottom 10 percent of performers.
D. To negotiate annual budgets between field managers and headquarters.

Question 2 of 11

How does the 20-70-10 method suggest managers should handle the middle 70 percent of their employees?

A. Fire them to make room for new, innovative talent.
B. Ignore them and focus all resources solely on the top 20 percent.
C. Keep them motivated by setting bold goals and coaching them into the top 20 percent.
D. Transfer them to the HR department for comprehensive leadership training.

Question 3 of 11

Before considering a candidate for a job, the book recommends ensuring they pass three 'acid tests.' What are these tests?

A. Integrity, intelligence, and maturity.
B. Experience, education, and enthusiasm.
C. Charisma, creativity, and compliance.
D. Ambition, sociability, and technical skills.

Question 4 of 11

What is one recommended way for a leader to demonstrate to their team that failure is acceptable?

A. By never firing employees who make costly mistakes.
B. By taking risks themselves and openly discussing their own mistakes.
C. By lowering the company's annual performance targets.
D. By avoiding tough, unpopular decisions that might fail.

Question 5 of 11

According to the author, what is the fundamental relationship between a company's mission and its values?

A. The mission is for external marketing, while values are for internal culture.
B. The mission dictates the financial budget, while values dictate hiring practices.
C. The mission states how the company intends to win, while values describe the behaviors needed to achieve that goal.
D. The mission is set by the board of directors, while values are decided democratically by the employees.

Question 6 of 11

How does the book describe the core of any effective business strategy?

A. A complex academic framework requiring extensive research.
B. A rigid annual budget plan that dictates all spending.
C. A 'big aha' that provides a smart, sustainable competitive advantage.
D. A relentless focus on acquiring as many competitors as possible.

Question 7 of 11

Why does the author criticize the traditional annual budgeting process?

A. It relies too heavily on unpredictable software algorithms.
B. It often results in compromised, easy-to-hit targets rather than maximizing growth potential.
C. It gives field managers too much power and autonomy over headquarters.
D. It takes too much time away from human resources management and hiring.

Question 8 of 11

What trap should managers be especially cautious of when acquiring a new company?

A. Under-spending and providing poor resources to the acquired company.
B. 'Deal heat,' which can blur judgment and lead to ignoring cultural mismatches or overpaying.
C. Spending too much time integrating the two companies as absolute equals.
D. Putting their smartest and most passionate people on the acquisition team.

Question 9 of 11

What is the recommended approach for dealing with employees who actively resist necessary organizational change?

A. Put them in charge of the change initiative so they feel ownership.
B. Ignore them until the change simply becomes the new normal.
C. Send them to human resources for extensive behavioral counseling.
D. Get rid of them early on and surround yourself with true believers.

Question 10 of 11

When a crisis inevitably strikes, what is the first step a leader should take according to the text?

A. Skip the denial phase and immediately assume the problem is worse than it seems.
B. Keep the issue quiet from the public until a solution is fully developed.
C. Allow the responsible party to resign quietly for 'personal reasons' to avoid scandal.
D. Publicly blame the media for portraying the company in a negative light.

Question 11 of 11

What advice does the book give regarding work-life balance when trying to advance your career?

A. Demand work-life balance immediately to establish firm boundaries with your boss.
B. Prioritize your hobbies and family above all, as the company's competitiveness is secondary.
C. Demonstrate solid performance and earn your stripes before asking for work-life considerations.
D. Hide your personal life entirely so you appear more dedicated to your boss.

Winning — Full Chapter Overview

1Recommendation
2Assess and distinguish your people using the 20-70-10 method, and make managing them a priority.
3Be careful and selective when hiring, and transparent and fair when firing.
4To lead well, focus on your people, set the example, and don’t worry about being liked.
5Your mission explains how you plan to win, and your values show the behaviors that will get you there.
6Strategy is simple: pick a winning move, then put the right people and practices in place to execute it.
7Forget rigid annual budgets – planning should be flexible and motivating.
8Be enthusiastic about new ventures, but cautious with acquisitions.
9Build the case for change, then focus on those who support it and identify those who don’t.
10Crises are inevitable – assume the worst and try to learn from them.
11Try different roles until you find one that excites you.
12To move your career forward, deliver outstanding results and don’t make life difficult for your boss.
13Final summary

Winning Summary & Overview

Winning (2005) is a collection of no-nonsense advice and original thinking on successfully running a company, managing people and building a career. It answers the toughest questions people face both in and outside their professional lives.

Who Should Listen to Winning?

CEOs, managers, team leaders, anyone in a leadership position
Anyone tired of fluffy, complicated management theories
Anyone in need of solid career advice, whether just starting out or switching jobs

About the Author: Jack Welch with Suzy Welch

The name Jack Welch is synonymous with gold-standard leadership and successful corporate management. He spent forty years at General Electric (GE) and acted as CEO for the last twenty, garnering so much success he has become a living legend in the business world.

Winning

If You're Curious About These Questions...

Listen to Winning — Free Audiobook

Key Takeaways from Winning

Learning Tools

Mind Map

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Winning — Full Chapter Overview

Winning Summary & Overview

Who Should Listen to Winning?

About the Author: Jack Welch with Suzy Welch

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