Rarely do surprises occur. Welch sets precise performance targets and monitors them throughout the year.
The extraordinary commitment by Welch to make sure that all those in General Electric (GE) knew what was expected of them had some powerful other benefits that came with that commitment.
As Thomas E. Dunham, who ran services in GE Medical Systems, puts it, "Welch preaches it from the top, and people see it at the bottom."
The result was the leadership style that Welch represented was reinforced throughout the entire organization. That was a tremendous feat in itself.
What was received in benefit from it was the lack of huge surprises and unpredictability. There were of course exceptions to this rule, but overall there was very little removal from the stated goals and targets for the year. His people respected this because they know he didn't simply lay down some type of meaningless expectations and then leave them out of his thoughts. He monitored them weekly.
"I do the evaluations on Sunday nights in my library at home," said Welch. "It gives me a chance to reflect on each business."
People need to know that what is expected of them is being watched and observed. Not for the purpose of criticism, but for the purpose of knowing that someone cares about what they're doing and what happens connected to it.
It's a highly motivating factor for those that try their best to make any company a success. Rewarding them with our observations and monitoring is appreciated far more than we may think. Everyone knew Welch cared about how they were performing. That in itself even pushed them harder toward their goals and personal success, which eventually brought General Electric its tremendous success as well.
Other Jack Welch Resources:
Jack Welch's advice to MIT Sloan students
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