"We're in the cat-and-dog insurance business in England. I don't really want to be in that business, but the guy who brought me that idea wanted to be in it, and I trust him. He'll take it and make it work."
A great strength that Welch had was his taking time to get to know his managers, as we've talked about before. But there's much more importance to that in a business than is on the surface.
Now we've already talked about the importance that this offers as far as people appreciating and being motivated by management taking an interest in them both professionally and personally, and that is extremely important.
Like Welch said above though, it can bring unique and interesting things to a business that trust, more than anything else, is the catalyst of.
When you know and trust someone, you know that when they bring you ideas that they not only have done their homework, but have the ability and focus to make something work.
I like what Welch said at the end of his comment above, "He'll take it and make it work." He had complete confidence in the manager he was talking about. That came about because of his continuous commitment in getting to know his people.
Knowing someone will strip the illusions away and allow us to understand their strengths and abilities. This is what produces the type of trust that Welch had in his people. The fantastic strength that's inherent in General Electric (GE) leaders to this day confirms the importance that knowing and trusting your people brings about.
Other Jack Welch Resources:
Jack Welch's advice to MIT Sloan students
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