Welch had little time for bureaucracy and archaic business ways. If managers didn't change they were replaced with someone that could and would change.
Many people that don't understand Welch would consider this another one of the things that he did wrong. In truth, those who believe that are wrong.
Welch had one of the better understandings of the global business climate that the world was entering into at that time, and everything he did was in preparation for General Electric (GE) to be able to compete within that market.
The willingness, and sometimes, the ability to change was obviously considered one of the prerequisites for continuing on with the company. Welch knew that change was accelerating and new competition could come from anywhere in the world. Someone that wasn't able or willing to change wouldn't be able to survive within it. He wasn't going to let that person drag down a whole division or company because they weren't able to do it. So he replaced them.
Change is inevitable, it's the speed of change that is more determined by the industry we serve that is the only variable left. We need to understand how and what is morphing within our industries and stay on top of those and be willing to adapt as we need to. Most change isn't so fast that it can't be handled if we're wired for it. The key is to be prepared and ready for when the next stage must be implemented.
Getting rid of those that can't change is now becoming a necessity to survive in our businesses. We can be nice all the way till we close our business down if we're not careful. Welch never had that problem, and neither should we.
Other Jack Welch Resources:
Jack Welch's advice to MIT Sloan students
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