Welch's 21 Steps to Management Greatness - 2
Manage Less - "We are constantly amazed by how much people will do when they are not told what to do by management."
Over and over again, I've heard the comments by great managers about how much their people will do when they're overall left alone by the management. Welch was no different as he has shown many times over.
One of the determining factors in the success of a workforce is a powerful vision that drives them to contribute. It's not like simply leaving people alone for the 
sake of leaving them alone has any value. It's the permeating of a people with a powerful, captivating vision that is the driving force behind it all.
There's nothing worse in a vision-driven company than someone to come in and attempt to closely supervise, control or implement bureacratic measures in attempt to control peoples' actions. Those that need to do that are insecure. It also drains the competitive impetus of a business as people lose the desire to forge ahead with uninterrupted actions.
With the reality that we're in an information-driven economy, it is even more important to get out of the way of the decisions people make.
Our job, in addition to being carriers of the company "vision," is to make sure we run in front of our people, clearing out any boobytraps or mines that are hidden on the path waiting to be triggered.
If we can remove as much friction our of the way of our people as we can, they'll not only respect us for it, but they'll bring far more to the company and its success than anything else we could try to do.
The answer is to "manage less."
Other Jack Welch Resources:
Jack Welch's advice to MIT Sloan students
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