I am three years late. Better late than never? This short Jack Welch clip got bookmarked and then followed up.
Welch is best known as former CEO of General Electric, one of the largest and most innovative companies in the world. Welch himself is a renowned cultivator of talent, as Vivek Paul, a former CEO of Wipro and Welch protégé attests, there is a proliferation of top American CEOs who worked directly for Jack Welch at some point.
What is the role of a leader?
Well the first one clearly is to be the Chief Meaning Officer.To let everyone in the place know where you’re going, why you’re going there, and most importantly, what’s in it for them to get there with you. Jack Welch
Welsch goes onto to say that
…you better explain what’s in it for them – to change with you.
A message derived from Zig Ziglar (American author, salesman, and motivational speaker). That people have a radio station playing in their heads. W.I.I.F.M. (What’s In It For Me). Leaders need to have a playlist ready for the listeners of W.I.I.F.M.
Next – Chief broomer
You got to be the chief broomer… brooming away the stuff that’s in the way. So people can act and do things. – Jack Welch
And you got to have a generosity gene.
You got to enjoy people’s success. You got to love people’s success. – Jack Welch
Next, you have to be the Chief Fun Officer
Find all kinds of ways to win. There were small victories all the time and celebrate every one of them… Find a way to make little victories, big victories, and if you get a lot of little victories you’ll get a big victory when you add them all together.
With all this advice, I think it is worth noting
As a leader you have one of the luxuries of life, to impact people’s lives. Grab it, squeeze it, and take advantage of it. – Jack Welch