I’m so glad to finally see an article that questions the methods that Jack Welch evangelizes. I believe he’s inconsiderate, mean-spirited, selfish, and greedy. He was only successful by making customers and employees suffer. He may alone be a winner, but it was at the expense of many others who have lost.
| New Rules | Old Rules |
|---|---|
| Agile is best; being big can bite you | Big dogs own the street |
| Find a niche, create something new | Be No. 1 or No. 2 in your market |
| The customer is king | Shareholders rule |
| Look out, not in | Be lean and mean |
| Hire passionate people | Rank your players; go with the A’s |
| Hire a courageous CEO | Hire a charismatic CEO |
| Admire my soul | Admire my might |
I was driving home tonight and thinking about when I worked for Landmark Communications. I was pleased to meet Frank Batten Sr. during corporate leadership training. Someone asked Mr. Batten, How much is enough?.
Mr. Batten did not even flinch at the question. He said he would have been gone long ago if it were about the money. I don’t remember his exact words, but he said his happiness is now drawn from the great people he hired, and the company they built employs thousands of families. His focus was to continue diversifying the company and expanding so that the company could continue to support so many.
Mr. Batten is now retired, but his thoughts have always stayed with me. His ideals were such that he thought of Winning as hiring the best people, building the best products, and expanding the business to ensure success for the long haul. So many people are Winning because of Frank Batten’s vision. I left Landmark 7 years ago… and I continue to Win because of how Mr. Batten and Landmark treated me.
You can not call it a Win unless your team celebrates with you. They helped you get there, and they deserve a piece of the credit and a piece of the reward. Of course, you’ve risked and invested in their careers – it’s in your best interest to keep and respect them. If I had to worry about getting a pink slip because a stock price was slipping, would I put my heart into my job? That’s what we see happening to the businesses that these vultures pray on. It’s simply unconscionable.
Kudos on the article! It’s about time someone stood up!
How many of you know who Jack Welsh is? Have you ever heard of Frank Batten Sr.? There’s something wrong with that, isn’t there?
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