Jack Welch Case Study

THE TALE OF TWO LEADERS: JACK WELCH AND JRD TATA

One of the most important aspects of managing any organization is to have a strong and determined leader at the top. Alexander the Great once said “an army of sheep of sheep led by a lion is better than an army of lions led by a sheep”. This famous quote is very much true for any and every organization of this world. Leadership management has always been an important aspect of governance of any organization. In simple words a leader can take an organization to the topmost of peaks with his/her actions.

Jack Welch, the long time chairman and CEO of General Electric (GE), has been hailed as one of the greatest business leaders of all time and rightly so. It was Welch who headed GE from April 1981

The 8 rules of Leadership Management given Jack Welch which GE still follows are

1. Leaders relentlessly upgrade their team, using every encounter as an opportunity to evaluate, coach and build self-confidence. Take every opportunity to inject self-confidence into those who have earned it. Use ample praise, the more specific the better.

2. Leaders make sure people not only see the vision, they live and breathe it. Welch says “There were times I talked about the company’s direction so much in one day, that I was completely sick of hearing it myself.”Leader should make sure every employee understands the objectives of the organization.

3. Leaders get into everyone’s skin, exuding positive energy and optimism. Unhappy tribes have a tough time winning. When the chips are down a leader should be able to instil confidence into his/her employees and give them a morale booster.

4. Leaders establish trust with honesty, openness and transparency. They give credit for others contribution and success. Leaders never score off their own people by stealing an idea and claiming it as their

Studying his leadership secrets tells us what American business was once like, and outlines how the tactics he pioneered have changed business for the better in so many ways.

When it comes to India the only man and corporation that share similar traits as Jack Welch’s and GE are JRD Tata and Tata and sons.JRD Tata joined Tata & Sons as an unpaid apprentice in 1925. He had great interest in flying. On February 10, 1929, JRD became the first Indian to pass the pilot 's examination. With this distinctive honour of being India 's first pilot, he was instrumental in giving wings to India by building Tata Airlines, which ultimately became Air India. His passion for flying was fulfilled with the formation of the Tata Aviation Service in 1932.

Leadership, according to JRD meant motivating others. “As chairman, my main responsibility is to inspire