Running head: SELF-ASSESSMENT/ANALYSIS 1

Self-Assessment/Analysis

MBA-550 – Leadership in an Organization

Deborah Flaherty

Southern New Hampshire University

November 17, 2019

SELF-ASSESSMENT/ANALYSIS 2

Introduction

After going through the assessment and looking at my strengths and looking at the traits

of Jack Welch, CEO of GE, I felt there were some similarities between us. The Includer and

Adaptability roles are the two traits that seem to be the closest. Both of these fall in the

Relationship Building category, which is something that seems to hit home with Mr. Welch.

His skills in management and leadership are what guided him, and they impacted how he was

able to improve General Electric.

Self-Assessment

My strengths are an important part of me and how I can maximize the talents that I have

to help me achieve success. By taking these into consideration, both singularly and in multiple

combinations, I can use them to become my best self and use my talents to their fullest. Each

specific trait shows how an individual can about how things could be. Strategic Thinking is my

highest category, and Learner is the sub category for this. Learning is the most fulfilling part of

any subject matter. Whether it be a beginning position in a company, or moving from one

department to the next. The best part is continuing to move onward and upward. My next items

alternate between Relationship Building and Executing. Both including others and Adapting are

a big part of my building bridges and relationships with those around me. I can adapt to others

processes, while still holding on to my own way of doing things. I also want to make sure that all

around me are on the same page, and know what is taking place. In the Executing category, fall

Achiever and Responsibility. These are major points that I know to be true for myself. I am the

first to take responsibility for my mistakes. This helps with being true to yourself and knowing

what your limitations are. I also want to be the best that I can be and try to stay true to my
SELF-ASSESSMENT/ANALYSIS 3

course. While I might not see a clear path in the beginning, I will stay on track to make sure that

any task is accomplished (Flaherty, 2019).

Compare and Contrast

When looking at leadership, Jack Welch and his wife find that there are five essential

traits. While these do not include typical traits like integrity, which is a big requirement in any

leadership position, or intelligence, which is seen as a ticket to today’s complex global

marketplace, they are Positive Energy, the Ability to Energize Others, Edge, Execute, and

Passion. These characteristics are key leadership traits. Positive Energy can help see things as

good thing and something that will help in good and bad times. The Ability to Energize Others

plays along with the previous trait. Being able to get other excited in a project or to help them

look at a mundane task with new eyes can be a powerful tool. Being on the cutting Edge is a trait

that helps you look at the tough situations and make the correct call. Execute, well this is just as

it sounds, being able to get things done when needed. Lastly, there is Passion, bringing all of

these together to help each and every one believe and want to make it happen (Becker, 2016).

When looking at both Jack Welch’s essential leadership traits and my assessment, there

are many similarities in the way he has accomplished things and how I hope to accomplish my

goals. They are not exactly the same, nor would I expect them to be. I am on the edge of being a

leader, whereas he is a leader and can utilize his skills in a real situation. I am someone that

listens, and always try to stay positive and try to make that show in all aspects of what I do.

Always have a smile in my voice and project it to everyone that I talk to. This is much like him

with keeping a positive attitude and making it contagious. In any situation, I try to make sure that

my decisions are on level with what needs to happen. Making decisions during phone calls can

be stressful, but in the long run, it gives one the edge that is needed to make things happen. and
SELF-ASSESSMENT/ANALYSIS 4

implement the changes that need to be made. My passion is to be the best person that I can be

and to also encourage those around me to be the best they can be. Making sure that the team

grows and learns is the best feeling.

Career Path & Different Roles

“The success story of GE under the energetic and visionary leadership of Jack Welch, is a

complex narrative of managerial innovation and strategic moves, which not only included the

acquisition of companies, but also the selling of troubled firms owned by the enormous

conglomerate, and the ruthless termination of managers who did not produce” (Davis, 2019).

He started out in General Electric as a chemical engineer back in 1960. As with any job

that someone is in, there are ups and downs. And as most people have considered, they want to

leave their position because of the way the company is handled. It was an executive, Reuben

Gutoff, which gave him the inclination to stay. That was when he started to make history (Said,

2013). Jack Welch made many changes to the company. His passion, knowledge and vision for

the company changed it to a great company. He did this by simplifying and consolidating as

much as possible to revamp the company (Said, 2013). He also made sure to surround himself

with people that thought the way that he did, and also made sure that all lines of communication

were open, no matter what status of the employee.

He was a person that lead by example, and made sure that he worked with all of his

employees to share his vision of what the company could be. When he took over GE, he was a

leader that had to make drastic changes before he could become the manager of GE. Employees

followed his lead and made the changes that helped the company grow and develop as well as

the employees themselves.

SELF-ASSESSMENT/ANALYSIS 5

From his perspective, there were many things that needed to be addressed. Before he

started to change everything, managers were the old school, watch what was being done and

dictate what needs to be do. Employees were isolated, and did not receive proper inspiration to

change things up. This was something that Welch found un-fathomable, he felt that rather than

manage the employees, his staff should lead them in the proper direction. He has been known to

think of it as managers’ control, not facilitate, complicate rather than simplify, step on the brakes

instead of putting the pedal to the metal and hit the gas. A successful manager can understand the

entire process only if they can make it a part of their daily tasks to be a part of the multiple parts

of the business itself (Davis, 2019).

After making the changes to his team and developing his staff, he started to lay out a

clear outline of where he wanted the company to go. He set the guidelines and goals that he

wanted the employees to reach. After he accomplished this, he stepped back for being a leader

for a bit and changed to a manager type role. By doing this he was able to observe everyone’s

actions to make sure that all he had put into place was being followed.

Impact on GE

“His invariable focus on changing when necessary, openness to new ideas, quality,

simplicity, the empowerment of managers and employees, and the quest for competitive

advantage are the hallmarks of Welch's great leadership” (Davis, 2019). When becoming CEO of

GE, Jack Welch could be considered a legendary manager. He found that there was no time for

the old business ways that had put the company where they currently were. As long as the new

ethics were followed, striving to bring about change where ever it was needed, his management

team were allowed free reign. He ran the company in such a way that had the dynamic of a small
SELF-ASSESSMENT/ANALYSIS 6

business being able to change as new opportunities became apparent, and also if the company

started to slow down in its profitability.

General Electric had great growth and expansion under his leadership. He was able to

expand the company during his reign from 1981 to 2001. He accomplished this by bringing new

businesses onboard, streamlining operations, and making sure that all of the businesses that were

under GE were the best in their field.

Before Welch took the helm of GE, they had revenues of approximately $26.8 billion,

and in the year before he left, they had just about of $130 billion. Besides the revenues, the

market value soared from $14 billion to more than $410 billion by the time he retired. This made

them the most valuable and largest company in the world, and this was up from America's tenth

largest by market cap in 1981 (GE, 2019).

Welch restructured the company’s hierarchy to a smaller level to make sure that all of the

different business sectors were reporting directly to him. This also reduced the workforce

tremendously. He replaced those mangers that were not willing to break with the old culture, and

handpicked new business heads that showed strong commitment to his new ways of handling

business and bring about the change and vision that he was looking for. By doing this, it proved

to be profitable, and it set the stage for greater increases in both sales and earnings for the last

part of the decade.

After all was said and done, there was a bit of shock in the culture of the company. They

needed to build on and create a more solid foundation. Welch wanted the new normal to be one

of a clearer path of communications based on openness and honesty. Welch wanted the culture of

a small company where everyone is engaged and can speak their minds, focus on innovation, and

saw that methods and procedures were more important than results.
SELF-ASSESSMENT/ANALYSIS 7

References

Becker, S. (2016, June 17). Jack Welch: These 5 Traits Define a Powerful Leader. Retrieved

from Cheat Sheet: https://www.cheatsheet.com/money-career/jack-welch-traits-powerful-

leader.html/

Davis, M. (2019, June 25). Management strategies from a top CEO. Retrieved from

Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/articles/financial-theory/10/manage-business-

like-jack-welch.asp

Durbin, A. (2016). Leadership: Research Findings, Practice, and Skills. Cengage Learning.

Flaherty, D. (2019). Self Assessment. Manchester.

GE. (2019, November 16). Jack F Welch, Jr. Retrieved from GE: http://www.ge.com/about-

us/leadership/profiles/john-f-welch-jr

Said, S. (2013, April 12). The Story of Jack Welch – GE’s Wonderman. Retrieved from

therichest.com: http://www.therichest.com/business/the-story-of-jack-welch-ges-

wonderman/