This book explains how the management really changed the business culture, the strategy and the values of a large corporation like GE. Mr Welch was an outstanding CEO that made GE one of the best companies 20 years ago. A man that impacted the whole organization for the better.Besides, the impact of a good management on the company itself and on its market cap clearly emerges while advancing in the reading of the book

A book which explains that buisness is like war and you can only win a war if you trust your gut and you keep evolving. Must read for all the entrepreneurs.

I had to give this a three because I skimmed so much at the end. I skimmed so much at the end because the whole book was so many names that I didn't know who they were. It was also like a big history of GE. He does have some good leadership ideas.

Great autobiography of Jack's rise through GE, very open and frank, as well as insightful about what it's taken for him to succeed.

Biggest learnings are around:
t- people. That's key. Honest dialog about performance and unrelenting search for the best
t- ambition. Always looking for the next opportunity and always selling himself as the best person for each new role
t- deep dives. Not always, but often, drilling down deep into key areas and doing whatever it takes to understand them and add value

Well worth the read for anyone aspiring to management of large organizations.

Great book and insights.

كتاب ممتع في تفاصيله ممتع في أسلوبه سيضع أمامك خارطة لن تهديك اتجاهات واضحة ولكنها سترسم معالم الطريق الاساسية جميل ان تقرأه قبل أوانه
العظماء أناس احبوا ما عملوا وكان هو شغفهم في الحياة لا يهم كيف حققوا ما أنجزوه ولكن المهم اي أمال وطموح اكتنزوها في صدورهم ليبقوا ثابتين على تقبل النجاح والتغيير

Good, but fat too full of himself.

Jack Welch in the book titled Jack: Straight from the Gut has put forth core business ideologies, values, and principles which triggered phenomenal exponential growth, enormous profit-driven margins, and ensured the celebrated success for employees at General Electric (GE). The author's dynamic leadership and innovative skills earned him the stature of a top-notch management mainstay at GE and his astute hiring skill facilitated inflow of talented, skilled human resource which bore an impeccable vision of taking a firm stand on guarding employee interest during their tenure at the reputed tech corporate. This particular aspect of Jack's relentless personality allowed him to back his brilliant knack of hiring and nurturing talent up with a commendable hold over business problems hurled at him beside an incredible penchant for decision-making which supported and ensured General Electric's smooth transition from a company with thousand employees to that of a multinational with vast manpower. Jack Welch's Straight from the Gut amplifies author's views on days of his initial struggle, first major breakthrough as a young engineer, crucial contributing role in several landmark projects at General Electric, march toward glory with career-defining professional success in a very short time, early challenges and obstacles he overcame to stake claim at several top managerial designations during a career spanning over 30 years at GE, changes effected at the corporate with globalization lubricated by growing demand for fast paced, improved, exceptional services and Six Sigma, the constant desire to strive for excellence and customer satisfaction without compromising on the essentials and needs of the workforce at General Electric, and several other vast aspects of business leadership and management. If Winning was a business book which threw light on the personal and professional space of Jack Welch the business magnate; Straight from the Gut unveils a thoughtful, thought-provoking deep insight on what it took off Jack Welch the corporate tycoon to guide minimal resources at his disposal and help GE reach towering height during his stint as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the corporate. The author has exhibited keen tendency to put facts across to readers using a systematic paradigm. His efforts are laudable, for the approach adopted by him in penning the GE phenomenon yields desirable results from the perspective of reader gratification. A book enthusiast's charm. Further, the emphasis laid on analysis of corporate's annual earning and progress make it an interesting read as the author devotedly quotes profit margins and revenue earned by exploiting productive statistical outlook which render readers spellbound with its brilliant degree of prolonged sustained success. General Electric could be faintly described as a sub-brainchild of Jack Welch, for the corporate conquered new heights and assumed the stature of giant multinational during his 20 years at helm as Chairman of one of the leading companies of the world. Besides bringing to fore Jack Welch's illustrious prowess and proficiency as a business leader, the book throws light on various other aspects of his life vis-à-vis prioritized socializing, the liking he developed for sports such as hockey and baseball as a school graduate, and affection for partying with colleagues following every success accomplished at GE. The standout businessman in Jack Welch can be likened to an entrepreneur despite the known fact that he was not part of GE during its founding years. Jack Welch's rapid ascent up the corporate ladder is a testimony to the fact that he was an entrepreneurial material. The business icon's shrewdness, mind-boggling affinity toward embracing risk, promptness in devising propitious solutions to business problem, an eye for identifying right talent for the right job, willingness to hear out concerns of his employees and colleagues to arrive at desired compromises or solutions, support for innovation, and considerable level of persistence at work second the preceding opinion.

The obvious aspect of GE's long sustained growth and position at the top evident from the read is easily grasped from Jack Welch's progressive attitude and persevering focus on continual improvement of business and work ambiance at the multinational. The author's views on game changing elements of business world such as globalization, ever increasing demand for improved services, willingness to capitulate to implementation of Six Sigma and E-Business speak volumes about the in-depth mastery he enjoyed over business ideologies religiously followed at GE. The biography of General Electric co-authored by John A.Byrne includes brief autobiography of Jack Welch and is titled Early Years. In this segment Jack enlightens readers about his school life, influential aura of his mother which shaped his personality, and his unconditional love of sport. The author is quick to add that the upbringing by his mother played a key role in professional success he relished at GE. The book ought to be a fundamental guide for techpreneurs willing to pursue the path of self-improvement and impose improvisation on the same. The former CEO of GE does strike a chord with readers furnishing a lively account on corporate life and his many experiences initially as a young engineer and then in due course as CEO of General Electric. In addition to Jack's professional conduit at GE, the compilation highlights the corporate giant's march toward attaining colossal stature following successful endeavors in business of electronic components and through collaboration with various media entities which helped GE's cause to open the doors for globalization. With rapid growth witnessed in industry, Jack employed various management strategies to finalize deals and tackle production problems. The author of Winning and Straight from the Gut is the pioneer of a management concept called team leadership, for he introduced several business reforms in paradigms that focused on providing quick business resolution with improved workforce productivity and efficiency. The concluding segment in the book unravels the influence, the advent of world wide web and internet had on businesses within the GE corporation. Certain matter covered in the book exclusively conduct a thorough check on fun games employed in appointing members of the board of directors and anointing their successor, the unique culture put into practice by Jack Welch's predecessor and boss, Reg Jones. Jack Welch's association with General Electric produced phenomenal results for the company. The end of the book is marked by an interesting epilogue summarizing GE's journey under effective leadership of the author, beside explicating what he supposed the future held for General Electric and the options which beckon General Electric to function effectively. Jack Welch also dedicates substantial writing space to the love he developed for game of golf as part of routine while at GE; the Ex-CEO's way of strengthening bond with an ever prevalent facet of his life - Sport. From the reader's perspective, the book is a good medium to embark on a corporate journey alongside Jack Welch which commences as a tryst with GE and terminates with Jeff Immelt at helm of the state of affairs at GE. The book facilitates and stimulates mind travel with time travel.

Straight from the Gut authored by Jack Welch and John A.Byrne offers new reading experience for a 'New Guy'. The book in its most genuine congeniality keep readers engrossed and attentive with a striking interlaced method of writing and articulating facts. The business biography and the author's autobiography steals me of 4 points to leave me stranded with 1. Neutron Jack's written work is a very well gathered collection of corporate tales which establishes staggering input on General Electric's days of tremendous progress under definitive leadership and top level management. For geeks seeking data on challenges encountered by multinationals due to constant disruption, the business book is an apt bible which meets their need with sufficing quantity of substance on technology, business management, sales and marketing, leadership, and last but not the least the collective wisdom of many experiences of a prodigious Herculean taskmaster and colossal business figure, Mr.Jack Welch. A brilliant read which also qualifies as a good read. The 'New Guys' out there, have fun reading Straight from the Gut. Cheers!

I read this book back in 2004, so my memory is a tad foggy. I do recall enjoying the story format woven with blunt honesty by Jack Welch. Some business principles in leadership and how he chose to run GE.

Many of the world's most renowned business leaders are founder-visionaries, when you think of Jeff Bezos, Jack Ma, Steve Jobs etc. Having grown up hearing stories of such entrepreneurs, what struck me the most about Jack Welch, is that he is not one of them. He is instead, known for his business leadership, and his management style. Jack, is straight forward, and so he is in the book too. What stands out for me is the emphasis that is laid on people and culture in his book, and less on technology or customer. The importance of decisive action, even more than planning. The importance of adopting good ideas without shame, and going full throttle in selling them. I may not agree with some of his methods, but certainly got me thinking on so many others. I am glad to have read this book.

Fantastic read.

Rest in peace, Jack

A Great Insight of a remarkable leader and driver of change when the need for it is not clear and in the future.

I guess it would be even more powerfull at the time of the release but, almost 20 years on, there is still allot of value on it.

The follow up book was even better, a bible on management