By ROB VARNON rvarnon@ctpost.com
Reprinted with Permission from the Connecticut Post

FAIRFIELD — "Never find a mentor. Mentors are good to show you where the cafeteria is or to fill out insurance forms." This advice was just one of many tidbits business legend Jack Welch offered an adoring crowd of more than 800 at Sacred Heart University on Friday, where he also extolled the virtues of his latest book, "Winning."

While Welch, who headed General Electric Co. during 20 of the 40 years he worked for the company, drew plenty of laughs with his witticisms, there was generally more to what he said than just punch lines. On mentors, Welch wasn't saying people should go through life ignoring others; instead, he advocates learning from everyone. After all, "If you got stuck with a mentor, what do you do if your mentor gets shot?"

The tone for Friday's event was set early when Sacred Heart University President Anthony Cernera, who sat on stage in the Edgerton Center for Performing Arts asking Welch questions, noted that Welch was donating all the proceeds from "Winning" to charity. He then reminded Welch that SHU is a charity.

"You always remind me of that," Welch shot back.

Welch said he spoke at SHU because of his long-standing relationship with Cernera, and because his assistant, Roseanne Badowski, is a trustee at the school.

During Friday's event, Welch said his latest book, co-authored with wife Suzy, deals with issues confronting workers and bosses, including things as simple as attitude.

"You have to have a positive attitude," Welch said. "If you're a sourpuss, get rid of it. It's a career killer."

Honestly assessing yourself, others and situations are crucial components to Welch's philosophy. But these are most critical to managers.

"It's the obligation of a leader to let people know where they stand," he said.

He said poor managers don't tell employees the truth and then, when a surprised veteran employee loses his or her job after 20 years of good reviews, the manager is at last forced to admit that the person wasn't very good. The poor performer should have been given the opportunity to move on, and the company given the chance to get someone good into that position, according to Welch.

During a question-and-answer session, Welch was asked to explain why he shut down the majority of GE's operations in Bridgeport when he was in charge.

In Bridgeport and in other cases, he answered, the products being made weren't profitable and the factories weren't competitive in the world market.

"Companies don't provide job security," Welch said. "Satisfied customers provide job security."

Ultimately, Welch parsed out some encouraging words for the students in attendance, telling them that the economy is strong and that opportunities for capable people abound across the globe.

William Mitchell, president of Ed Mitchell Inc., parent company of the Westport clothing store Mitchells and the Greenwich store Richards, was called on to ask the final question of the evening. After asking Welch where he bought his tie — and not getting an answer — Mitchell delivered a comment.

"So much of this is common sense," Mitchell said of Welch's thoughts.

Welch agreed.

Rob Varnon, who covers business for the Connecticut Post can be reached at 330-6216

Contact: Funda Alp (alpf@sacredheart.edu)

Previous Page    Back to May 2005    Next Page