Applied Leadership in Project Management Term Paper

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successful examples of leadership in business, especially if we take note of the key changes that the company has underwent during his management, is Jack Welch, CEO at General Electrics for twenty years, a real "tiger Woods of management," by the words of his friend, Warren Buffett, chairman at Berkshire Hathaway. Jack Welch's own biography, "Jack -- Straight from the Gut," is the best material to reflect the example of leadership that Jack Welch represented during the 80s and chief of General Electrics. Chapter 24, "What this CEO things is all about," gives a keen insight into the leadership process, as perceived by the former CEO of General Electrics, along with a concluding list of characteristics a successful leader should have.

The first and most important thing Welch lists is integrity

. A successful leader must have integrity and only one agenda for everybody: customers, shareholders, suppliers etc. Integrity helps built a reputation, something which is essential in business and without which successful business relationships cannot function correctly. If the business partner knows you will be giving him a straightforward situation and a sincere answer, he will know you are something to do business with.

Setting the tone is one of the leader's important functions, according to Welch. In his own words, "the organization takes its cue from the person on top"

. First of all, it is a matter of example. Employees that see their manager working 12-14 hours a day and laying down an impressive effort to commit to the specific jobs he has in plan and to subject himself to the overall strategic objectives of the company, are likely to handle themselves in a similar manner.

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On the other hand, I would also interpret Jack Welch's words in terms of vision: setting a tone means that it is the leader's duty and job to define a vision for the employees, see that everybody understands it and work with the employees for its achievement. This is, in my opinion, one of the fundamental differences between a manager and a leader. A manager recognizes the necessities of the company and works in order to solve them. I would see him as a short and medium planner and organizer. On the other hand, a leader sets a long-term vision and guides the company towards its achievement.

On the other hand, according to Jack Welch, people come first and the strategy second

. The most important issue for him is "getting the right people in the right jobs"

rather than developing a strategy. Strategies, in their purest form, is a pleasant presentation and a set of objectives one is determined to attain. Unless the right people adopt a strategy, believe in it and are determined to carry it through, it will remain at the same level and will produce lousy results. From GE history, Welch exemplifies with the ultrasound and services branches, which had remained unsuccessful projects until the right people were placed in charged of them and helped carry them through.

Informality is also something Jack Welch believes should be implemented in an organization. According to Welch, informality is about getting to everybody the message that they all count, they all have an important role in the organization, a determining act in their own way.

On the other hand, informality improves communication, both besides members of the.....

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