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Jack: Straight from the Gut
 
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Jack: Straight from the Gut [Audiobook, Unabridged] [Audio Cassette]

Jack Welch (Author), John A. Byrne (Author), Mike Barnicle (Reader)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (226 customer reviews)

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It's hard to think of a CEO that commands as much respect as Jack Welch. Under his leadership, General Electric reinvented itself several times over by integrating new and innovative practices into its many lines of business. In Jack: Straight from the Gut, Welch, with the help of Business Week journalist John Byrne, recounts his career and the style of management that helped to make GE one of the most successful companies of the last century. Beginning with Welch's childhood in Salem, Massachusetts, the book quickly progresses from his first job in GE's plastics division to his ambitious rise up the GE corporate ladder, which culminated in 1981. What comes across most in this autobiography is Welch's passion for business as well as his remarkable directness and intolerance of what he calls "superficial congeniality"--a dislike that would help earn him the nickname "Neutron Jack." In spite of its 496 pages, Jack: Straight from the Gut is a quick read that any student or manager would do well to consider. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

It doesn't matter whether you love or hate Jack Welch. Who can resist hearing the man tell his story? This abridged version of his recently published autobiography, featuring Welch himself, is quite entertaining. With his slightly raspy Boston accent, Welch discusses his childhood and his career. When he proclaims something, he gives examples to illustrate his point. For instance, he says his mother was the strongest influence on his life. He then recalls the time he threw a hockey stick across the ice in disgust after losing a game, and his mother stormed into the locker room as some teammates were changing to exclaim loudly, "If you don't know how to lose, you'll never know how to win." When discussing his long career at GE, Welch is equally detailed. While some listeners unfamiliar with the corporation may find some of the discussions tedious, most will be captivated by what appears to be Welch's brutal honesty. He talks about having to lobby for promotions because he didn't "fit the GE mold," and he's open about making some poor business decisions. He's not as forthright as it appears, though. He talks about his beloved wife, Carolyn, who provided a stable home while Welch was rising in GE's ranks, but barely mentions their divorce. Still, this audiobook will be interesting listening for anyone who has followed Neutron Jack's career. Simultaneous release with Warner Books hardcover.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews

226 Reviews
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4 star:
 (45)
3 star:
 (33)
2 star:
 (26)
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Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (226 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A must for every manager's library, Jun 18 2009
This review is from: Jack: Straight from the Gut (Paperback)
If Drucker wrote the theory on American Management, this book by Dr Welch is a chronology of Drukerism in practice. It has all the elements of what managers wish they could do, should have done and are trying to do. What's interesting is Welch's signature way of getting it done. No other CEO/Author speaks candidly of the objectives and how he went ahead and did it and how he sat there licking his wounds or looking outside the window at the new neon lights atop that building that just became GE's property.
Not everyone admired Neutron Jack's management or had the guts to do what he did. But managers, I'll bet, are relieved that Jack was the one brave enough to try these out with that driven passion.

This is not just for CEOs, divisional, HR and functional managers: it's also for project managers and leaders at ever level of the hierarchy. Not every tactic in this book can be transported to companies and divisions out there: some will not work in the cultures of the 21st century. However, Jack's candor and John Byrne's writing style will make this book a definite legend in all management and leadership libraries.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Buy the book used, April 1 2004
By 
D. McGrath "dmack58" (Canton, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Jack (Hardcover)
I guess it's not bragging if you can do it - and he did. It is difficult to argue GE's success over the past 20 years. Mr. Welch took a 12 billion company and made it into a 500 billion dollar business. Without even using a computer!! Regarding the portion of the book were he talks about assigning E-trainers for all the top executives in the company, all I have to say is rank does have its privileged, It must be nice to have a techie hold your hand if you are an executive and computer illiterate.
It is hard to believe that it wasn't until 1999 that Jack Welch sent his first email. A multimillionaire who isn't connected....
I am not sure if it is ignorance or apathy?

In Mr Welch's defense, I am not sure how the author could have gotten around referencing everybody he worked with or for.
If you can get through that part of the book, there are some things in the rest of the book that are of value. I listened to the book on tape so it wasn't so bad.
He does talk about real people and real problems that he encountered throughout his career and what it took to get the job done working within the environment HE created.
If you are not a business person or just wondered what it is like at the top, here are a dozen of the key ideas Mr Welch talks about in his book.

Stretch jobs
The runway of a person,
The vitality curve of a career
Differentiation being a key value to getting ahead
"boundaryless" operations
Blackbelt employees
Plane crash scenario: Who will run the company
Having a deep bench: When a replacement was needed
Fix, Close or Sell areas of business that are not performing well
Being #1 or #2 in your field
The 6 sigma quality movement
Finance: People and dollars are the movable parts, while the people hold the depth of knowledge
Not to mention a smattering of, golf, tennis and ping pong stories.

Overall I would say buy the book used or borrow it from a friend - 4 stars

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4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable and insightful., July 29 2011
By 
J Roche (CANADA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   
This review is from: Jack: Straight from the Gut (Paperback)
Jack, gives the average person an opportunity to see inside the world of a powerful businessman. This book fails as an instructional guide on how to succeed in business. It does an excellent job of giving you an idea of what it is like to run a multinational corporation and specifically the management philosophy of Jack Welch.

I loved getting to see the organizational structure of such a large and complex company. I found this brief breakdown of GE companies facinating. This book also gives you a chance to understand the thought process of Jack Welch and the reasoning behind his style and decisions. He was controversial and demanding.

Jack-Straight from the Gut is a book for those who would like an entertaining and candid look into the office of a CEO. It is not a how to and offers little insight as to what it takes to achieve this level of success. It is entertaining and not a bad use of your time.

If you're interested in big business and would like an overview as to how it works you should enjoy this book.
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