The Man Behind the Throne
Copyright Jack Mixner. 714 449 1040. www.mixnerstrategy.com
Welch's HR methods like firing or re-assigning the bottom ten per cent of your workforce each year had to be backed up by a system. It appears that GE's Bill Conaty provided the system (Brady, 66).
Key points on applying Conaty at your company:
- Dare to differentiate (Brady, 66) your team by annual grading.
- Constantly raise the bar by increasing expectations and training.
- Don't be friends with the boss. HR managers fail when the team perceives that the HR Manager tells the CEO only what he or she wants to hear.
- Become easy to replace. Have a succession plan.
- Be inclusive. Include the whole team - including the ones you don't know.
- Free up others to do their jobs. A good HR manager decreases the amount of decision-making needed by the CEO.
- Keep it simple. Stay on message, even in down times.
Immelt seems to be softening the edges of the Welch management process fine-tuned by Conaty. It'll be interesting to watch how much.
Reference
Brady, Diane. Secrets of an HR Superstar. BusinessWeek. 9 April 2007. 66.