What “Leadership” Means to JWMI Alumni
What is leadership?
Merriam-Webster.com defines leadership as “the office or position of a leader, the capacity to lead.” But if leadership is so clearly defined, why are there countless books, courses and presentations on the meaning of leadership?
When it comes to leaders and the meaning of leadership, there is perhaps no greater expert than Jack Welch. Jack is one of the world’s most respected and celebrated business leaders of all time. Under his leadership as chairman and CEO of General Electric between 1981 and 2001, the company’s value rose 4,000%.
Jack famously stated:
“Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”
This is why Jack created the Jack Welch Management Institute. The top 10 ranked online MBA program teaches Jack’s winning and time-tested philosophy on leadership development, people management and more. So with all of Jack’s rich learnings in hand, we asked some JWMI graduates what leadership means to them. Here are their responses.
Bob Williams
One of the first things I learned from the JWMI program was that “When you become a leader, it’s not about you anymore. It’s all about them.” That’s a profound shift from the command and control leadership styles from which I am most familiar. It sets the stage for a servant-leadership style. That approach hooked me. I understood what it meant to serve my family and friends, but I wasn’t sure how to apply it to business in our data-driven, distracted world. When you internalize Jack’s perspective, you uncover three crucial leadership traits. They are 1) putting others first, 2) listening without an agenda, while setting boundaries, and knowing when to say “no,” and 3) practicing a continuous learning growth mindset with a servant-minded perspective. You learn about people, what makes them tick, and how each business discipline impacts their day to day needs, wants and desires. As a leader, you don’t always make popular decisions, but you still understand the data, the context, the perspective of all the brains in the game, and you make informed business decisions based on diverse input from your team. You do your homework, you advise based on feedback and you listen to everyone to make sure you understand what is best for the organization, them and then you. As a leader, the buck stops with you, not them, and you need to make sure you always support the mission and promote a shared unified vision. That’s how leaders are made.”
What makes a great leader? Watch Bob break it down.
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MiSook Chung
Leadership is being effective with people and efficient with things. And Jack Welch said leading people with truth and trust is fundamental to leadership. Great leaders build trust, inspire others, build great teams, have a generosity gene and celebrate.
John Quint
Leadership is about being true to your personal values while aligning the company and team to win.
Timothy Chatlos
A leader must have a real passion for the strategy they implement, and a relentless drive that not only pushes them forward but also inspire others to do the same.
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Leaders inspire people with clear visions of how things can be done better. Ready to lead?
Request more information on the different leadership programs at the Jack Welch Management Institute.
Category: JWMI
Published Date: SEPTEMBER 11, 2020