I think there's a need for somewhat of a mindset change. We need to have a consistent external focus. We've always had the research labs. We've always had the resources to be innovative, and we've been innovative in a number of businesses. But, in any big company, you have to constantly push people to look at markets and customers, rather than look internally at themselves.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

Categorized in : Thinking People Numbers

I'm an optimist.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

change inspirational life

Good leaders don't tell people what to do, they give teams capability and inspiration.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

team inspiration leadership

Managing innovation better may be the only way out of the abyss called commodity hell.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

innovation may way

Work hard with passion and courage. Life is a marathon of contribution. You really must work hard to accomplish something... Find your passion and get good at it.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

marathon passion hard-work

The best thing you can give as a leader is a reason to trust. People want to trust. They're hungry for it. But they're selective. They'll only give it to a motivator, a communicator, a teacher, a real person. Someone who in good times and bad always does the right thing.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

real leadership teacher

Values can't just be words on a page. To be effective, they must shape action.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

pages shapes action

The reason people come to work for GE, they want to be apart of something bigger than themselves, they want to work for a company that makes a difference, a company that is doing great things in the world.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

making-a-difference differences people

The most important thing I've learned since becoming CEO is context. It's how your company fits in with the world and how you respond to it.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

learning important world

Seeing people in person is a big part of how you drive any change process. You have to show people a positive view of the future and say "we can do it"

Jeffrey R. Immelt

process views people

I was Chairman for two days. I had an airplane with my engines, hit a building I insured, was covered by a network I owned and I still have to increase earnings by 11 percent.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

airplane earning two

Live with passion. Live with purpose.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

live-with-passion passion purpose

Every leader needs to clearly explain the top three things the organization is working on. If you can't, you are not leading well.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

three organization leader

In business as in life, sometimes bad things happen to good people, and sometimes good things happen to bad people. But over time, if you play long enough, everybody gets what he deserves - good and bad.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

karma business life

There is no real magic to being a good leader. But at the end of every week, you have to spend your time around the things that are really important: setting priorities, measuring outcomes, and rewarding them.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

priorities leader real

I was never afraid of failure. I realized that I was responsible for my own success and that every day offers a new beginning and I was confident in my ability to improve.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

new-beginnings responsible attitude

Surviving a failure gives you more self-confidence. Failures are great learning tools - but they must be kept to a minimum.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

confidence business self

And people is the most important part of my job. I spend one third of my time on people.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

important jobs people

Leadership is an intense journey into yourself. You can use your own style to get anything done. It's about being self-aware. Every morning, I look in the mirror and say, 'I could have done three things better yesterday.'

Jeffrey R. Immelt

journey self morning

It's the sustained ability to change that really counts.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

ability-to-change ability

You can't delegate growth or customer satisfaction.

Jeffrey R. Immelt

growth satisfaction business