Winning: The Answers by Jack Welch & Suzy Welch

Title: Winning: The Answers
Authors: Jack Welch & Suzy Welch
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers India
Pages: 262
Price:Rs.395
Anything written by Jack Welch is grabbed by managers searching for new insights into managing. The legendary manager of the 20th century might not disappoint the first time readers. But, if you had already read his other two books, "Straight From The Gut", his autobiography written along with John A. Byrne and "Winning" written along wit his wife Suzy, the book doesn’t offer much. The book ,according to the authors ,provides the answers to questions they had to field during their book tour of Winning, meetings with managers, students of business schools and business groups, spread across the world. All the same, I found the part which deals with global competition and especially the answers to the questions about the “China syndrome” very interesting. Of course, it is “guts” again when he dispenses the doubts about outsourcing by convincingly concluding that America’s challenge is not outsourcing but it is talent insourcing.

The part on Careers looks very commonplace in a book from a legendary CEO. Such topics have been covered in a number of self-improvement books. The concluding part ,Winning and Losing, especially the definition of winning that winning is about reaching the destination one chooses. That winning is not necessarily about money but is about making something in one’s life, it is about progress and meaning ,it’s about achievement –whether business or individual.

While the authors describe office politics as the province of three types of employees,namely the boss haters,underperformers, and the underutilized-the bored, they don't offer a solution to those who don't want to indulge in office politics, perform well but are unable to bring in change because the very game of politics may be played or initiated by the top leaders,especially in a family manged business.

The repetitions can be condoned if one decided to take a cue from JW advice,"Repeat!Repeat!Repeat!" for the message to go deep down the throats of all JW admirers.

Last but not the least, the answer to the question “Is Wal-Mart a force for good or evil in the world?” must be read by the Doubting Thomases in developing countries like India who steadfastly oppose entry of Wal-Mart.

While "Winning" received commendations like “No other management book will ever be needed” from Buffet and “A candid and comprehensive look at how to succeed in business-for everyone from college graduates to CEOs”, I don’t see any such thing about this book.

Since the book has been published simultaneously in India, the price of the book is not very prohibitive.