Implement GE's legendary Work-Out technique for solving organizational problems fast--and get fast, GE-like results--in your organization These are the basic tenets of GE's famous "Work-Out," the simple, powerful problem-solving technique Jack Welch used to revolutionize GE's bureaucratic culture and restore its standing as one of the world's most successful organizations. The GE Work-Out is a step-by-step guide to using Work-Out to quickly solve problems in your organization, break down obstacles to getting things done, and improve the way your organization works. The GE Work-Out provides hands-on examples and case histories to help you implement GE's heralded Work-Out methodology in your organization. Written by GE employees and consultants who were key partners in the creation and rollout of GE's original Work-Out program--and unique in that it addresses Work-Out from both perspectives--this no-nonsense book will help you develop a realistic understanding of what Work-Out can and can't do, as well as the attitudes that must be in place throughout any organization before Work-Out can be successful. Work-Out has helped GE employees at every level cut through bureaucracy to solve small and large organizational problems quickly. Work-Out has been used with dramatic results not just at GE but in many other organizations, including 3M, Home Depot, Sears, and the State of West Virginia. Its genius lies in harnessing the intelligence of the workers closest to a problem. The GE Work-Out shows you how to adapt Work-Out to your organization, break down hierarchy and red tape, and create an empowered workforce confident enough to envision and implement change whenever and wherever it is needed. In today's speed-of-light global environment, endless committees and "It's how we've always done it" cop-outs are nothing less than a full-scale surrender, one that will both disappoint your customers and energize your competitors. The GE Work-Out will show you how to involve every member of your organization in solving the small but essential problems that are keeping you from becoming a world-class organization. Filled with worksheets, tools, case studies, and more, it is the first book to provide true, unvarnished directives for understanding GE's battle-proven Work-Out, then adapting it for--and embedding it in--your organization.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements Introduction: The Power of Work-Out Part I. What Is Work-Out? Chapter 1. Work-Out, GE, and the Largest Corporate Transformation in History Chapter 2. Why Work-Out Works: The Underlying Principles Chapter 3. Is Your Organization Ready For Work-Out? When and Where To Start Chapter 4. How To Lead A Fast, Simple Work-Out?When You’ve Never Done It Before Part II. Making Work-Out Happen: Implementing A Full-Length Work-Out Chapter 5. A Work-Out Road Map Chapter 6. Planning a Work-Out Chapter 7. Conducting a Work-Out Chapter 8. Implementing Work-Out Recommendations Chapter 9. Customizing Work-Out for Your Organization Chapter 10. Work-Out at Work: How Zurich Financial Services U.K. Used Work-Out to Transform the Company Part III. Work-Out’s Long-Term Payoff Chapter 11. Using Work-Out to Create GE-Style Organizational Leadership Chapter 12. Embedding the Process in Your Organization Chapter 13. Work-Out as Culture Change Chapter 14. Make Work-Out Work for You Appendices End Notes Index