Recently Finished Book

I just finished reading "Winning" by Jack Welch. Jack is the recently retired CEO of GE. The book is his second, and is intended to be a business memoir.

Some interesting stuff. Not nearly as "new" or "insightful" as a book like "Good to Great" or "The Tipping Point." But at the same time, there are some interesting thoughts and observations in there.

One interesting observation: Jack is opposed to spending a great deal of time on mission. He asserts that it is obvious. He writes that:

"a good mission statement and a good set of values are so real they smack you in the face with their concreteness. The mission announces exactly where you are going, and the values describe the behaviors that will get you there. Speaking of that, I prefer abandoning the term values altogether in favor of just behaviors. But for the sake of tradition, let's stick with the common terminology.

In my experience, an effective mission statement basically answers one question: How do we intend to win in this business?" - Jack Welch; "Winning"; p. 14.

Now, there are all sorts of problems with the basic premise of "winning" when it translates to what we do in ministry. But the focus on the focus is the part that interests me. Mission is simple. Mission is plain. Mission is direct and achievable.

There is some interesting stuff in this book. When you read it with filters that translate the business orientation into ministry, there is some wisdom that can certainly be applied and can be helpful.