Balancing work and life the Jack Welch way
Jack Welch might have been a star in the workplace, but his performance at home was lackluster in the early years.
Welch, former chairman and chief executive of
But at a time when many Americans struggle daily to balance the demands of work and home, Welch's advice on work-life matters falls short of the mark. In introducing the topic, he says that if the term work-life balance had been around during his earlier years, ''I am sure I would have described my life as perfectly balanced. It felt like it had everything in it, all in the right amounts."
That was because Carolyn, Welch's first wife, was the balancing force. She took care of the children and family concerns, making it possible for him to accomplish his goals.
In a book as blunt as Welch himself, the author tips his hat to Carolyn, and acknowledges that the options he chose had consequences for his family. ''My kids were raised, largely alone, by their mother, Carolyn," he writes. ''I used to show up at the office Saturday mornings . . . Personally, I thought these weekend hours were a blast. We would mop up the work-week in a more relaxed way and shoot the breeze about sports."
Welch contends work-life balance arrangements work best when they are negotiated by bosses and individuals on an as-needed basis, using a performance-for-flexibility chit system outlined in his book. ''It requires a supportive organizational culture where bosses strike creative work-life deals with high performers," he writes.
Workplace advocates disagree. They say Welch's approach ignores the fact that people with children are more likely to be penalized by such a system than their childless male or female peers.
''High performers succeed by not mentioning that other people are taking care of them and by not making any demands on the workplace," said Judith Reznik, the Arthur Liman professor of law at Yale Law School. ''The issue isn't just who takes care of the children, but also who is taking care of the worker."
At the best firms, workplace balance is part of the corporate structure and not a perk for a select few, she said.
It is doubtful that Welch would be swayed by that argument, however. He calls people who continually struggle with balance: ''work-life moaners."
Welch is also a champion of a practice called ''differentiation." This occurs when managers make distinctions between top and bottom performers. Welch says top performers ought to receive lucrative perks, bottom performers should be fired, and those in the middle should receive positive feedback, training, and goal-setting.
Workplace advocates would probably disagree with many of Welch's ideas and values. But his blunt, in-your-face writing style makes for brisk reading. It also offers an inside look at Welch's unique and sometimes controversial approach to managing.
Diane E. Lewis can be reached at dlewis@globe.com.
