The Will to Win - The Virtues of Six Sigma

Listen, as Jack Welch explains the virtues of a six-sigma organization.

Is it reasonable to conclude that hospitals should adapt a similar approach to service excellence and patient satisfaction? After all, the primary customer is the patient.

Brief Bio - Jack Welch

Education: University of Massachusetts–Amherst, BS, 1957; University of Illinois–Champaign, MA, 1958; PhD, 1960

John F. Welch, Jr.—who went by the name Jack—was among America's most recognized and controversial chief executives. During his 41 years at General Electric (GE) Welch rose from his position as an entry-level junior engineer to become the company's youngest vice president and later its youngest CEO and chairman. Throughout his 20 years leading GE Welch garnered a reputation for having a no-nonsense and dynamic style that was at times considered abrasive by employees and the public alike. While the merits of Welch's management tactics were the subject of debate, none could argue with the results produced by his leadership. Welch took GE into international markets at a scale never before attempted while leading the company away from manufacturing and into services. GE's market value grew 40-fold, to $500 million, between 1981 and 2001. At the end of 2001, which was the beginning of Welch's retirement, GE was the most valuable company in the world.