Having worked for Jack Welch at GE, I concur with most of what Ashutosh Tiwari writes in his column Strictly Business ('Growing a human face', #288). During our Session C's, all GE employees were categorised into A, B and C players. C (bottom 10 percent) players better not stay at C level next year, otherwise they would be out looking for a job. B (mid 70 percent) players would get lot of coaching and mentoring. A (top 20 percent) players were treated like gods in the company. They would be paid very high with lot of perks and bonuses, pretty much anything they needed and, more than anything else, even more challenges. Some burnt out, most got even better. That's how it was with Jack. He explained this asymmetric compensatory system, and his exact phrase was 'vitality curve' of GE, in one of our frequent management training seminars at Crotonville, NY. He was one paranoid, demanding, SOB of a boss who pushed, pushed and pushed, somehow elevating you to the level you did not even think possible. Ahhhh,those were the days. I am glad someone or some people are taking note of Jack Welch's management methodologies. He is, after all, the manager of the century.

Binoy Yonzon,
Chicago