The Welch Way offers tools for new and current leaders

Jack Welch, the former and legendary chairman and CEO of General Electric has been busy in his retirement years. Now almost 80, he is the executive chairman of the Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer University - a unique online MBA and Certificate programme aimed at giving students at every career level and every country the tools to transform their lives and the organisations of the future. And, since their partnership, he has he also become a director of the Skillsoft Corporation.

This new partnership is good news for South Africa because it means that the highly acclaimed Welch online courses will be available here thanks to the well established partnership between Skillsoft EMEA and the LRMG Performance Agency. In fact, LRMG were recognised and awarded Skillsoft EMEA's partner of the year for the third consecutive year at their conference in Las Vegas earlier this year.

Natalie Maroun

"Being awarded partner of the year once again is a great honour for us. Going forward we are also excited about being able to offer the Welch Way courses to all our clients and customers via our digital campus," says Natalie Maroun, MD of the LRMG Performance Agency.

"These days businesses and leaders have to deal with global competition, accelerated technological changes as well as complex regulations. This means that quick, strategic decision making and strong people management skills are essential and having the ability to develop leaders is critical," Maroun says.

Getting at the root of underperforming companies is a Welch speciality. He sees being creative and innovative as items on everyone's to-do list. "Innovation means finding a better way every day, engaging every mind in the organisation and it also means rewarding every little improvement along the way because cumulatively they make every company better," he stresses.

He is also a great advocate of candour in the workplace, especially when tackling underperformance issues. Simply put, he believes that managers and leaders need to be straight with their staff. "Let employees know where they stand, even if the news is unwelcome," he says. "You have no right to be a manager if you can't let people know where they stand."

"The Welsh Way system gets to the heart of what it takes to win for a company," says Maroun. It offers and delivers business insights through six interactive online programs that focus on critical management and leadership topics."

The six programs comprise the following modules:

1. Leadership in action
   
2. Managing change
   
3. Creating a winning strategy
   
4. Finance for Managers
   
5. Managing your team
   
6. Operational Excellence

   "Leadership development remains a big and vital issue in South Africa and with these highly acclaimed and successful programs we can continue to be instrumental in growing businesses and business leaders in our country," says Maroun.