In recent months the business press has been filled with stories of the weak performance of General Electric. Many comparisons have been made to the lack of leadership in the last 15 years versus that which Jack Welch provided during GE’s glory years in the 1980’s and 90’s. One of the most controversial aspects of Welch’s time at GE was his so called “rank and yank” procedure, where he would fire the bottom ranked 5-10% of his managers each year, regardless of absolute performance. He earned a reputation for brutal candor. He rewarded those ranked in the top 20% with bonuses and stock options.
Types of Events:
Business & Non-Profit Gatherings of All Types, Industry Association Meetings, Leadership Training Sessions, Strategic Planning Exercises
Topic Areas of Focus:
Courageous Leadership, Operational Effectiveness, Generating Innovation, Causes and Cures of Bureaucracy, Breaking Down Fiefdoms and Silos
Some Past Clients:
Roche Pharmaceuticals, Delta Airlines, PepsiCo, Deutsche Bank, Automobile Manufacturers Association, Chubb Insurance
Click Here for more information about having Bob speak at an event.
Perspectives on Bob's Books
What's Holding You Back?
"A must read for both emerging and established executives! Bob Herbold provides ten clear guidelines that will enable managers to become strong, proactive leaders."
- J.Lechleiter, retired Chairman, President and CEO of Eli Lilly & Company
Seduced By Success
"Bob Herbold gets to the heart of why successful organizations and individuals often go into a tail-spin, and how this can be avoided. His thorough reviews of specific companies we all know make this a very useful book, and I highly recommend it."
- Indra K. Nooyi, Chairperson & CEO, PepsiCo, Inc.
The Fiefdom Syndrome
"Turf wars and bureaucracy can undermine even the strongest corporate strategies. Drawing on lessons learned throughout his distinguished career, Bob describes innovative and practical ways to tackle this pervasive problem."
- Bill Gates, Co-Founder, Microsoft Corporation and Co-Founder, Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationClick here to learn more about these books
Bob's Gutsy Leadership Blog
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Bob regularly writes blog posts and articles with his areas of focus being leadership, organizational effectiveness. Below you will find the titles and hot-links of his most recent efforts:
It was 2015 when the acquisitive Brazilian investment giant, 3G Capital, took over Kraft Foods and merged it with HJ Heinz, the catsup maker, which it already owned. In this deal, Warren Buffet provided much of the cash, knowing full well that there were profits to be made, given the strong reputation of 3G Capital of being world-class when it comes to cost-cutting.
Innovation is a topic that you hear a lot about these days. How does it happen? I think you can learn a lot by looking at examples that have occurred over the years that have had a truly significant impact. Here are two classics: Note how the leader had a very specific idea that he believed would have a very significant impact on the world.
