[old_tv_nut]

Welch was the kind of idiot who thinks one management technique applies in all situations - unfortunately also true of many others whose "expertise" is in generalized "management."

His favorite "rank and yank" method of ranking everyone in a department and getting rid of the lowest 10% is applicable only to departments with a group of people doing exactly the same job, like answering customer phone calls. It is absolutely counterproductive in areas where each employee is specialized, like R&D, because it ignores the local managers' on-the-scene knowledge of the worth of each employee's contribution, and cripples their ability to recruit and keep the employees that are most beneficial to the company.

Over the years, I have winessed multiple cases of adoption of the management technique "flavor of the day" and applying it everywhere instead of where appropriate. This tunnel vision worship of one method or another was always detrimental to the company compared to a pragmatic adjustment per situation. Unfortunately, it often resulted in adoption of a new fad after a few years, rather than real consideration of what to do.

I suspect, unfortunately, that many companies have disciples of Welch's special form of incompetence.