Today, GE succeeds in dozens of diverse businesses, and is continuously at the vanguard of change. Some years ago however, in locations throughout GE, local managers were operating in an insulated environment with walls separating them, both horizontally and vertically, from other departments and their workforce. Employee questions, initiatives, and feedback were discouraged.

Determined to harness the collective power of GE employees, create a free flow of ideas, and redefine relationships between boss and subordinates, Jack Welch, CEO, General Electric, created a new corporate culture. It's key elements are:

• Redesigning the role of the leader in the new economy: creating followers through communicating a vision, and establishing open, caring relations with every employee  >>>

• Creating an open, collaborative workplace where everyone's opinion is welcome  >>>

• Empowering senior executives to run far-flung businesses in entrepreneurial fashion  >>>

• Liberating the workforce; making everybody a participant through improving vertical communication and employee empowerment.

Change Acceleration Program (CAP)

CAP was implemented by Jack Welch to help drive change throughout the organization. The program started with senior managers, but other managers were also provided with the tools and training they needed to engineer and drive change throughout the company.