Case Study Melissa
In this Homework, complete the case study titled, "Succession Management at General Electric". Read the case study and answer the three problems that follow. Explain your responses using what you learned through this unit.
Answer all three problems in one Word document. Your entire case study should be a minimum of 2 pages in length and use APA style.
Case Study
Succession Management at General Electric
General Electric (GE) is widely recognized for its leadership talent and its succession management system. One of the best examples of succession management is how GE's former CEO Jack Welsh shaped and elevated the company's philosophy, practice, and reputation for developing leaders. In a speech, Welch stated, "From now on, choosing my successors the most important decision I'll make" GE's commitment to developing leaders from within has yielded positive results for both the company's employees and for GE. In fact, the program has been so successful that it's been widely emulated by other global organizations.
Measuring and developing talent lies at the forefront of GE's business strategy discussions. Ge's operating system, referred to as its "learningulture in action," entails year round learning sessions in which leaders from GE and outside companies share best practices with one another and generate ideas for new practices. Every GE business is responsible for having succession plans for key leadership roles.
GE's succession management system is fairly simple. GE managers and executives are moved from job to job every two or three years, and each job for change or promotion is a well-though-out process, the provides mangers with much-needed experience and exposure to certain elements of the business, This has allowed GE to build a management team that is very knowledgeable and experienced. Performance management and leadership assessments help to identify future leadership talent, and a comprehensive leadership development plan helps prepare these people for what they need for the next level. GE's employee management system tracks individual employees' progress and regular organizational succession reviews help to keep the talent pipeline full. GE also makes it one of its business leasers' top goals to help their people grow and move them along their career paths In addition to business results, leaders are also expected to hit employees growth and development targets.
Questions
1. Do you think that GE's approach to succession management would work for all organization's? Why or why not?
2. What are some possible disadvantages of moving people to new jobs every two or three years?
3. Why does GE's succession management approach work so well?