Sending A Message

At General Electric, you know when you haven’t done well if your bonus is cut. Imagine doing without it at all. That is the case this year at the ailing conglomerate. Only one of the top executives received any merit compensation. The others are doing without. This was a shot across the bow of GE’s managers to right the ship before it sinks. Their attention is concentrated now, and either they are working harder or they are looking for ways to get out the door. There won’t be much traction for them if they stay and manage as they have. There is no argument any longer that Jeff Immelt left the company in a mess. The focus now is to find a way forward even if that requires selling off divisions and shrinking the enterprise. Can GE be great again? Probably, but it won’t look the same.