Great Leaders

Two of my colleagues announced their plans to retire from GE two weeks ago … Beth Comstock and John Rice. They will retire as Vice Chairmen of GE. I have known them both for more than 25 years. Each could have left GE at any time to run companies on their own. Instead they chose to do the hard work of remaking this great company. Both are low ego, high impact leaders; they care deeply about people and customers. They are very different, but together made a wonderful team.

John Rice is a strategist, an operator and a global developer. John ran GE’s Power business during its most difficult cycle. In the early 2000’s, the annual number of gas turbines shipped in the U.S. declined from 220 to 10 as a market bubble exploded. John repositioned the business outside the U.S. and diversified into renewable and distributed power. John was always calm under pressure; he could make the toughest calls without losing his cool.

Later, John was the architect of the biggest global push in GE’s history. GE transformed from having 70% of our revenue in the U.S. to 70% global in 15 years. He brought GE into emerging markets, developed an entire generation of global leaders and modernized our relationships with governments and partners. John built a working structure of connected localization that will sustain GE’s growth. From Beijing to Lagos … John has relationships and respect. John was the face of GE around the world.

John is a unique package: he is competitive and empathetic. John delivered results: $80B+ of revenue each year outside the U.S. At the same time, he developed the next generation of GE leaders.

When I first met Beth Comstock, she was the communications leader at NBC. What impressed me was her curiosity; but beyond that I was amazed by her “ability to stand apart.” Beth saw the trends before others; more importantly, she drove action. Beth is a strategist and a provocateur … she always delivered results. Beth brought diversity of thought to the company, helping to attract the next generation of talent.

Beth was the architect of Ecomagination, GE’s clean energy initiative. Over the last 12 years, GE has sold more than $250B of clean tech products, the most of any company in the world. Beth made Ecomagination about problem solving – about customers – not about elitism. Beth was GE’s first digital leader. She brought the emerging trends from Silicon Valley into the industrial world. Beth was all about winning with customers, helping GE to grow faster than our industrial peers.

Beth was our most external thinker. She was a constant presence with tech entrepreneurs and global thought leaders. She was a “translator,” bringing outside ideas into GE. Like John, Beth was a fusion leader; she knew big and fast; digital and industrial.

John and Beth have left an indelible mark on GE. Good companies are about collective strength. Their leaders do their job while taking care of each other. John and Beth were operational leaders and culture builders. The people of GE were lucky to have their talent, loyalty and service.