Interview with GE’s Jeff Immelt: 5 Rules for Authentic Leaders

People need to know what the leader is going through. This is no longer the suffering in silence era. Communicate during a crisis, just when people feel like hiding, and they’ll be more open about accepting difficult solutions. Relate on a deeply personal level and your team will repay you by bringing their best thinking. Immelt joined GE four days before 9/11 and the impact on the company was devastating, as it was for everyone. He learned that speaking openly about challenges inspired the team to dwell on the future and not the past.