Welch, former head of GE and a staunch supporter of HR, made his remarks at the recent Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Conference and Exposition in New Orleans.

As to the specific issue of women who take time off for children and then want to return to the workforce, Welch said, "In my experience, it’s rare for someone to stop for a period of years—go off-track—and then come back and rise to the top." They can have good careers after they come back, but they will not likely achieve the top ranks, he said.

How about the need for estrogen?

How about the need for estrogen? asked Claire Shipman, who moderated the session. "There are indicators that diverse groups make better decisions," he responded.

Mentoring—'The Worst Idea'

Mentoring is "The worst idea ever to come down the pike,” Welch said. "You could end up with someone who is unliked, or someone who's a horse’s ass."

His advice is to look at everyone as a teacher and pick up bits from here and there.  "I was a PhD chemical engineer, and I just figured it out," he said. "I read everything and talked to everybody."

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Excuses

Welch said that some people's excuse for why other managers get what they want is that "The CEO likes them." No, said Welch, that's not the reason. "They know how to handle the CEO. There's a difference."

To get that strategic seat that HR managers crave, said Welch, "One word—overdeliver." Make your bosses look smarter, he said.

“In my companies, my corporate HR person gets the company HR managers together with their CEOs and boards every few months,” Welch said. “I make it happen.”

Times Are Changing

"Take a look at your compensation program," said Welch. "I guarantee it’s stale, probably written in 2007." Welch was incensed when he saw a fellow MIT professor using teaching notes that were 4 years old. "How can that be?" he said. "So much has changed."

How about your policies and procedures? Still 2007 vintage? We've just seen major changes to the FMLA. The ADA, military leave, accommodation rules—the list of new policy requirements seems endless. But you can't backburner work on your policies—they're your only hope for consistent and compliant management that avoids lawsuits.

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