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Will the real Jack Welch please stand up?

Posted by Naiah Earhart on November 22nd, 2006

John W. Welch So, as desperately mo-geek of me as it may be, I was browsing around the Franklin Covey website today after buying my refill pages, and I came across this book. Now, I suppose that any moderately well-informed human being would immediately grasp who this guy was. Silly me, as I was reading the author’s bio, my mind went straight to FARMS co-founder and über-mo-geek-extraordinaire, John W. Welch (who goes by ‘Jack’ in person). I found myself thinking, “how the heck did this guy possibly run a major corporation, find time to teach law, AND breathe life into a field rife with dusty books and archaeologial treatises???”

I know someone who used to work on BYU studies with Brother Welch, and so I fired off an email. In return I got:

Jack Welch former CEO of GE and business acumen guru is not to be confused with Jack Welch the co-founder of FARMS, part-time scholar of ancient scripture, and Tax Law Professor at BYU. Ironically there is a picture of the BYU Jack Welch in the conference issue of the Ensign page 87. (the one in the suit)

I used to get attention [when getting my MBA] when I told people that I knew (briefly worked for) Jack Welch. That attention would evaporate when I explained it wasn’t THAT Jack Welch.

I don’t know about you, but I tend to think of ‘Professor Welch’ as a pretty successful guy, myself. Honestly, between the two Jacks, I’d listen to the professor’s words on ‘winning’ anyday. Being a bit of a mo-geek himself, I figured Covey was giving the professor a leg up. I mean, after all, if he can pull off selling the world a secularized gospel, why not help someone remarket an academic career in law and ancient scripture part and parcel and ready for a motivational speaking tour???

4 Responses to “Will the real Jack Welch please stand up?”

    Luckily you didn’t buy the book and ask brother Welch to sign it.

    I wonder if he would have signed it?

    Comment # 1 left by Eric Nielson on November 22nd, 2006

    Secularized gospel indeed! I’m halfway through 7 Habits… right now, and here’s the gospel-esque stuff I’ve found so far:

    • The principles I am referring to are not esoteric, mysterious, or “religious” ideas. There is not one principle taught in this book that is unique to any specific faith or religion, including my own. (p. 34)
    • But this process produces happiness, “the object and design of our existence” (p. 48, c.f. Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 255)
    • Our basic nature is to act, and not be acted upon. (p. 75, c.f. 2 Ne. 2)
    • There’s a mental or first creation, and a physical or second creation to all things. (p. 99, c.f. D&C 29:31-32)

    Comment # 2 left by Connor Boyack on November 22nd, 2006

    Eric, as hilarious as that is, the sad thing is that that sounds like excatly the kind of thing I’d do. *So* glad I didn’t, and yet I have this lingering sense of embarassment, knowing that I *would* have had the situation been right. Like, say I’m at a bookstore in Utah and John Welch happens to be there. I’d totally buy a copy really quickly and accost him for a signature!! Ugh, my face is hot. I can’t think about this anymore.

    Connor, for real. I’ve actually not read the entire Gospel According to St. Covey yet, but I’ve just borrowed a copy and am about to dive in.

    Comment # 3 left by Naiah Earhart on November 22nd, 2006

    Secularized gospel? Perhaps. But I think it shows just how large an influence for good the gospel can be in our daily lives if we embrace it.

    Comment # 4 left by david on November 23rd, 2006

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