Jack Welch is acknowledged by many as the greatest corporate leader of the 20th century. When he first became CEO of General Electric in 1981 the company was worth $12 billion - in 2001 it was worth $280 billion. But Welch is more than just a leader of the most successful business in the world. He revolutionized GE's entire corporate culture with his distinctive management style: the individual appreciation of each of his 500 managers, the committment to an informal but driven work style and the encouragement of candour are all part of the Welch approach. Welch's story offers the classic tale of a self-made man whose business career embodies the American dream.