everything goes crazy

How CEO James McNerney learned to fly - October 30, 2006

Besides Welch, which people were most important in your development? I was lucky to have a great dad. He was a professor and a business leader [CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield Associations], and he had the Welch characteristic - fearlessness about change, fun with change. I tend to be inspired by pieces of people. Look at Steve Jobs and his ability to commercialize innovation. That was the struggle at 3M - there’s lots of innovation at the company, but how is it commercialized sustainably? That guy is the best I’ve known at that, and I have enormous respect for his ability to commercialize innovation.