I can just let my curiosity wander unleashed.

The drive for progress doesn't wait for the external world to say "It's time to change."

To have a Welch-caliber C.E.O. is impressive.To have a century of Welch-Caliber C.E.O.'s all grown from the inside - well, that is one key reason why G.E. is a visionary company.

It's more important than ever to define yourself in terms of what you stand for rather than what you make, because what you make is going to become outmoded faster than it has at any time in the past. ...hang on to the idea of who you are as a company, and focus not on what you do, but on what you could do. By being really clear about what you stand for and why you exist, you can see what you could do with a much more open mind. You enhance your ability to adapt to change.

A great company will have many once-in-a-liftetime opportunities.

If your company disappeared, would it leave a gaping hole that could not easily be filled by any other enterprise on the planet?

Great companies foster a productive tension between continuity and change.