Podcast
Pivot
Author William D. Cohan joined the podcast to discuss his book, Power Failure, which he described as a corporate autopsy detailing the dramatic decline of General Electric. He explained that GE was once the most iconic American company, comparable to having Apple, Google, and Microsoft rolled into one, and the book investigates how such a behemoth could virtually dissolve. Cohan emphasized that his research highlighted the crucial lesson that the CEO's leadership truly matters, prompting host Cara Swisher to strongly recommend the book to listeners.
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It was described as a corporate autopsy of GE, exploring its rise as an iconic American company and its subsequent downfall. The author felt compelled to investigate what led to GE's decline, comparing its fall to what would happen if Apple disappeared.
Your book, by the way, is Power Failure, the Rise and Fall of an American Icon. It's about GE, which is probably, I don't know how to characterize it compared to today's companies, but give us a quick idea of what it meant to people, GE.
I mean, Cara, it was so iconic a company. I mean, if you can imagine Apple, Google, Microsoft, you know, Facebook in the day, you know, rolled up into one company. Netflix in the day rolled up into one company. That was GE.
Because it was like, you know, if Apple disappeared, wouldn't you feel compelled to?
And that's what this book is about with all the great characters you can possibly imagine.
A reminder that Bill's book, Power Failure, The Rise and Fall of an American Icon, which is about GE, is out now and you should absolutely read it.
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It is a book about GE, its rise and fall, and the importance of choosing the right CEO. The author spent three years researching and writing it.
And, you know, the big news is my new book coming out November 15th, three years in the making, called Power Failure, the Rise and Fall of an American Icon.
It's about GE.
It's really the thinking of, whoa, there's like a dead body on the floor. How did it get here?
And so if the most valuable company in the world, the most highly respected company in the world, a technology leader with, quote unquote, the best management in the world can pretty much dissolve and lose 80 plus percent of its market value in a short period of time.
Yeah, I think, Kara, the most important thing I learned through this process, which I sort of knew anyway, but it's just reinforced was that the CEO really matters.
