This is from the Jeff Immelt interview in Fast Company this month:

What have you learned so far in the job?



One of the things Jack said every on that I think is totally right is: It’s a marathon. It’s not a sprint. All these books about the first 90 days are kind of rubbish in many ways. You have to have a plan. You have to stick to it. You have to modify it at times, but every day you’ve got to get up and play hard. Jack used to see me running around, even after he left, and he’d say to me, “Remember, it’s a marathon. Ten years. Fifteen years. You’ve got to get up every day with a new idea, a new spin, and you’ve got to bring it in here every day.” I always kind of knew that, but until you are right in the middle of it, you never get it. His advice was right. It’s sustained ability to manage change that really counts.