Marketers Who Nail the 4 E’s and a P Deliver 21% More Profit
Why Jack Welch’s framework is still the ultimate playbook for marketing leaders
I am a huge fan of Jack Welch’s 4 E’s and a P model. Similar to my article on the 4 functions of management, this is one of the few models I come back to weekly. It is simple, practical, and when you look around at successful leaders, you will see it in action. Welch originally designed it to evaluate executives at General Electric, but the lessons apply to anyone with a career. In fact, if you want to lead in marketing or any profession, you should know this model like the back of your hand.
The 4 E’s are Energy, Energize, Edge, Execute. The P is Passion. When combined, they form a complete picture of what it takes to thrive as a leader. Some people naturally lean toward one or two of these traits, but the best leaders round out all five.
Personally, my favorites are Execute and Energize. Execute because great ideas are not rare. Every company is full of smart people with clever strategies. The hard part is taking an idea and turning it into measurable results. Energize because work is a team sport. I often spend more hours in the week with coworkers than I do with my own family. Keeping each other motivated, positive, and inspired makes a huge difference.
Before breaking down each of the 4 E’s and the P, let’s step back and talk about why they matter. Gallup has found that highly engaged teams deliver 21 percent greater profitability than disengaged ones. McKinsey reports that companies with decisive leaders who prioritize execution achieve 60 percent higher total shareholder returns than their peers. A Harvard Business Review study showed that CEOs who combine vision with strong execution skills are 4.5 times more likely to deliver top-quartile performance. In other words, the 4 E’s and a P are not just theory. They drive real business outcomes.
Energy
Energy is the personal drive a leader brings to the table. It is about showing up with enthusiasm, stamina, and resilience even when the workload is heavy or the market is tough. High energy leaders set the pace.
For marketers, examples of Energy include:
Staying curious and proactive about new channels and tactics instead of waiting for directions.
Bringing urgency to a product launch and being the one who rallies people to meet a tight deadline.
Maintaining focus during long campaign cycles where testing and optimization might take months before showing results.
Leaders with Energy inspire others through their own actions. Deloitte research shows that 70 percent of employees who rate their managers as “high energy” also report higher productivity in their own work.
Energize
Energize is about transferring your own motivation to others. It is not enough to be personally driven. A leader must be able to create momentum across a team.
For marketers, examples of Energize include:
Running a creative brainstorming session where everyone leaves feeling excited and clear about next steps.
Celebrating small wins on a campaign so the team does not lose steam before the big results come in.
Creating an environment where collaboration across sales, product, and design feels fun instead of forced.
This one resonates with me because of how much time we spend with coworkers. A positive culture is built on leaders who energize their teams. Gallup has shown that when managers actively engage employees, turnover drops by 43 percent and productivity rises. That is why Energize is just as important as Execute in my book.
Edge
Edge is the courage to make tough calls. Leadership is not just about consensus or harmony. Sometimes it means choosing between two imperfect options and standing by that choice.
For marketers, examples of Edge include:
Deciding to cut a campaign that is underperforming even if it had strong advocates in the room.
Picking one core brand message to double down on instead of trying to be everything to everyone.
Saying no to shiny new channels that do not align with strategy, even if competitors are testing them.
Welch often said that Edge separates good managers from great leaders. Research by Korn Ferry found that companies led by executives with strong decision-making skills were two times more likely to outperform their peers financially.
Execute
Execute is the ability to deliver results. This is where many leaders stumble because execution requires discipline, persistence, and coordination across multiple moving parts.
For marketers, examples of Execute include:
Delivering a lead generation program that not only launches on time but also hits the cost per acquisition target.
Managing the rollout of a new website or app with all content, SEO, and user experience components working seamlessly.
Tracking attribution data correctly so the team knows which channels are profitable and can adjust budgets.
Great ideas are abundant. The rare skill is execution. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Business Strategy found that 61 percent of strategic failures are due to poor execution rather than poor strategy. This is why I rank Execute as the most important of the five.
Passion
Passion is the glue that holds the rest together. Leaders who are passionate about their work inspire belief and commitment. Passion is contagious, and when employees believe their leader cares deeply, they give more of themselves.
For marketers, examples of Passion include:
Showing genuine excitement when presenting campaign results to leadership.
Advocating for the customer experience even when it is harder or slower to implement.
Being vocal about the brand’s mission and values in both internal and external communications.
Deloitte found that purpose-driven organizations, which often start with passionate leaders, achieve 40 percent higher employee retention. Passion is what convinces a team to keep pushing when challenges arise.
Putting It All Together
The beauty of the 4 E’s and a P is that no one trait stands alone. Energy fuels your own stamina. Energize spreads that drive to others. Edge ensures decisions get made. Execute delivers the outcomes. Passion ties it all together and makes people want to follow you.
For marketers, these five traits are not abstract. They show up in campaign management, in cross-functional collaboration, and in the daily grind of testing, optimizing, and scaling programs. A well rounded leader practices all five, not just the one or two that come naturally.
The research is clear. Leaders who embody the 4 E’s and a P drive better outcomes for their teams and their companies. Teams are more engaged, businesses grow faster, and the work becomes more rewarding. That is why I study this model, use it weekly, and recommend it to anyone who wants to lead in their career.