Pros
Medtronic's strength is that the products it produces helps people. You know you alter the life of the end customer, the patient. They reinforce that with programs that bring patients back into the company to speak of the improvement to their lives. It is powerful. You can learn a lot from Medtronic. The company does not take risks...you learn what it is like to be the leader. With that, you also learn the weaknesses of not being willing to take the lead, move to another company and try to exploit that weakness.
Cons
Although it has changed a bit, executives still don't focus on performance as much as harmony when promoting people. It goes with the conservative nature of the company and the risk avoidance. Boldness is not the path to advancement as much as a good mixture of intelligent steady-as-she-goes strategies, well-formatted PowerPoints and a subtle amount of brown-nosing.
