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on May 17, 2017
Jim Collins presents many interesting business concepts throughout Good to Great. The research conducted for this book is complicated however Collins simplifies the process to more clearly explain why some things were included or omitted. Through the research, many concepts are presented and then emphasized using comparisons between two similar companies. At times the transformation of a specific company solely based on use of the concepts seems hard to believe. However Collins does give enough evidence to support the importance of the concepts to be used as tools to help the company transition from good to great. The concept being the most important in my opinion was having upper management to be brutally honest. Many companies fail to face the facts and it's easy to see in this book the consequences. The book was published about 15 years ago and since then one of the “great” companies has gone out of business (Circuit City) and another one is currently in trouble (Wells Fargo). So it is interesting to analyze what concepts the companies stopped implementing that made them so successful years ago. Overall this book was an interesting and easy to understand read that appeals to not just those in upper management, but also to those who want to know what can make a company great.
on November 21, 2014
Below are a few of Collins' finding he shared with us in his Good to Great.
“A Hedgehog Concept is not a goal to be the best, as strategy to be the best, an intention to be the best, a plan to be the best. It is an understanding of what you can be the best at.”
1. What you can be the best in the world at
2. What drives your economic engine
3. What you are deeply passionate about
And concept of technology accelerator:
“The good-to-great companies used technology as an accelerator of momentum, not a creator of it. None of the good-to-great companies began their transformations with pioneering technology, yet they all became pioneers in the application of technology once they grasped how it fit with their three circles and after they hit breakthrough.”
The most fascinating concept, however, is a concept, which is cornerstone of any greatness and is depicted as ‘the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus.’ If we can explain and understand ‘what’ before ‘why’, it puts the company and leaders on the right track to greatness:
“Stop and think about it for a minute. What do the right people want more than almost anything else? They want to be part of a winning team. They want to contribute to producing visible, tangible results.”
Continue reading at www.alwayskeepgrowing.com
“A Hedgehog Concept is not a goal to be the best, as strategy to be the best, an intention to be the best, a plan to be the best. It is an understanding of what you can be the best at.”
1. What you can be the best in the world at
2. What drives your economic engine
3. What you are deeply passionate about
And concept of technology accelerator:
“The good-to-great companies used technology as an accelerator of momentum, not a creator of it. None of the good-to-great companies began their transformations with pioneering technology, yet they all became pioneers in the application of technology once they grasped how it fit with their three circles and after they hit breakthrough.”
The most fascinating concept, however, is a concept, which is cornerstone of any greatness and is depicted as ‘the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus.’ If we can explain and understand ‘what’ before ‘why’, it puts the company and leaders on the right track to greatness:
“Stop and think about it for a minute. What do the right people want more than almost anything else? They want to be part of a winning team. They want to contribute to producing visible, tangible results.”
Continue reading at www.alwayskeepgrowing.com
on May 7, 2017
The main concepts repeated over and over were to begin with the right people who employ the Hedgehog Concept. I found the selection of companies a bit dated since many have had difficult times or simply faded from the scene. To be fair, the author, Jim Collins did address this in the epilogue but for example it was difficult to read how great Circuit City is when we know the company has disappeared from the scene as we once knew it. Using the criteria for the study qualified the company at the time of writing but the point is, it is a distraction when reading today. Overall the concepts are well documented and I believe still relevant to becoming a great company.
on May 15, 2017
Good to Great by Jim Collins is a compelling and informative book about how to be successful, and how to stay successful. The theme of success is shown through 11 companies who start out less or equal to share-market value, then sky rocket to a substantial increase becoming a “great” company, which in terms of Collins, at least three times the market over a consistent span of 15 years. By using a consistent level of market value increase as an indicator for success, the word “Great” used in this book has minimal bias and maximum meaning to the word itself; it’s not just someone’s opinion of just saying, ‘Oh yeah. My company is great!’ This book was written in 2001, so in between then and 2017, there are a few companies that decline from greatness after being written and proclaimed great in this book; I am very interested to see why some of Collins’ companies that were great, turn back into mediocre and bankrupt companies. Although there are some failed companies after being deemed great, the credibility and accuracy of the results found within Collins’ research remain true.
This book is very well laid out, divided into easy to follow chapters that flow one right into the other; I found myself reading over 20 pages at a time without noticing until I took a break! Collins establishes the framework of success through three stages known as: disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action. Within each of these stages comes two key concepts that build off of each other: Level 5 Leadership, First Who Then What, Confront the Brutal Facts, The Hedgehog Concept, Culture of Discipline, and Technology Accelerators.
Collins does not shy away from starting off strong in his book, saying “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice” (pg. 11). I found this quote profound because I believe that in order to make something more than just mediocre, one must be in an above-mediocre mindset. As an Industrial Engineer, I feel the need to have this mindset of greatness, in order to not only make a product, system, or company good, but GREAT. There are multiple layers found within this book where I could relate many of these proposed tools for a great company into using these tools to gauge for a great life. Even if you are not an Industrial Engineer, or any type of engineer for the matter, not an entrepreneur striving for success, not a CEO of a business trying to take a leap of faith into a huge growth of progress, I believe this book is still a GREAT read for any person! There are numerous lessons within this book that can be relatable to not only business, but everyday life. There is a whole chapter dedicated to figuring out who the right people should be going along with a company, then figuring out where to go with the company; First Who Then What. The First Who Then What shows why setting the correct priorities in any situation is important, and can be related to everyday life by knowing who to let into your life that will help you grow, and who to let go of; once you have the right “team” in your life, then you can figure out What you want to accomplish. Once the tools of greatness has been addressed, Collins completes his book by encouraging the reader to find greatness in all parts of one’s life; “As your work moves to greatness, so does your life,” (pg. 210).
For these reasons already stated, I would highly recommend others to adapt a culture of discipline (also a main idea from the book) to read and get acquainted with Good to Great and keep their passions and lives GREAT.
This book is very well laid out, divided into easy to follow chapters that flow one right into the other; I found myself reading over 20 pages at a time without noticing until I took a break! Collins establishes the framework of success through three stages known as: disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action. Within each of these stages comes two key concepts that build off of each other: Level 5 Leadership, First Who Then What, Confront the Brutal Facts, The Hedgehog Concept, Culture of Discipline, and Technology Accelerators.
Collins does not shy away from starting off strong in his book, saying “Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice” (pg. 11). I found this quote profound because I believe that in order to make something more than just mediocre, one must be in an above-mediocre mindset. As an Industrial Engineer, I feel the need to have this mindset of greatness, in order to not only make a product, system, or company good, but GREAT. There are multiple layers found within this book where I could relate many of these proposed tools for a great company into using these tools to gauge for a great life. Even if you are not an Industrial Engineer, or any type of engineer for the matter, not an entrepreneur striving for success, not a CEO of a business trying to take a leap of faith into a huge growth of progress, I believe this book is still a GREAT read for any person! There are numerous lessons within this book that can be relatable to not only business, but everyday life. There is a whole chapter dedicated to figuring out who the right people should be going along with a company, then figuring out where to go with the company; First Who Then What. The First Who Then What shows why setting the correct priorities in any situation is important, and can be related to everyday life by knowing who to let into your life that will help you grow, and who to let go of; once you have the right “team” in your life, then you can figure out What you want to accomplish. Once the tools of greatness has been addressed, Collins completes his book by encouraging the reader to find greatness in all parts of one’s life; “As your work moves to greatness, so does your life,” (pg. 210).
For these reasons already stated, I would highly recommend others to adapt a culture of discipline (also a main idea from the book) to read and get acquainted with Good to Great and keep their passions and lives GREAT.
on May 20, 2014
Good to Great by Jim Collins is in a category of its own in terms of what is has to offer already-established business owners. With many books out on the market today, various and random points outline what one should do in order to make more money, establish a company, or get out of debt. Jim Collins, however, makes it a point to create a specific process with categories or rules and regulations, the purpose of which is to make it easy for one to see the progress right in front of eyes rather than guessing where they might be.
To start, a helpful feature on the first page of every chapter is a graphic giving a visual of where the current discussion is. The main categories mentioned consist of disciplined people, action and thought, with a buildup and breakthrough phase occurring in the middle of disciplined thought. The author puts great emphasis on starting the good to great process at a slow crawl first, in order to get the so-called “flywheel” moving. As this flywheel turns faster and faster (buildup stage), it is natural for the individual following the correct steps to see the fruits of their labor, whatever that may be; increased profits, more customers, etc (breakthrough phase). Collins makes it a point that even at this stage, the previous steps outlined cannot be ignored. If they are, the flywheel that was turning so effortlessly will grind to a halt. Simply put, there is no progression without remembering what you did to get there in the first place!
One of the most helpful pieces of Good to Great deals with the approach known as “The hedgehog Concept.” After achieving buildup to greatness within your business, the breakthrough result is had by mastering this concept. It consists of making sure your company follows three important points: Doing only what you are deeply passionate about, doing only what you can be best in the world at and doing what will drive your economic engine. Having your company follow these three mantras will help the “good to great” mechanism immensely. To serve as an example, Collins mentions Abbott laboratories, where, along with level 5 leadership, a complete change in product base was achieved from pharmaceuticals to hospital nutritional products due to the realization that they could no longer be the best at what they manufactured previously.
Overall, Good to Great was a very inspirational read. The examples and statistical nature of the book is especially great for those with a background in such fields. If you’re looking to help propel your business to new heights, I would definitely recommend this book.
To start, a helpful feature on the first page of every chapter is a graphic giving a visual of where the current discussion is. The main categories mentioned consist of disciplined people, action and thought, with a buildup and breakthrough phase occurring in the middle of disciplined thought. The author puts great emphasis on starting the good to great process at a slow crawl first, in order to get the so-called “flywheel” moving. As this flywheel turns faster and faster (buildup stage), it is natural for the individual following the correct steps to see the fruits of their labor, whatever that may be; increased profits, more customers, etc (breakthrough phase). Collins makes it a point that even at this stage, the previous steps outlined cannot be ignored. If they are, the flywheel that was turning so effortlessly will grind to a halt. Simply put, there is no progression without remembering what you did to get there in the first place!
One of the most helpful pieces of Good to Great deals with the approach known as “The hedgehog Concept.” After achieving buildup to greatness within your business, the breakthrough result is had by mastering this concept. It consists of making sure your company follows three important points: Doing only what you are deeply passionate about, doing only what you can be best in the world at and doing what will drive your economic engine. Having your company follow these three mantras will help the “good to great” mechanism immensely. To serve as an example, Collins mentions Abbott laboratories, where, along with level 5 leadership, a complete change in product base was achieved from pharmaceuticals to hospital nutritional products due to the realization that they could no longer be the best at what they manufactured previously.
Overall, Good to Great was a very inspirational read. The examples and statistical nature of the book is especially great for those with a background in such fields. If you’re looking to help propel your business to new heights, I would definitely recommend this book.
on May 19, 2014
Jim Collins wrote "Good to Great" as a follow up to Build to Last which explained how great companies become successful over time and how they sustained their performance. But what about the companies that weren’t successful from the beginning? How did such mediocre companies achieve success and sustain it? Collins and his team of twenty-one business school students analyzed over a thousand companies in order to indentify these good to great companies. They selected companies that demonstrated fifteen-year cumulative stock returns at or below the stock market and cumulative returns at least three times the market over the next fifteen years. From their findings, the research team only came up with eleven companies that satisfied the criteria: Abott, Circuit City, Fanni Mae, Gillette, Kimberly-Clark, Kroger, Nucor, Philip Morris, Pitney Bowes, Walgreens, and Wells Fargo. To put it in perspective, these good to great companies generated a cumulative return that exceeded some of the greatest companies like Boeing, Coca-Cola, GE, Hewlett-Packard, Wal-Mart, and Walt Disney. Now this is something to look at.
So what distinguishes these good to great companies from the rest? Why did one set of companies become such great performers while the rest were only “good”? Collins addresses several key concepts that the good to great companies had that its competitors did not such as:
(1) level five leadership
(2) First who then what
(3) Confront the Brutal Facts
(4) The Hedgehog Concept
(5) A Culture of Discipline
(6) Technology Accelerators.
Jim Collins characterizes individuals with level 5 leadership as leaders that display “a compelling modesty, are self-effacing, and understated. In contrast, two thirds of the comparison companies had leaders with gargantuan personal egos that contributed to the demise or continued mediocrity of the company.” This is one of several interesting examples Collins explains in the read that separates successful companies from mediocre ones.
It is ironic however, that Circuit City (one of the good to great companies) is no longer in business so some individuals may not give much credit to Collins and his team. Although this is the case, Good to Great a must read that provides a different perspective on why some companies make the leap and others don’t. Collins’ main objective was not to provide a handbook describing how to become the best company, but simply to explain the common ground of companies that outperformed the market among its competitors and sustained their successes. He did just that.
So what distinguishes these good to great companies from the rest? Why did one set of companies become such great performers while the rest were only “good”? Collins addresses several key concepts that the good to great companies had that its competitors did not such as:
(1) level five leadership
(2) First who then what
(3) Confront the Brutal Facts
(4) The Hedgehog Concept
(5) A Culture of Discipline
(6) Technology Accelerators.
Jim Collins characterizes individuals with level 5 leadership as leaders that display “a compelling modesty, are self-effacing, and understated. In contrast, two thirds of the comparison companies had leaders with gargantuan personal egos that contributed to the demise or continued mediocrity of the company.” This is one of several interesting examples Collins explains in the read that separates successful companies from mediocre ones.
It is ironic however, that Circuit City (one of the good to great companies) is no longer in business so some individuals may not give much credit to Collins and his team. Although this is the case, Good to Great a must read that provides a different perspective on why some companies make the leap and others don’t. Collins’ main objective was not to provide a handbook describing how to become the best company, but simply to explain the common ground of companies that outperformed the market among its competitors and sustained their successes. He did just that.
on September 5, 2012
It has been ten years since I first picked it up Good to Great and, as expected, it is as valuable today as it was then. If you read it a while back and liked it, perhaps it is time to re-read it with fresh eyes and a decade of experience on your resume. There's so many fascinating discoveries in this book that anyone will find a few golden nuggets.
Jim spoke again this year at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit, framing most of the presentation around the 1911 South Pole explorations by Roald Amundson and his rival, Robert Scott. Responsibility, leadership performance, and luck were the major themes. Collin's presentation got me thinking about the book again, and I decided to go back and re-read it. There's a ton of things I missed or forgot over the years, so I am thrilled to have the new learning.
Good to Great is the second in the series by the author, though it's really the starting point to the project (think Star Wars series?). Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies logically follows this one, and then concludes with How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In. Last year he released Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck--Why Some Thrive Despite Them All, which I have heard is excellent, also.
Early in the book we get a taste of what's coming: "Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice." The companies who made the leap made the choice to be great, and, through rigorous research, interviewing, and vetting, Jim and his team figured out how they did it and anyone else can. This saves us a lifetime of work trying to figure it out - just read the book and apply the learning. The book is very much a roadmap to success, if you have the courage to follow the path. Given that only 11 of 1,435 companies made the final cut, it's easy to see that this is not the path of least resistance, nor is it one for people who choose to argue with the findings. The data speaks for itself: either you choose to use this as a leadership development tool or you choose not to. Either way, you choose.
If you have the desire to be excellent and the will to do the work, along with a healthy dose of humility, this is the book series for you. Take a year to read all four, earnestly apply them in your life, and by this time next year you will be a vastly different person - for the better. Remember, Good to Great is not about doing more and burning yourself out, it's about doing what works and stop doing what doesn't. As the author states on page 208 "If it's no harder, the results better, and the process so much more fun - well, why wouldn't you go for greatness?" Well said, Jim.
Jim spoke again this year at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit, framing most of the presentation around the 1911 South Pole explorations by Roald Amundson and his rival, Robert Scott. Responsibility, leadership performance, and luck were the major themes. Collin's presentation got me thinking about the book again, and I decided to go back and re-read it. There's a ton of things I missed or forgot over the years, so I am thrilled to have the new learning.
Good to Great is the second in the series by the author, though it's really the starting point to the project (think Star Wars series?). Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies logically follows this one, and then concludes with How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In. Last year he released Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck--Why Some Thrive Despite Them All, which I have heard is excellent, also.
Early in the book we get a taste of what's coming: "Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice." The companies who made the leap made the choice to be great, and, through rigorous research, interviewing, and vetting, Jim and his team figured out how they did it and anyone else can. This saves us a lifetime of work trying to figure it out - just read the book and apply the learning. The book is very much a roadmap to success, if you have the courage to follow the path. Given that only 11 of 1,435 companies made the final cut, it's easy to see that this is not the path of least resistance, nor is it one for people who choose to argue with the findings. The data speaks for itself: either you choose to use this as a leadership development tool or you choose not to. Either way, you choose.
If you have the desire to be excellent and the will to do the work, along with a healthy dose of humility, this is the book series for you. Take a year to read all four, earnestly apply them in your life, and by this time next year you will be a vastly different person - for the better. Remember, Good to Great is not about doing more and burning yourself out, it's about doing what works and stop doing what doesn't. As the author states on page 208 "If it's no harder, the results better, and the process so much more fun - well, why wouldn't you go for greatness?" Well said, Jim.
on September 9, 2016
So here's how the companies listed did over the last 10 years since I bought the book:
Abbott: Great
Circuit City: Out of Business (Thanks Amazon!)
Fannie Mae: Bad due to housing crisis
Gillette: Bought by P&G
Kimberly-Clark: Great
Kroger: Great
Nucor: Flat
Philip Morris: Good
Pitney Bowes: Slowly running out of business
Walgreens: Great
Wells Fargo: Good considering financial crisis
Abbott: Great
Circuit City: Out of Business (Thanks Amazon!)
Fannie Mae: Bad due to housing crisis
Gillette: Bought by P&G
Kimberly-Clark: Great
Kroger: Great
Nucor: Flat
Philip Morris: Good
Pitney Bowes: Slowly running out of business
Walgreens: Great
Wells Fargo: Good considering financial crisis
on May 20, 2014
“Good to Great” puts a new perspective on why many businesses hit a glass ceiling as they fall into a fallacy that they are good enough to perform their function. The book concentrates the examination of different companies that succeeded in going from good to great while attempting to warn about the dangers of those who do not break the threshold. The book contains many great ideas, such as the hedgehog concept, the level 5 leadership, and establishing a culture of discipline. Using these ideas, managers are encouraged to adapt these ideas for their own companies in order for them to break through the enemy of great, good. Many businesses believe that they are good enough, and therefore, will never reach greatness.
Jim Collin’s book is a little out dated as he uses Circuit City as a company that went from good to great. While the store may have prospered and did go to great, it may make future generation doubt the integrity of the concept. He also warns that technology should not be dependent to run a business. There are many small businesses that may see the advantage to this concept; many types of businesses are using technology to run a well working machine. Collin’s reasoning was the fall of the Dotcoms during the early 2000 that caused trouble to many startups at the time. Today, we all know that technology is far more reliable and it is a definite key in improving.
It is unfair, however, to discredit the book due to the fact that the book is a little old. The ideas are unique and excellent for those who are new to the management scene and continuous improvement. It is easy to read and provides steps to admitting that a company is not to their full potential and how to fix those shortcomings.
Jim Collin’s book is a little out dated as he uses Circuit City as a company that went from good to great. While the store may have prospered and did go to great, it may make future generation doubt the integrity of the concept. He also warns that technology should not be dependent to run a business. There are many small businesses that may see the advantage to this concept; many types of businesses are using technology to run a well working machine. Collin’s reasoning was the fall of the Dotcoms during the early 2000 that caused trouble to many startups at the time. Today, we all know that technology is far more reliable and it is a definite key in improving.
It is unfair, however, to discredit the book due to the fact that the book is a little old. The ideas are unique and excellent for those who are new to the management scene and continuous improvement. It is easy to read and provides steps to admitting that a company is not to their full potential and how to fix those shortcomings.
