Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't | Jim Collins

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't | Jim Collins | The Power of a Hedgehog

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Good to Great: Why...

	Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't Jim Collins Collins Business, 2001 - 300 pages average customer review:based on 707 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Good to Great is Great

This book challenges every business, school, and organization to uncover the reasons why we settle for "good enough" instead of great. As a school administrator willing to search and push for continuous improvement, I have kept this book close by. The author Jim Collins, with his research team uses data from successful organizations to support the belief that any organization can substantially improve its performance to the point of becoming great. The good to great ideas presented are straightforward, conclusive with great realistic strategies, and well supported with data. Among their findings are 1) Level 5 Leadership: It all starts with a leader who possesses personal humility and professional will, 2) First Who...Then What: Any organization must get the right people on the bus first before it moves forward 3) Confront the Brutal Facts: An organization must objectively look at the current reality through examination of the facts. 4) Hedgehog Concept: A very simple concept that any organization must find its core, and be the best in the world around that core. 5) A Culture of Discipline: Disciplined people and disciplined thought bring disciplined action and greater performance. 6) Technology Accelerators: Technology can take a significant role in helping an organization transform to greatness. I believe that any organization can make a conscious choice to follow "Good to Great" concepts and after time, see itself accomplish a breakthrough similar to what Collins illustrates with a sustainable momentum similar to a heavy flywheel.

Greg Tiemann
Assistant Principal
Millard North High School

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The Power of a Hedgehog

I rarely if ever write reviews, but thought it important to reflect on the impact Good to Great has had on my business consciousness. The real world examples are aspirational and show the impact leaders committed to being the best in their sector can have on the achievement of success. Whilst my use of these concepts does not relate to the management of a multinational blue chip, they are very relevant to my approach to sales within the recruitment business I manage. Recruitment focused on core areas of specialisation and the development of key communities of candidates is very much a driver of success and this is the power of the headhog concept at its most basic level. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

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Good Overview, Great Content

Jim Collins did a great job at analyzing how companies go from Good to Great.

Jim and his staff of researchers were able to compile data on the great companies to compare with the mediocre or weaker companies. This data portrayed very well how simplicity is a key component to great success. The hedgehog concept displays how a simple idea can be useful. Staying away from confusion and too much clutter allows a company to stay focused on what they want to do. Also, finding the right people for the company philosophy makes establishing and maintaining a great company much easier.

The book was a great guideline for transforming average companies into great ones. He also established why reading both books would help in building great companies. He ties the concepts together very well.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to go beyond being satisfied with success alone. Basically, everyone should remember to do what they do best and take control of those opportunities that are made available.

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Good to Great

Jim Collins and his research team have done an extraordinary job! There is a reason why this book has sold way over two million copies and why it was named the #1 Bestseller.
When I first purchased a copy of the book and flipped through the pages, I was a little overwhelmed with all the charts illustrated throughout the text. I thought to myself, "oh no, it's going to be another book where I will be hugging the dictionary and scratching my head!" However, it was nothing that I had predicted. It was so easy to read and comprehend as every chart and figure was carefully explained and simply exemplified.
What I enjoyed most about reading the book was the fact that everything here is common sense, nothing is new. For example, we know that hiring the right people is essential in running a great company and being able to insert them into the right tasks (their strengths) will not only create a better working atmosphere and environment, but establishes a comfort zone and constructs a relationship between management and employee in regards to trust and understanding. Additionally, as in every company, the sooner the company is able to understand, accept, and confront their brutal facts (weaknesses), then the better and stronger the company can become. "Good to great companies faced just as much adversity as the comparison companies, but responded to that adversity differently." Lastly, knowing and understanding what you are passionate about, what you can be the best in the world at, and getting paid to do just that will help push and drive yourself to become Great, as the motivation is there.
This is all common sense knowledge, and a stroke of genius on how Jim Collins and his research team were able to validate and justify it. They have proven what we know is true and what we know should work with years of research through company comparisons and specific examples.
Overall, this is definitely a book worth purchasing. It provides numerous examples of specific scenarios that reflect the concepts and theory related. And most notably, it is written so simply that a sixth grade student will be able to understand it.

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