ARTICLES

04-02

BOOK REVIEW
 Good To Great Why some companies make the leap, and others don’t, by Jim Collins

Linda Gravett, Ph.D., SPHR, February 1, 2004                                                  (Close this window)

 

I belong to a book discussion forum which kicked off 2004 reading Good To Great, by Jim Collins. We agreed it was time well spent when and we awarded the book a **** rating … which translates into “you gotta get this book!”

The book was the result of five years of research by Jim Collins and his team in their quest to find out why some companies can make the leap to great results and are able to sustain those results for at least 15 years, while others can’t.

They found that making the transition does not require:
  • a high-profile CEO
  • the latest technology
  • innovative change management
  • or even a fine-tuned business strategy

The research team found that at the heart of great companies is a corporate culture that rigorously hired and promoted disciplined people who think and act in a disciplined manner. That is, people at these companies are fully engaged in supporting the company’s Mission, Vision, and objectives. Employees seek to constantly improve how they do things to meet customer needs.

Additional keys to moving a company from “good” to “great” are:

q Level 5 leadership: leaders who have personal humility and a professional will and drive to succeed.
q Getting the right people on the bus … and the wrong ones off, sooner than later.
q Ongoing and vigorous debate across the organization in search of the best answers.
q Confronting brutal facts without losing faith.
q Creating a climate where truth is heard.
q Fostering a culture of discipline when it comes to meeting client needs.
q Understanding that breakthrough results come from a series of good decisions, diligently executed and accumulated one on top of another.

Good-to-Great is well written and organized with Cliff-Note style summaries at the end of each chapter. While it doesn’t pretend to be a cure-all or self-help guide, it dispels some myths and provides insights into key questions regarding achievement of organizational greatness. Reading this book is a great way to start 2004!

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