Good To Great by Jim Collins

I first read Good To Great by Jim Collins in the fall of 2006 and I’ve returned to it many times. Without reservation, it’s the best business book I’ve ever read.

Collins sets out to discover the characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great and sustain the results for at least 15 years.

My Top Takeaways

The Flywheel
There is no miracle moment, silver bullet or one killer innovation. Long term results start slow, build up momentum then achieve breakthrough. “Like pushing on a giant, heavy flywheel, it takes a lot of effort to get the thing moving at all, but with persistent pushing in a consistent direction over a long period of time, the flywheel builds momentum, eventually hitting a point of breakthrough” (page 186).

The Hedgehog Concept
Great companies have a deep understanding of the intersection of 1. What you are deeply passionate about 2. What you can be the best in the world at and 3. What drives your economic engine.

First Who, Then What
Get the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off) and then figure out where to drive it.

Final Thoughts

Timeless. Sound advice applicable to all business types. Concepts easily translate to personal pursuits.

First published November 28, 2018

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