Takeaways from "Good to Great"

Good to Great, Jim Collins: From a People Perspective

I've heard a lot about this book over the last twelve months, but didn't read it until recently. Thought leaders consistently reference this piece, and another by the author, Jim Collins, Built to Last. Jim Collins does a masterful job outlining why some companies become great companies, while others don't make it passed being a good company. Extensive research, and I mean extensive, with some outlined in the book.

I read this book not only from the standpoint of organizations, but also considering my own development, and from the context of my current role. In order to make this book directly relevant, it was important to apply it to my current position and my own progress, so I could apply the book's lessons now, not later.

Below are some takeaways I pulled from the book, where Jim talks about going into "monk mode", to create great writing. In short, I see why this book is recommended and referenced by so many - while it's been around for a long time, it's value is timeless, transcending changes with the business climate trends within industry. It's remarkable how much I see some strong leaders I have worked with and how they embody so many of the positive principles Collins lays out with a "Level 5 Leader". People-centered leadership driving business results, continues to be a strength for sustainable greatness.

"It’s no harder to be great, so why not get better results, process and have fun."

Here are a few core points centered from the people lens, adopted from concepts and quotes from Good to Great, Jim Collins.

• First who (right people, right seats), then what and how
• Culture of discipline + ethic of entrepreneurship = sustained results
• Meaningful Work: greatness stems from the feeling of doing something with meaning and the drive to fulfill the mission
• Stop Doing List: cut out time on wasted tasks, clarity of what is critical and what is not
• Build a culture of discipline and commitment to business and people, not a hierarchy to manage poor or average performers?
• Contagious culture and success?
• Act fast on people issues- Letting people hang around is wrong to all the right people
• Ambition for institution, not themselves, humility and intense professional will
• Team First (We not I)
• Leave the place better off than when you arrived
• Talent builds the future, they know where to take company when you don’t?
• Ability to get and keep great people- growth throttle?
• Never compromise on people?
• Show people what’s working for people to buy-in
• Core Ideology- drive core values & purpose
• Create a firm on vision beyond one person or idea
• Genius of AND- embrace both extremes on polar opposites
• Cultured with Disciplined Action?

"You absolutely cannot make a series of good decisions without first confronting the brutal facts"

---Concepts are from Good to Great, Jim Collins

Hedgehog Concept (Intersection of 3 Circles): Simplify and succeed…complex and struggle

1. What can you be the best in world at (and not): It's not a goal, strategy, intention, plan to be the best -> It is an understanding of what you can be the best at. This is an important distinction

2. What drives your economic engine: Be the best and keep if simple. Drive a simple concept and use it for a frame of reference for all decisions

3. What are you deeply passionate about?

"This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end - which you can never afford to lose - with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be."

---Concepts are from Good to Great, Jim Collins ---Concepts are from Good to Great, Jim Collins

Leading with Data

People leadership gains power with one key metric for visibility and a measure of success with the business: consider what to increase over time as an iterative process: What 'X' (measure) would have the greatest and sustainable impact over time, like switching from profit per store to profit per customer visit.

Good to Great Model

The Stockdale Paradox: Retain faith that you will prevail in the the end, regardless of the difficulties | AND | Confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be

---Concepts and quotes are from Good to Great, Jim Collins

People leadership will continue to see a significant evolution over the next five years, and leaders not adapting to the continued transformation of labor, will struggle to relate to their teams, drive results, or even remain relevant in the next generation of business. The importance of people will only grow with the evolution of technology, not decrease.

In the first ten years of my career, I saw a transformative shift in what was considered effective, acceptable, and progressive leadership, where the commanding authoritarian style made way for a more discipline-based and inspirational path of leadership similar to what Jim Collins describes. The "new age" of leadership, was the next iteration, but became a status quo, still with room for improvement, and certainly still with clear outliers. This progress was only advanced by 5-10 years with the pandemic and social movements, and may seem to pause for changes in our economic or social climate, but it's not regressing over time. Outliers continue to fall-off, but will always remain at some level, but don't cloud the overall movement in leadership trends.

In today's world, with tech continuing to be at the forefront of conversation, for good reason, the ability to inspire, lead, and empower with a disciplined approach to work will continue to rise in importance. Leaders who can earn the attention, respect, choose to empower their people, while sharing a concise vision for the business will have an even bigger impact as we look forward.