Saturday, June 5, 2010

Good To Great

Just finished reading "Good to Great" by Jim Collins.

I quite enjoyed reflecting/debating (with self) on the ideas put forth by the author. In the process, got moved by the following perspectives/Quotes
  • GOOD is the enemy of GREAT
  • "I never stopped trying to become qualified for the job" - Darwin Smith, CEO Kimberly-Clark (1971-1991)
  • People are NOT your most important assets. The RIGHT people ARE
  • Great companies made a habit of putting their best people on their best OPPORTUNITIES, not their worst PROBLEMS. Managing your PROBLEMS can make you GOOD, where as building on your OPPORTUNITIES is the only way to become GREAT
  • Stockdale Paradox: "You must maintain unwavering faith that you can and will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties AND at the same time have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be" - Admiral Jim Stockdale, PoW - Hanoi
  • Lead with QUESTIONS not with ANSWERS
  • Spending time and energy to motivate people is a waste of effort. The real question is not "How do we motivate our people". If you have the right people they will be motivated. The key is not to demotivate them.
  • The Hedgehog Circles (refer to the picture)

  • Leverage the Hedgehog Circles to define Organizational strategy
  • The more an organization has discipline to stay within it's three (Hedgehog) Circles, the more it will have attractive opportunities for growth. The challenge becomes not opportunity creation, but opportunity SELECTION
  • Sustainable transformations follow a predictable pattern of buildup and breakthrough


The book helped me putting leadership and management in right perspective. Recommended for all.

No comments: