Good to Great by Jim Collins

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Recommended: Impact of culture on organisation's performance

Good to Great by Jim Collins is a book which illustrates an answer for the question whether a good company can turn into a great company. In this book, Jim Collins suggests the ways by which companies can outperform the market leaders. The author has certain list of companies like Abbot lab, Circuit city, Fannie Mae,Gillette,Kimberly Clarak,Kroger,Nucor steel, Philip Morris,Pitney Bowes,Walgreens and Wells Fargo. According to author good is the enemy of great and thatis why have little companies which are great. The author says that the transformation from good to great does no just happen. It needs to be built through process which with three broad stages. Jim Collins suggest some components in a company to have it achieve great levels

The following are the components needed for great company according to Jim Collins

Disciplined people

The surprising factor to achieve greatness. These disciplined people are leaders of a company who can reach heights with the paradoxical combination of professional will and personal humility. They are modest and give others credit freely with calm determination and bring ambition in the company. The key point of the author is not about importance of assembling a right team by getting the right people onboard in the bus. The author wants right people on the right seat and wrong people off the bus. And then giving out a proper strategic direction to these people to follow. However, the author says that people often attempts to accomplish things in the opposite order.

Disciplined thought

The disciplined thought means the need to confront facts that are brutal and continuously refine the path which lead to greatness. But one should not lose the faith and must prevail in the business. One mu...

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...r doesn’t know what he doesn’t know.

The author has chosen companies which hide their flaws from investors. The author does mention about taking right people on the bus but he never mention the nature of these right people. How they are made and how they can be identified. And people need some motivation and money is a big motivator. Less salary can definitely built up regression and frustration in employees. So the author is wrong on this fact. The author should have compiled the book with some novel information and tips to build a great company. I believe the information was redundant and does not live up to the mark. People know discipline, right employees are all part of a successful company. The information in the book can set out much debate and the author might not have right answer to them. Overall the book is average and common on information.

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