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    Good to Great
    Good to Great
    Good to Great
    Audiobook9 hours

    Good to Great

    Written by Jim Collins

    Narrated by Jim Collins

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Built To Last, the defining management study of the nineties, showed how great companies triumph over time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the very beginning. 

    But what about companies that are not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness? Are there those that convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? If so, what are the distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?

    Over five years, Jim Collins and his research team have analyzed the histories of 28 companies, discovering why some companies make the leap and others don't. The findings include:

    • Level 5 Leadership: A surprising style, required for greatness.
    • The Hedgehog Concept: Finding your three circles, to transcend the curse of competence.
    • A Culture of Discipline: The alchemy of great results.
    • Technology Accelerators: How good-to-great companies think differently about technology.
    • The Flywheel and the Doom Loop: Why those who do frequent restructuring fail to make the leap.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateJul 13, 2010
    ISBN9780062045874
    Author

    Jim Collins

    Jim Collins is a student and teacher of what makes great companies tick, and a Socratic advisor to leaders in the business and social sectors. Having invested more than a quarter-century in rigorous research, he has authored or coauthored six books that have sold in total more than 10 million copies worldwide. They include Good to Great, Built to Last, How the Mighty Fall, and Great by Choice. Driven by a relentless curiosity, Jim began his research and teaching career on the faculty at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he received the Distinguished Teaching Award in 1992. In 1995, he founded a management laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. In addition to his work in the business sector, Jim has a passion for learning and teaching in the social sectors, including education, healthcare, government, faith-based organizations, social ventures, and cause-driven nonprofits. In 2012 and 2013, he had the honor to serve a two-year appointment as the Class of 1951 Chair for the Study of Leadership at the United States Military Academy at West Point. In 2017, Forbes selected Jim as one of the 100 Greatest Living Business Minds. Jim has been an avid rock climber for more than forty years and has completed single-day ascents of El Capitan and Half Dome in Yosemite Valley. Learn more about Jim and his concepts at his website, where you’ll find articles, videos, and useful tools. jimcollins.com

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    Reviews for Good to Great

    4.5/5

    803 ratings78 reviews

    What our readers think

    Readers find this title to be an excellent book that provides up-to-date concepts and valuable insights for entrepreneurs and leaders. The ideas presented in the book are applicable not only to business but also to personal lives. The principles taught in the book are timeless and true, emphasizing the importance of having a hedgehog concept, creating a sustainable culture, and bringing the right people on board. The book is straightforward, comprehensive, and supported by extensive research. It is highly recommended for anyone looking to grow from mediocrity to greatness.

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Such an excellent read it will take time to implement though
    • 5/5
      This book focuses on moving organizations from "good" to "great" with lots of applications for education.
    • 3/5
      I learned a bit from this book, and was impressed at the analysis that went into it. Interesting to see that two of the companies are not great anymore (as noted by others, Fannie Mae & Circuit City). Level 5 leadership is needed everywhere. I need to read this again!
    • 4/5
      This is all about how to take a company from good, or mediocre to great! Not quite tailored to non-profits but discusses some good theories: level 5 leaders, hedgehog concepts and more. Not as dry as other management books, Collins uses lots of examples which helps a non commercially minded person get a grasp on his concepts.
    • 5/5
      Very good insight on what it will take to reach the next level of greatness in whatever you set out to do in life. This audio book is straight forward & real.
    • 5/5
      It was the unambiguous narration of the journey and the intricate decisions most companies made at certain junctions of their companies history, that gave me clarity and a sense of positive feeling that when I do start my company, I will move from being just good to great.
    • 4/5
      Good stuff, think its worth a listen if youre sexy
    • 5/5
      Love Jim's ideas! The best part about this book is that the ideas apply to our personal lives too.
    • 5/5
      I loved the way the book started - Good is the enemy of great.I have read a few business books, but soon I realized that this book is meant particularly for people who are already in some kind of managerial/entrepreneurial position.Although I enjoyed the Hedgehog concept, the later chapters definitely require deeper understanding and management experience.
    • 5/5
      This book shows how we all should manage our own individual lives and those we lead. It is some of the best support for great leadership!
    • 5/5
      It’s a great book for growing from mediocre to greatness.
    • 5/5
      Timeless principles that can apply to any organization, whether corporate or non-corporate!
    • 5/5
      Really great book supported by tremendous amount of data. Couldn't stop reading it, by far the best data-supported book you'll ever find on the topic.
    • 5/5
      Highly insightful definitely recommend for anyone who wants to learn how to take things to the next level
    • 5/5
      Excelent book. The concepts are very up to date (2020) and has helped me change my vision as an entrepreneur.
    • 5/5
      Regardless of how these companies turned out almost 20 years later, the principles taught here are timeless and true I could very much relate to them from my experience in business and life. Like Jim said, even if the UCLA Bruins basketball team isn’t the same as it was during its great dynasty, it does not change the principles that made it great during that period of time.
    • 5/5
      I’m a teacher, not a business person, but the principles in Good to Great apply to ALL sectors. The Stockdale paradox, the hedgehog concept and the level five leader are all principles I am taking back to my school. Even though several of the companies he studied have gone bankrupt, the way they turned from good to great over a period is still relevant. It’s a timeless classic!
    • 5/5
      Really interesting book. Read it on 2x speed and it was understandable. Would recommend everyone who want's to know something more about leaders and leadership
    • 4/5
      Great book to learn what to implement at the foundational levels of your business to grow and be successful.
    • 5/5
      Great learning from this book. I loved it. More. Thank You
    • 5/5
      Enjoyed the audiobook!
      No success is overnight. It is the accumulation of small insignificant pushes on the flywheel that create momentum and produce great results. ?
    • 5/5
      This book has changed how I look at many things and also made me realize that good is not good enough, and good is an enemy of greatness.
    • 5/5
      Great research book that reiterates the importance of key principles of success. Perhaps a bit on the longer side but this is a reflection of the extensive research behind the book.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed Good to Great as part of our book club at work. I appreciate that the findings were based on data and research, and not anecdotes and poorly remembered details from specific business personalities. I would love to see an updated version twenty years later with how the internet has transformed things, but the book did mention how great companies use technology smartly and not rely on it completely.
    • 5/5
      This one's been on my list for years. Now I'm wondering what took me so long. Very useful!!!
    • 5/5
      Extremely non-putdownable! I couldn’t stop listening day after day. Very practical and relatable lessons. Best book I have read this year! If you run a company or startup etc. this is the book you need to read now… before you start working on your strategy!
    • 5/5
      Required reading for any entrepreneur, leader, or human. Definitely gets better every time I read it.
    • 5/5
      The amount of research that went into this book is a testament to the reliability of the advice it gives! Be a hedgehog, not a fox.
    • 5/5
      Very straightforward and comprehensive! Jim did it again in his manner!
    • 5/5
      I’ve resisted reading this book for a decade or so. As a pastor I’ve long associated it with an uncritical business thinking takeover of Christian leadership. As I read it, I’m certainly critical of parts, from methodology to interpretation, but slowly it overwhelmed me with helpfulness. It’s just too helpful of a book to not read and apply. Yes, of course, it’s not the only book to read, and it doesn’t have all the answers (whatever that means), but it’s one of the few books I read this year that I’ll reread in the next three years.