Good to Great

Outline

Good to Great (2001) asks why some companies make the leap from good results to lasting greatness while others do not. Jim Collins and his research team studied companies over decades and identified key factors, including humble but determined Level 5 leaders, getting the right people on the bus, confronting brutal facts, the hedgehog concept, and the flywheel effect. The book remains one of the most influential business books ever written.

• Jim Collins and his research team studied companies over decades to learn why some move from good results to lasting greatness.
• Level 5 leaders combine personal humility with a determined drive to build a great company.
• Getting the right people on the bus is a key factor in making the leap to greatness.
• Great companies confront the brutal facts of their situation instead of avoiding them.
• The hedgehog concept and the flywheel effect describe how clear focus and consistent execution build lasting success.

Jim Collins is an American researcher, author, and business consultant who studies what makes companies grow and endure. He taught at Stanford Graduate School of Business before founding his own research laboratory. His books include Built to Last, Good to Great, How the Mighty Fall, and Great by Choice.