Jim Collins
Good is the enemy of great.
Premise of new book is why do some thrive in the face of uncertainty and others don’t? the answer isn’t what happens to you but the choices you make in response to the circumstances.
It starts with people.
It’s about getting the right people on the bus. Then it’s about getting those people in the right seat on the bus.
It’s not a question of what? but of who?
Change the “what’s” into “who’s.” who do we need on the team?
3 Ingredients to Thriving When Others Don’t.
- Have fanatic discipline. It’s about self-control and the 20 mile march (be consistent daily instead of trying to make up for lost ground)
- Imperial Creativity. Acquire the right data to make the most creative decision possible. Fire bullets first, then cannon balls. Don’t waste your gun powder on unnecessary shots. Find the target first then launch the large artillery.
- Production Paranoia. The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency. We must change our practices but keep our values. The genius of these two make something enduring and great.
Ten Point To-Do List
- Run the “Good to Great” diagnostic at Jim Collin’s website. (You’ll have to google it, I didn’t write it down)
- Answer, “How many key seats are on your bus?” Then answer, “How do you get 100% of these key seats full?”
- Build a personal Board of Directors. Who will you allow to mentor you?
- Get your “personal hedgehog” right before it’s too late. What are you passionate about? What are you genetically coded to do? How do most effectively add value to others?
- Set a 20 mile march and stick to it.
- Fire 6 new bullets before the end of the year. Then fire a canon ball.
- Turn off electronics for 2 days at least every 2 weeks.
- Create a “stop doing list.” True discipline isn’t held in what we do but what we don’t do.
- Double your reach to people half your age by changing practices without changing your values.
- Set a Big Hairy Audacious Goal that’s useful. Make yourself useful.
In a post talk interview with Andy Stanley Jim gave more gold that couldn’t be written down as fast as it was coming out so buy that session when it’s available at catalystspace.com