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Books : Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don'tIn association with Amazon.comRating:  - Something Not Quite RightI bought the book after seeing him on PBS. I must say I am a little diappointed. I was really hoping for some deep insight and inspiration. Instead I read about a bunch of research from newspaper clippings by some research students. Collins has some great concepts Level 5 Leaders and the "Stockdale Principle" and then some things to turn on the eclectic filter as you read. Find or steal one of Tom Peters books on Excellence - Before you read this Rating:  - Pray you never have a boss who buys into thisThe egoism, hubris, and cold-bloodedness that is sanctioned by this book is frightening. Loyalty becomes the only virtue. If you've worked for an executive who has bought into this, you'll understand how we ended up in Iraq. Rating:  - Great for the small business ownerGood to Great is a great book for anyone in business. I was amazed at some of the less obvious lessons learned from the years of research as well as the simple truths that seemed obvious after they were revealed. I am a small business owner with a professional degree but with no formal business education. It was good to read "research" that was not all stuffy and dry. A particularly strong point for me was the argument for why I should strive to be great and not just "good" or even "mediocre". I am planning on reading Jim Collins' other book, Built to Last. Rating:  - A New Way to Look at Growing Your Business"Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't" by Jim Collins was a real eye opener for me. In this book, Jim Collins, observes 28 companies over the span of 5 years. Over this period of time 11 of the companies make the leap from "Good to Great". The findings in this book were truly eye opening and inspirational. I loved the chapter on Level 5 leadership. Collins starts the chapter using a quote by Harry S. Truman "You can accomplish anything in life, provided that you do not mind who gets the credit". This is the essence of the book. I also loved that in this book he speaks about how the executives that ignited the transformation for companies that went from good to great, did not figure out how to drive the bus, but how to get the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off) and then they figured out where to drive it. Another book I really enjoyed reading about transformation is Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment. Any person who is looking to grow their business would greatly benefit from reading both these books. Rating: - Good to GreatThe condition of this book was excellent. I recieved it in a very timely manner. If you currently own or are looking to own your own business, this book is invaluable. The concepts are concrete, realistic, and attainable. I highly recommend this book. |
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