Books : Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

Rating: - Strategic Planning classic for Managers
I was actually 'told' to read this book by a Managing Director of a company I interviewed with. He said that it outlined what he felt was central to his leadership philosophy. I did not get the job in the end but I remembered his recommendation.

I like the book for its evidence (though I believe two of the Good to Great companies have now fallen from grace) and its simplicity and the clarity of its concepts.

It is now a highly-recommended read that I publicize to my colleagues.
I have also designed a program to develop my fellow managers, using the interview with Charlie Rose as well as the free diagnostic tool and discussion guide found on Jim Collin's website.

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Rating: - Good service and good product
Book came on time and very clean. Few writings here and there which was already mentioned. Book is in excellent condition. Thank you.

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Rating: - A great book, but try not to fight the examples.
Jim Collins and his team did a great job of breaking down both business and leaders into factors that helped make them successful. Thought Collins markets his book as a business book I believe, like those of Covey, the theories in this book will serve you well in both business and personal aspects of your life. This book was actually used as a text in my MBA studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University's Silberman College of Buisness, a nationally top ranking entrepreneurship school. As such I've engaged in many hours of discussion with both students and seasoned professionals about the merits and short-comings of this book.

First, I'll start with where it comes up short since everyone loves that and I'd prefer to finish on a positive note anyway. Some people feel that Collins's findings just aren't possible to implement in real world work environments. Others argue that most of this material just doesn't apply to anyone that's not a senior executive in the organization. Last, and my favorite, is the rational that success, especially in these companies, is random and luck based. I contend they're all wrong, and I'll tell you why. The only criticism of this book I do accept is Collins's criteria for a successful company is purely financial, which I don't agree with, but he does address hi s reasoning right at the beginning. I understand why he had to do it, but I still don't agree with it.

To those who argue Collins' methods are not implementable in the real world I say quit arguing the metaphors and learn from the principles. Try not to get stuck duplicating the examples Collins uses in the book, they are just examples. Read between the lines and just pull out what he's trying to say... "first who...", "The Hedgehog Concept", "The Flywheel", and, if you have the audiobook, pay close attention to the student question in the epilogue. These are simple concepts that can have a great impact on you, your organization, and your career. I contend that each and every one of the theories in this book can be implemented in business at all levels, not just at the top, as well as everyday life. I believe you can be a level five leader in life, not just in business. The book "Leadership and Self-Deception" by The Arbinger Institute is a great book to emphasize this point.

And finally, for anyone that feels success is random and/or we can't break it down into a set of rules or principles I'd recommend reading Taleb's "The Black Swan", (a great book btw) which might make you feel better about yourself. I'd also recommend "Outliers" by Gladwell, another book which does in-depth research into success. Look specifically at the 10,000 hour rule and see how well it fits with Collins's Flywheel concept.

Now for the pros of this book. There are too many to list. Collins's principles of level five leadership, the fly wheel, the doom loop, build-up to break-through, etc., etc., and so on, and so on are all very good points. Again, these principles don't just apply to business, they also apply to life. I'm currently a technology marketing professional, but not a sr. executive. Build-up to break-through and the flywheel concept are just two great ways I've made a difference in my organization from the bottom up. I'm also an entrepreneur and own my own business and one of the best things I found about Good To Great was The Hedgehog concept and how it applies to Gladwell's 10,000 hour rule.
Overall a good read with great theories.

As always the metaphors and examples can be argued until you're blue in the face, but if you attempt to do that then you've already missed the point.

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Rating: - Interesting look at leadership. CD media great for long drives.
I read the book a while back and was surprised to find parallels to what my dad and uncle (partners in a small business) experienced in the late 70s/early 80s. I knew they did something special, but it was especially gratifying to see it documented and quasi-proven with multiple industry observations on larger scales. I purchased the CD media so that my dad could enjoy it as well.

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Rating: - Collins Review
Extremely well written. The valuable information from Collin's Good to Great is useful not only in a business but also in one's personal life. A must buy!