Good to Great CD: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Five years ago, Jim Collins asked the question, "Can a good company become a great company and if so, how?" In Good to Great Collins, the author of Built to Last, concludes that it is possible, but finds there are no silver bullets. Collins and his team of researchers began their quest by sorting through a list of 1,435 companies, looking for those that made substantial improvements in their performance over time. They finally settled on 11--including Fannie Mae, Gillette, Walgreens, and Wells Fargo--and discovered common traits that challenged many of the conventional notions of corporate success. Making the transition from good to great doesn't require a high-profile CEO, the latest technology, innovative change management, or even a fine-tuned business strategy. At the heart of those rare and truly great companies was a corporate culture that rigorously found and promoted disciplined people to think and act in a disciplined manner. Peppered with dozens of stories and examples from the great and not so great, the book offers a well-reasoned road map to excellence that any organization would do well to consider. Like Built to Last, Good to Great is one of those books that managers and CEOs will be reading and rereading for years to come. --Harry C. Edwards

Book Description

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.

Customer Reviews:

A very thought-provoking book for people trying to grow their business........2007-10-02

This was a very interesting book for me to read. I have to imagine that I am in a pretty narrow target market for this book, though the concepts may be broadly applied. I work for a small business and can see many opportunities to put this book's findings to work.

The book tells the various stories of companies that made a transition from a market participant to market leader and saw sustained success for at least 15 years. The author was able to identify a few common factors between these companies, and he and his research team present them as a model for us to follow.

I had but one small issue, which is probably not information that contributes to the rest of the research. They detail radical decisions made by upper management, sometimes completely changing the face of an established business. I figure there must be a largely disproportionate number of business that fail when they made the same or a similar move. I would have liked to see some detail behind how those successful companies came to make that decision. The decision itself was largely overlooked.

Like many "business" books, I feel that much of what was written here was largely common sense. They weren't necessarily ideas that I have had or would have come up with on my own, but as I read them they seemed mundane in analysis. It made the reading slow going, but there was a silver lining -- for instant gratification, each chapter ends with a few pages of main concepts extracted from the text.

There was some very insightful research in Good to Great. The common elements identified were relevant and practical. It would not be an easy model to follow, but if it were it would defeat its own purpose to isolate those corporate characteristics that set successful companies apart. If you have ever wondered what steps you should follow to take your company from Good to Great, this is a book you should read (even if it is just the chapter summaries).

"Good" is not "good enough"........2007-10-02

"Good" is not "good enough". When organizations and/or individuals settle for "good" as "good enough" they set themselves up to become obsolete. "Good to Great" looks at those organizations that decided never to settle for "good enough" and became "Great". How about you? Are you striving to become great at what you do, or have you settled for being good enough to get by? Does the organization that you work for have a plan to move from good to great? Are you a part of the change that will take your company to the next level or do you believe that your company is "good enough" right where it is?

I believe there is more value to be gained by pushing good organizations to become great than trying to turn mediocre organizations into good ones. The data presented in "Good to Great" shows just how much value can be gained by those willing to make the leap to Great. The book also shows you what principles of business those companies that made the leap had to adopt.

My favorite chapters are chapter two (Level 5 Leadership) and three (First Who...Then What). Level 5 Leadership address the benefits of having personal humility combined with a strong will to build something great. We have to many leaders at the top that have let their egos become more important than the organizations they run. "Good to Great" explains how the leaders of those companies that made the leap avoided the ego trap while having great ambitions for building something exceptional. Everyone who wishes to become a leader that makes a difference should read this chapter.

"First Who...Then What" does a good job of showing how great companies put "talent" at the top of the agenda. Any leader who wants to build a strong organization must put "talent" at the top of their agenda. Jim Collins address two critical issues companies need to address when it comes to recruiting and developing their talent. He shows us why it is important to get the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus. And then goes on to explain how great companies get the people in the right seat. How many people in your organization are in the wrong seat? How many should be taken off the bus entirely? Companies are not good at hiring the right people and then are terrible at assigning them to the right job. This chapter is a must for anyone involved in the hiring of talent.

I also recommend spending some time at jimcollins.com. I have visited and revisited this site to get more information on the concepts presented in "Good to Great". Buy the book, then go to the website and start your own journey from good to great.

Larry Kevin Adams
theactionator.com

Good To Great.......2007-09-28

Our company is taking the advice of the book to heart. We have formed our "hedgehog" group and all are excited. We want to work in an environment of greatness. The book shows us the way. We have 7 of our employees who have agreed to "donate their time" at lunch several times a month to help us identify our circles. I would recommend this book to any company or organization that truly wants to have their maximum impact in the arena in which they operate!

My Business Bible.......2007-09-24

If I have a bible for business, this is it. First who then what is the only way to go!

Still applicable in 2007.......2007-09-19

I enjoyed the thought provoking aspect of this book. The different levels of leadership, the hedgehog concept are the two takeaways from this book.

How many of us fall into the trap of being everything to everyone? Most I suspect from the findings presented in the book.

Read this book to find out how you can strive to be a Level 5 leader. I found the book very insightful. Jim Collins and his team hit a homerun!

Good to Great CD: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't

Average customer rating:

Good to Great CD: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't
Jim; Jim, Collins Collins
Manufacturer: HarperAudio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEV3A8

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Network & Relationship Building Profile: Facilitator's Guide
Warner Jon
Manufacturer: HRD Press, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0874258286

Book Description

Cockshutt tractor is not a household term to you? Perhaps you have heard they were built in Canada, and you thought they had something to do with those orange CO-OPs Farm Bureau used to sell? Well, once you read Cockshutt: The Complete Story, one of ASAEs newest books, you will realize there is a lot more to Cockshutt tractors than you imagined!

Cockshutt: The Complete Story fills a long-standing need for background information, technical data and photographs of tractors produced by Cockshutt Farm Equipment, Ltd. and its predecessor, Cockshutt Plow Company, Ltd. Historic background on the Company and the family who managed it sheds light on a line of implements and the man who affected Canadian agricultural growth as much as John Deere in the United States.

An overview of U.S.-built models sold under the Cockshutt name in Canada by the Cockshutt Plow Co., Ltd. is also included. Additionally, there is much background on the history of Farm Bureaus National Farm Machinery Cooperative, with a discussion of its marketing operation. Presentation of the tractors they sold in the years prior to their agreement to sell Cockshutts is also a part of this book.

The reader will find this compilation a simple reference to quickly differentiate various tractor models manufactured by Cockshutt between 1946 and 1962. Restorers will find specific technical data regarding each model paint, decal, and parts information. Both black-and-white and color photographs offer correct examples of original or restored tractors.

University of Nebraska test data is used throughout to compare Cockshutts attributes with the competition. Key patents and other innovative contributions built into Cockshutt implements, which ultimately impacted U.S. manufacturers, are highlighted as well. To complete this book, numerous thumb-nail sketches are included, which outline the associated companies and men whose entrepreneurial exploits directly contributed to Cockshutts successes. This book is for enthusiasts collectors, restorers, and people who simply want to learn Cockshutts background and the impact of Cockshutt on the world.

With 120 pages and more than 175 photos (including a 14-page color section) this book provides a complete account of these unique tractors. This book will fill a hole on many tractor enthusiasts bookshelves.

Book Description

This thoroughly peer-reviewed proceedings of the ninth international workshop on low temperature detectors provides a snapshot of the state-of-the-art in low temperature particle and radiation detectors. In 134 original research papers, the physics and applications of this new and extremely high performance type of detectors is described in detail. This includes their application to such diverse fields as astrophysics at all wavelengths from the submillimeter to gamma-ray, dark matter searches, neutrino astrophysics, atomic physics, nuclear physics, biophysics, and materials science.

Solid Particles in the Solar System (International Astronomical Union Symposia)

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Solid Particles in the Solar System (International Astronomical Union Symposia)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Solar System | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 902771164X

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Keeping It Wild

An important book for outdoor recreationists

The Black & Brown Faces in America's Wild Places: African Americans Making Nature and the Environment a Part of Their Everyday Lives (Watchable Wildlife (Adventure Publications))
Dudley Edmondson
Manufacturer: Adventure Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American Studies | Special Groups | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1591931738

Customer Reviews:

Keeping It Wild.......2007-02-13

Black and Brown Faces in America's Wild Places is an excellent book to share with young people. It lets young people see people of color participating in actitivies and careers in the great outdoors. These actitivies and careers are open for all to enjoy. I purchased several books to share with the young people in my life and have received very positive feedback. One young man was very proud to share his book with his class for Black History Month.

Keeping It Wild

An important book for outdoor recreationists.......2006-11-03

Dudley Edmondson uses the personal comments and profiles of 20 black and brown Americans to make observations on the participation of minorities in outdoor pursuits. The "whiteness" of many of these activities is obvious. Without pointing fingers, the book makes clear the importance of drawing minority populations into activities such as birding, hiking, camping, etc. As the population of this country grows more diverse, as faces of color appear more often on city councils, county boards, and in legislative positions, an appreciation of the value of natural resources by these people will become important. As the saying goes, we protect what we understand and appreciate. Edmondson's book offers personal experiences and observations that make the point that the outdoors and its pleasures are for everyone. The book is illustrated with the author's excellent photographs. This is a book to be shared with anyone who enjoys outdoor activities.

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Get Out of My Face
Masterton
Manufacturer: Atheneum
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 0689316755

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Faces of the Wilderness
Harvey Broome
Manufacturer: Mountain Press Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0878420274

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Faces of the Wilderness
Harvey Broome
Manufacturer: Mountain Press Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000WV7870

Product Description

Here is outdoor literature at it's best, written by a man who had a discerning eye and who was on a wave length with the life he encountered in the wilds. The reader shares the exhilaration and the discomforts of Harvey Broome on these outings and at the end puts down the book feeling that he has been on the seashores, in the deserts, and high on the mountains with a man who loved the earth and honored it for its mystery and beauty.-William O. Douglas

James River Face Wilderness : Glenwood Ranger District, Virginia : Jefferson National Forest (SuDoc A 13.36/2-6:R 8-RG 129)

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James River Face Wilderness : Glenwood Ranger District, Virginia : Jefferson National Forest (SuDoc A 13.36/2-6:R 8-RG 129)
U.S. Dept of Agriculture
Manufacturer: Forest Service, Southern Region, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00010H28C

Mineral resources of the James River Face Wilderness, Rockbridge and Bedford counties, Virginia (MLA)

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Mineral resources of the James River Face Wilderness, Rockbridge and Bedford counties, Virginia (MLA)
Robert B Ross
Manufacturer: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Mines
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Prospecting & Mining | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

NEON WILDERNESS: The Captain Has Bad Dreams; How the Devil Came Down Division Street; Is Your Name Joe; Depend on Aunt Elly; Stickman's Laughter; A Lot You Got to Holler; Poor Man's Pennies; The Face on the Barroom Floor; The Brothers' House

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NEON WILDERNESS: The Captain Has Bad Dreams; How the Devil Came Down Division Street; Is Your Name Joe; Depend on Aunt Elly; Stickman's Laughter; A Lot You Got to Holler; Poor Man's Pennies; The Face on the Barroom Floor; The Brothers' House
Nelson Algren
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GW4CJ2

Planning for America's wildlands;: A handbook for land-use planners, managers and executives, committee and commission members, conservation leaders, and all who face problems of wildland management

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Planning for America's wildlands;: A handbook for land-use planners, managers and executives, committee and commission members, conservation leaders, and all who face problems of wildland management
Arthur Hawthorne Carhart
Manufacturer: National Audubon Society, National Parks Association, Wilderness Society, Wildlife Management Institute
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007DXYM6

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No Safe Harbor

Excellent read

When good diving goes bad...

Interesting account of a dive vacation gone horribly wrong

The Tragedy of Wave Dancer

No Safe Harbor: The Tragedy of the Dive Ship Wave Dancer
Joe Burnworth
Manufacturer: Emmis Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Hurricanes | Atmospheric Sciences | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Natural Disasters | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Scuba | Water Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 157860219X

Book Description

On October 8, 2001, the 120-foot luxury live-aboard dive yachts Wave Dancer and Aggressor III, both carrying members of the Richmond Dive Club, were secured to a concrete dock in southern Belize when Hurricane Iris struck. The last boat to slip into the harbor for safety, the Wave Dancer, stuck out halfway into the channel, unable to find more room at the crowded dock. The category four hurricane, with winds of 140 mph and a storm surge of fourteen feet, ripped the Wave Dancer from its cleats, tossing it like a toy across the lagoon. When the storm subsided an hour later, 20 of the boat’s 28 occupants were dead. The investigation into the tragedy — the worst in the history of recreational diving — revealed that the boat’s owner and captain had ignored storm warnings and needlessly endangered the lives of their passengers and crew.

In a vivid indictment of maritime irresponsibility, author Joe Burnworth — a passenger on the Aggressor III — dramatically recounts the events leading up to the Wave Dancer's capsizing, the rescue and recovery attempts, and the devastating aftermath.

Customer Reviews:

No Safe Harbor.......2007-10-10

I read this book after having been on the Belize Aggressor Aug 2007, which was the boat that didn't capsize. It's a fascinating book, particularly if you've either been on one of the boats or are planning to be. One of the misconceptions I've seen in various writings is when a particular liveaboard is called a 'party' boat - I've been on many liveaboards and none of them have been party boats. After getting up at 6:00am everyday and doing a day's worth of diving, everyone generally goes to bed at a reasonable hour in order to be well rested for the next day. Who wants to be hungover when you've paid good money to dive in these exotic locations? If by chance, a boat becomes a 'party' boat, its because that week's charter is more interested in drinking than diving, and that hasn't been my experience on liveaboards. People go on liveaboards because they want to immerse themselves in scuba diving and the wonderful world that opens up to them below the ocean's surface.

Excellent read.......2007-10-10

As a diving aficionado, I remember hearing about the Wavedancer tragedy when it occurred, but never knew the background and details surrounding the event. I stumbled upon this book by accident, bought it on a whim (and based on Theresa Mars's review) and am glad I did.

Joe Burnworth has created a vivid and interesting account of an event that robbed us of so many good people, but the story is faithful to who they were and their lives, although tragically cut short.

It was a page-turner, and one I found almost impossible to put down once I got going. I even held off on another book I had begun reading several weeks earlier because No Safe Harbor was so compelling in its scope.

Although I knew none of the members of the Richmond Diving Club and very little about the events other than what I had seen on the news six years ago, I came away with a much deeper appreciation for what happened and how dangerous and deadly mother nature can be.

Baghdad
10-10-07

When good diving goes bad..........2007-06-27

I've been on the boat that is the subject of this book, and the one that has replaced it. The author did a good job of capturing the experience of live aboard dving. Passages vividly recalled my time on both boats.

It was a quick, engrossing read that was for the most part I enjoyed. I did dread turing the page and seeing another page long doubled spaced weather report. I had questions as to HOW this tragedy occured, this book answered all my questions. All in all a worthwhile read for the divers among us...

Interesting account of a dive vacation gone horribly wrong.......2007-04-09

As I diver, I found this book riveting. It is a quick read and an interesting depiction of the final events surrounding the Wave Dancer dive ship caught in a hurricane.

The Tragedy of Wave Dancer.......2007-03-19

I gave this book as a present to my son, a former Scuba diver who described the book as "a major tragedy and a rivetting read".

NKIM

Customer Reviews:

Great book that is worth the money!.......2007-07-13

I first came across this book at the library and found that I was constently writing down ideas from the book. I returned the book and decided to buy my own copy! Great resource book for Language Arts teachers! I highly recommend it.

Great Ideas for Teaching Grammar.......2007-05-13

This book was very thought-provoking. We used it as a book discussion group for our high school English teachers.

Turn your students into "sentence stalkers".......2006-11-10

This is a must read for any pre-service English teacher or, for that matter, any English teacher. No more correct-alls and sentence diagramming. Anderson's unique and energetic approach to teaching grammar and mechanics will inspire you and get your students to engage in text as if it were play!

Terrific resource.......2006-08-04

Anderson explains how to show students the practicality of grammar and how to teach it in context rather than isolation in a way that middle school students will not only understand but also enjoy. He provides lists, lessons, examples, and everything needed to take this approach and immediately implement it in the classroom. This is one of the best-written and most helpful books I have read in years.

A MUST HAVE RESOURCE FOR TEACHING GRAMMAR AND WRITING.......2006-06-21

I absolutely adore this book! It's incredibly user friendly, and I didn't feel stupid about grammar while reading it. The first half of the book sets up the lessons. The second half is the lessons. It's obvious Jeff uses a writer's notebook and writer's workshop. He truly makes 'grammar in context' a meaningful and attainable way to teach. I have used several of the lessons with my fourth graders and they love it. I think only a book like this, and Jeff himself, could get someone like me to yell AUWWBIS like a farmer's pig call. It's fun and effective - get this book!

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