• Good to Great

  • Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't
  • By: Jim Collins
  • Narrated by: Jim Collins
  • Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (17,388 ratings)

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Good to Great  By  cover art

Good to Great

By: Jim Collins
Narrated by: Jim Collins
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Publisher's summary

Built to Last, the defining management study of the '90s, 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
©2001 Jim Collins (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"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." (Amazon.com review)
"If you believe that a visionary leader with a strong ego is an essential component of sustained business success, then Jim Collins has a few thousand words for you. His carefully researched audiobook explains that the success of companies that outperform the market for 15 years in a row comes from selfless leadership, rigorous focus, and a culture of discipline....[T]here's another reason this book has burst through as a bestseller, which you can feel in Collins's narration: He is honestly excited about his research and unconventional findings. ( AudioFile)

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What listeners say about Good to Great

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One of the best business books I've read

Really good, data-driven book on the topic. With every Tom,Dick, or Harry putting out leadership books now a-days (I have read a bunch, so maybe I should write one too:)), it was nice to have a data-driven book.

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Get the right people on the bus!

Why be good or average when you can be great? Get the right people around you in anything you do and good things happen.

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insightful and honest insights into success

very insightful read, very well-researched and evaluated. Jim Collins does a great job explaining some of the unexplainable aspects of success and failure within Fortune 500 companies. A great read for any level, good for anyone who is willing to improve their Career Success.

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You'll rethink everything you do in business

Would you listen to Good to Great again? Why?

This book helped me shape my perspective on everything from staffing to core business strategy. Moreover, it found a relatively entertaining way of doing it.

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One of the best Business Books

Where does Good to Great rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

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Who was your favorite character and why?

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What does Jim Collins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

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Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Examples

Any additional comments?

This is one of the best business books out there. It provides clear concepts that are supported with tangible examples. As Jim points out, even though some of the examples he provides are older, the principles within them are sustaining. Disruption and change are not a new phenomenon - they have happened numerous times in the past, and Jim shows us how we can learn from those examples.

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Powerful collection of knowledge

Great audiobook. We are all indebted for this vast collection of not only great research, but great delivery of the lessons learned from such analysis. Thanks.

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Good analogy of behaviors that handcuff great

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, the principles are tried and true, and can be easily replicated with minimal business aptitude.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Good to Great?

The simplistic explanation of the Hedgehog Principle and how it focuses on what your strengths are.

What does Jim Collins bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The importance of how it relates to basic business premise.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Conformed No More.

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  • Al
  • 08-30-16

A book for the ages

Starting a new company... I feel completely privileged to have stumbled on this through provoking, insightful manuscript of thorough research.

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Powerful Insights

Distilled powerful Insights. I gained so much from the simple disciplines needed to create a great company.

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Must Read

One of the fundamental building blocks for business understanding and strategy. All working people should read. Executives should read often.

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