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

Good to Great is the follow-up to Jim Collins' excellent book Built to Last. The previous one was an inspection of what makes a lasting great ("visionary") company. This time, he and his dedicated researchers were looking for what it takes to change an average company into a great one, starting a long journey to becoming a visionary company.

I think the overall findings between the two books are very similar. You need a great focus and dedication to lay the foundation and keep at it to finally break through for greatness.

Mr. Collins makes it as if the Level 5 leader requirement for Good to Great was somehow contradictory to Built to Last, but I didn't feel it was a surprising at all. I think both cases had strong driving forces that were focused on the company. I feel he just identified the role of a very driven, but self-effacing leadership in this research.

Another interesting point his group recognized was that just putting the right people in place isn't enough. You need to get the wrong people (or any wrong elements within the company) out. I truly believe this is important. It's tough, for sure, but still it is important.

As with the previous book, I feel that the findings Mr. Collins found apply not only to companies, but to individuals and any level of human society. Of course, this is not the only way for the "greatness" because the greatness can by measured in many different ways by all kind of criteria. But I feel that at least this can be used as a basis for a starting point for an exceptional life.