How to Move from GOOD to GREAT!

Everyone at a young age aspires to be great. No child that I know has dreams of becoming a drunk or homeless or abusive. Instead, children aspire to be police officers or professional athletes or firemen.

 

But when we as humans arrive in our adolescence and adulthood it becomes easy for us to be ok with mediocrity. We become content with being good and not great.

 

During a slow lull in my PhD studies I finally had the time to read the book, Good to Great, by Jim Collins. For anyone who is a leadership guru or who wants to develop principles to help them grow in their abilities this book is a must read.

 

This book was written from the framework that it studied organizations and companies that went from good to great and sustained their efficiency for the long haul.

 

Here are some principles that will help us move from Good to Great:

 

1. Look for or become a Level 5 leader. This type of leader becomes great through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. "Be more of a plow horse than a show horse."

2. Focus on recruiting the right people first even before giving a compelling vision. The most important aspect to leading is getting the right people on the right seat on the right bus. You will love what you do, largely because, you love who you do it with.

3. You must confront the brutal facts of where you are heading, but never give up faith that you will get to your point of destination. It's like someone who knows they need to lose weight but rationalizes how they don't look that bad or that they will lose the weight later. It's important to confront the facts no matter how brutal they are!

4. Adhere to the Hedgehog concept. A hedgehog is not a fancy animal but it is effective at protecting itself and moving in the right direction. In being a leader one must focus on what we can be the best at, what we are passionate about, and what drives our 'economic' engine.

5. There is a culture of discipline. If you hire and recruit the right people this problem vanishes.

6. Do not be afraid to use technology to accelerate your cause. Just make sure to realize that snazzy technology won't motivate people, your vision will.

7. Do things that reinforce your purpose and cause momentum. Eventually success will breed success and others will want to join a cause that works!

 

Just curious, why do you believe people stop striving to be great within their lives?

Of these principles mentioned which one is hardest for you to do?