Some organizations become good, and others become great. Management Consultant Jim Collins, though, believes that there are key ways that organizations, and people, can move beyond being merely good. In his book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . And Others Don’t, Collins maintains that there are seven key principles that lead to greatness: - Leadership that focuses on success for the organization rather than personal gain. - Hiring the right people - Confronting reality and hard facts, while maintaining a belief in the ability to succeed and go on to greatness - Work on core competencies - Create a culture of discipline – and here he means self-discipline and self-motivation - Use technology to accelerate core competencies - Maintaining persistent effort An eighth ‘principle’ that Collins stresses is the realization that greatness does not come overnight, but is the end result of consistent application of the seven principles. In his book, which is easy to read, he dispels many of the myths of greatness, and gives commonsense advice for achieving it. Instaread’s Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap . . . And Others Don’t by Tom Collins/Key Takeaways, Analysis & Review is, as the Instaread summaries always are, a good introduction to a book that is useful for anyone who seeks to truly excel. It discusses the key takeaways of the book, and gives an analysis of the author’s style and credentials, making it possible to get a good idea if the book is worth the price of admission. These guides are an excellent resource for busy people who want to get a preview of books before purchasing them.

I found this to be a full-bodied read that highlights all of the main points in “Good to Great.” The takeaway points give examples of how good companies are a world apart from great companies. There are always ways to build your business, gain exposure and gain integrity in the business world. This book delivers the general message of its much larger counterpart without all the extra pages.

I loved this summary! My husband and I are small business owners, and this book gives wonderful advice on how to make your business great instead of just good. This summary gives an overview on what the original book is about and then lists and analyzes eight key takeaways. There are 7 key principles listed in the book that great companies adhere to, which I found to be excellent advice. After reading this book, I am excited to discuss it with my husband so we can take our business to the next level.