Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t begins like this: “Good is the enemy of great.” And I heartily agree, but it’s quite a paradox to be reading this book at this time in my life.
The Search for Meaning (P208)
Collins writes about “the search for meaning, or more precisely, the search for meaningful work,” and tells the story of someone who went to school for economics and had great job prospects but chose something else because “she just didn’t care enough about those endeavors to want to make them great.” This is the same situation I find myself in, and one of the reasons I’m exiting my current job. Making great product is a goal, but it’s not one that I get genuinely excited about. I may have at one time, but for numerous reasons I don’t anymore. We won’t get into the laundry here…
He goes on to recommend getting involved in “something that you care so much about that you want to make it the greatest it can possibly be, not because of what you will get, but just because it can be done.” I wonder how many people can say with great honesty that that’s why they’re working where they are. “We should only do those things that we can get passionate about,” he says on P109.
“Level 5″ Leaders
These are found, says Collins, in situations where they are “doing something they really care about, about which they have great passion.” In the pull-quote on the same page it says
“Indeed, the real question is not, ‘Why greatness?’ but ‘What work makes you feel compelled to try to create greatness?’ If you have to ask the question, ‘Why should we try to make it great? Isn’t success enough?’ then you’re probably engaged in the wrong line of work.”
Well, I’m asking: how many people are engaged in work that makes them feel “compelled to try to create greatness”? Maybe more people than I think.
This book, as I see it, may be useful to higher level executives who possess the ability to tinker with organizational structures. Too often though, the mid-level manager and the shop floor employee are at the mercy of this tinkering – or, on occasion, are restricted by nepotism.
If you are a business owner or someone in the higher levels of authority where you work, I recommend this book. Read it, do what it says, and I’m sure you’ll find some success. Click here to view it on Amazon.com.
Recent Reads
Good to Great (Author: Jim Collins)
The Search for Meaning (P208)
Collins writes about “the search for meaning, or more precisely, the search for meaningful work,” and tells the story of someone who went to school for economics and had great job prospects but chose something else because “she just didn’t care enough about those endeavors to want to make them great.” This is the same situation I find myself in, and one of the reasons I’m exiting my current job. Making great product is a goal, but it’s not one that I get genuinely excited about. I may have at one time, but for numerous reasons I don’t anymore. We won’t get into the laundry here…
He goes on to recommend getting involved in “something that you care so much about that you want to make it the greatest it can possibly be, not because of what you will get, but just because it can be done.” I wonder how many people can say with great honesty that that’s why they’re working where they are. “We should only do those things that we can get passionate about,” he says on P109.
“Level 5″ Leaders
These are found, says Collins, in situations where they are “doing something they really care about, about which they have great passion.” In the pull-quote on the same page it says
Well, I’m asking: how many people are engaged in work that makes them feel “compelled to try to create greatness”? Maybe more people than I think.
This book, as I see it, may be useful to higher level executives who possess the ability to tinker with organizational structures. Too often though, the mid-level manager and the shop floor employee are at the mercy of this tinkering – or, on occasion, are restricted by nepotism.
If you are a business owner or someone in the higher levels of authority where you work, I recommend this book. Read it, do what it says, and I’m sure you’ll find some success. Click here to view it on Amazon.com.
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