James C. Collins Quotes - Page 2

The signature of mediocrity is not an unwillingness to change. The signature of mediocrity is inconsistency.

Creativity dies in an indisciplined environment.

Genius of AND. Embrace both extremes on a number of dimensions at the same time. Instead of choosing a OR B, figure out how to have A AND B-purpose AND profit, continuity AND change, freedom AND responsibility, etc.

It is more important to know who you are than where you are going, for where you are going will change as the world around you changes.

For no matter what we achieve, if we don't spend the vast majority of our time with people we love and respect, we cannot possibly have a great life. But if we spend the vast majority of our time with people we love and respect - people we really enjoy being on the bus with and who will never disappoint us - then we will almost certainly have a great life, no matter where the bus goes. The people we interviewed from the good-to-great companies clearly loved what they did, largely because they loved who they did it with.

Greatest danger is not failure, but be successful and not know why.

The purpose of bureaucracy is to compensate for incompetence and lack of discipline.

We are not imprisoned by circumstances, setbacks, mistakes or staggering defeats, we are freed by our choices.

A culture of discipline is not a principle of business, it is a principle of greatness.

Don't be interesting - be interested.

Bad decisions made with good intentions, are still bad decisions.

Great companies foster a productive tension between continuity and change.

Focusing solely on what you can potentially do better than any other organization is the only path to greatness.

The only mistakes you can learn from are the ones you survive.

The moment you feel the need to tightly manage someone, you've made a hiring mistake. The best people don't need to be managed. Guided, taught, led-yes. But not tightly managed.

True leadership has people who follow when they have the freedom not to.

Most people will look back and realize they did not have a great life because it's just so easy to settle for a good life.

You must maintain unwavering faith that you can and will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties, AND at the same time, have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.

The only way to remain great is to keep on applying the fundamental principles that made you great.

Whether you prevail or fail depends more on what you do to yourself than on what the world does to you.

The essence of profound insight is simplicity.

In a world of constant change, the fundamentals are more important than ever.

There is a sense of exhilaration that comes from facing head-on the hard truths and saying, "We will never give up. We will never capitulate. It might take a long time, but we will find a way to prevail."

An organization is not truly great, if it cannot be great without you.

Good is the enemy of great. That's why so few things become great.