Just like the three tenors of the opera: Domingo, Carreras and Pavarotti did form a perfect triad, so do Jim Collins, Ken Blanchard és Steven Covey in business literature!
While Jim Collins is dedicated to find the secrets of organisational efficiency, Ken Blanchard is the founder of leadership models and Steven Covey focuses on personal efficiency.
In 2001 Jim Collins summarized the results of his research, published in a fascinating and exceptionally evocative book. With his 20-members research group, he gained an insight in more than 1435 companies over a period of five years. His objective was to find the secret of the success of the 11 great companies far surpassing all others, achieving outstanding results, breaking through from their former pitiful status, out of the blue like a phoenix flying out of the crowd.
The chosen and analysed companies were not randomly selected; the book explains the reader the a systematic approach, which resulted in certain findings.
He states that mediocre is the enemy of the great – if something is good, and „just about fair enough” , it is one of the main reasons why so few things become exceptional – in education, government and also in business.
He analysed the company management styles in a particularly comprehensive manner, investigating the type of people who were at the helm of these 11 outstanding companies. There is a surprising conclusion; those leaders at the forefront of these successful companies, contrary to popular belief were not the ones heading the front pages of glossy magazines, they were not at all prestige-oriented people! They were rather hubmle leaders who tended to avoid splendid image, but having strong internal power were able to move the entire organisation forward with their incredible performance-result oriented approach.
How do employees of exceptionally successful companies look like? They are liberated, open minded and creative without artistic allures; they are indeed serious, trustworthy, reliable individuals carrying out tasks in a disciplined manner. Being great according to Jim Collins is the result of a unique combination of high level innovativeness mixed with the culture of discipline that makes the paradox but successful essence.
What do great company’s strategy look like? Jim Collins uses an interesting analogy, the hedgehog concept, to express the essence of the great strategy. While the fox dashes away from danger, randomly altering its tactics, the hedgehog is simply rolling up into a perfect ball the first sign of danger, in other words it focuses internally. But what’s inside? Great companies have both clear and fixed guiding principles, which are made up of three common factors that form one foundation of their stategy. First of all, they are aware of the activities they are the best, what they are the best of the world.
Secondly, they enjoy the activity they are specialised in, hence perform with passion and are committed to their job („organisational flow” re-calls once again, the must for happiness and also the secret of success) Last but not least, these organisations are able to find financial interests in these activities, since great companies must generate outstanding profits!
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