From Good to Great: What Leaders Must Learn From Jim Collins
- kristian8120
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
Most companies never make the leap from good to great. Jim Collins’ classic Good to Great shows why. After five years of research, his team found that greatness comes from discipline, not luck. The lesson still holds true today for leaders, managers, and HR in ASEAN and beyond.
Collins identified six key learnings, all linked by what he calls the flywheel effect. Momentum builds when the right habits compound over time. Here’s what that means in practice.
Disciplined People
1. Level 5 Leadership
Great companies are led by leaders who mix humility with fierce determination. They are ambitious, not for themselves but for the company. They give credit when things go right and take responsibility when things go wrong. If your leadership is about ego, you will hit a ceiling.
2. First Who, Then What
Get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off, and the right people in the right seats. Strategy matters, but people matter more. A bad hire costs far more than a delayed plan. Leaders must prioritize building teams of disciplined, capable people before chasing the next big idea.
Disciplined Thought
3. Confront the Brutal Facts
Great leaders don’t hide from reality. They face tough truths head-on while holding on to faith that the company will prevail. Sugarcoating or avoiding bad news kills trust and slows progress. Ask yourself: do your teams feel safe to speak the truth, even when it hurts?
4. Hedgehog Concept
Collins found that great companies focus on what they can be best at, what drives their economic engine, and what they are deeply passionate about. The intersection of these three is the Hedgehog Concept. Leaders must simplify and sharpen focus instead of chasing every opportunity.
Disciplined Action
5. Culture of Discipline
Disciplined people don’t need micromanagement. Disciplined thought drives better decisions. Disciplined action ensures consistency. Together, they build an environment where people know what matters and act on it every day. Leaders who rely on control instead of culture will always struggle.
6. Technology as an Accelerator
Technology doesn’t create greatness, but it accelerates it. Companies that are clear on their strategy use technology to push the flywheel faster. Those without clarity waste resources chasing the latest trend. Leaders must resist the urge to adopt tech for its own sake.
The Flywheel Effect
These six learnings are not quick fixes. They form a continuous process, like a flywheel building momentum. Each push adds energy, and over time, the company breaks through. Leaders who look for dramatic transformations or silver bullets often fail. Those who stay disciplined create lasting greatness.
What This Means for You
If you are a leader, HR partner, or manager, ask yourself:
Do I put people before strategy?
Do I confront facts, even when they are painful?
Do I build discipline, or do I rely on control?
Am I pushing the flywheel with consistent, patient effort?
Greatness is about disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action. The sooner you start pushing your flywheel, the sooner you move from good to great.
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