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  • Good to Great

  • Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't
  • Written by: Jim Collins
  • Narrated by: Jim Collins
  • Length: 10 hrs and 1 min
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (849 ratings)

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Good to Great cover art

Good to Great

Written by: Jim Collins
Narrated by: Jim Collins
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Publisher's Summary

Built to Last, the defining management study of the '90s, showed how great companies triumph over time and how long-term sustained performance can be engineered into the DNA of an enterprise from the very beginning.

But what about companies that are not born with great DNA? How can good companies, mediocre companies, even bad companies achieve enduring greatness? Are there those that convert long-term mediocrity or worse into long-term superiority? If so, what are the distinguishing characteristics that cause a company to go from good to great?

Over five years, Jim Collins and his research team have analyzed the histories of 28 companies, discovering why some companies make the leap and others don't. The findings include:

  • Level 5 Leadership: A surprising style, required for greatness
  • The Hedgehog Concept: Finding your three circles, to transcend the curse of competence
  • A Culture of Discipline: The alchemy of great results
  • Technology Accelerators: How good-to-great companies think differently about technology
  • The Flywheel and the Doom Loop: Why those who do frequent restructuring fail to make the leap
©2001 Jim Collins (P)2005 HarperCollins Publishers

What the critics say

"Like Built to Last, Good to Great is one of those books that managers and CEOs will be reading and rereading for years to come." (Amazon.com review)
"If you believe that a visionary leader with a strong ego is an essential component of sustained business success, then Jim Collins has a few thousand words for you. His carefully researched audiobook explains that the success of companies that outperform the market for 15 years in a row comes from selfless leadership, rigorous focus, and a culture of discipline....[T]here's another reason this book has burst through as a bestseller, which you can feel in Collins's narration: He is honestly excited about his research and unconventional findings. ( AudioFile)

Editorial Review

Are you looking to start a business or grow your startup? Have you been searching for a guide to entrepreneurial success and financial prosperity? Jim Collins’s audiobook will take you from Good to Great.

Building a successful business is a dream for many, but it can also feel overwhelming and downright scary. How do you know where to start? What foundations need to be in place? And what do you do if you’ve already gotten off on the wrong foot? Leading a business on the path to greatness may seem a daunting task, but having a plan or guide can help any endeavour start off right, or even steer itself back onto the right path. In Good to Great, Jim Collins provides a welcome guide to help ambitious listeners launch a business and achieve financial success.

By using in-depth analysis, case studies, research, and management plans, Collins broke down a number of successful businesses to see what common ground could be found between them. What made these companies great, and what kept them going? By looking at their wins as well as losses, he was able to create a map of the dos and don’ts to both build a strong business from the start, or redirect one that is struggling. By following his advice and guides, listeners can gain industry tips and tricks to help set themselves up for success.

Author and narrator Jim Collins graduated from Stanford University, where he studied math and science as well as business. His scientific background offered him a research-minded mentality when it came to investigating successful businesses. He has written several works, all of which focus on unpacking what makes some business ventures successful and others fail. His years of study and business savvy are captured in Good to Great. Listen, learn, and apply his knowledge to fulfill your own business dreams.

What listeners say about Good to Great

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great

Great book but the transition music between chapters is horribly off-putting. I recommend changing it.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

DONT BUY THIS

i wouldn't bother wasting money or a credit on this audible book because the book goes quiet at chapter 4. I thought it was my app then I started another book and it worked just fine. I skipped into chapter 5 and same thing....no sound.. .

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  • TMG
  • 2021-06-24

Jim Collins narration was superb.

Jim narration brought this book to life. Truly and audible book that complements the physical book.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

good book for truths and principles

an look at the proven tactics of what makes companies great. Get the right people in the bus!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A Must Read!

Invaluable insights, advice and information. Can’t wait to put in practice the learnings and teachings of this research.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great!

An Entreleadership podcast featuring Jim led me to his books. After the third time through this book, I'll say there is so much clarity wrapped tightly, and he leads you so well through it all. If you are looking through reviews like I do to decide if it's worth reading? Let me be the sign that you should do it. You are welcome.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A foundational book ...

I wanted to read this book for many years now, but never got to it. Many of the concepts it discusses are known to me from management training programs I attended. Non the less, it was a great refresher to read them in their original context. First who, then what, level 5 leadership, hedgehogs and the 3 circles. Foundational business concepts every professional needs to understand.

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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent in-depth analysis & presentation.

Very easy yet in-depth analysis of why & how to steer a company from good to great.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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no sound

There is absolutely no sound for this audible book. please fix this cause I was really looking forward to this book.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Well researched and written

I enjoyed the major themes and findings.

Worth a read or listen. Would be a good book to review within a peer leadership group

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