Good is the enemy of Great – Jim Collins

It is now more than a month since I sat enthralled with thousands of other Australians listening to one of the worlds great business commentators – Jim Collins. Having consumed his books and been influenced by his insights into leadership and greatness, I wondered what would stand out for me as time moves on. His delivery style was authentic, and very grounded – he was happy to share stories about his personal life as well as his work.

It is with reflection that I share my insights from his keynote – if for no other reason than I will be able to refer to it myself in the future. These are the things I want to remember:

• The greatest leaders find a way to have an impact not in some abstract way but in a real flesh and blood way.
• Definition of purpose: how will some people’s lives be better and different because you were here.
• Definition of success: that the person closest to me (The love of my life Stuart) respects me more and more as the years go by
• Definition of luck: you did not cause it, has a significant consequence and there is an element of surprise .
• Hard work can allow luck to show up more often.
• Money is a means it is not the end. If it’s just about the money it can NEVER be truly great.
• If you measure your success in money you always loose. Like breathing is to life…
• A good BHAG is built from your deep sense of purpose not with bravado. It is not a wish or pulled out of the blue because it sounds good.
• Rhythm will give life a sense of control – even if there is none. Routine will set you free. Doing the ’20 mile march’ every day get’s you where you want to be. Everyday.  Fanatical discipline delivers greatness.
• Real happiness is about picking a really big goal and organizing your life around it.
• Level five leadership is those who know its not about them and that an organization will thrive without them.
• What could you best in the world at – creates possibility rather than limiting you to what are you the best in the world at.
• Great lesson for all business – it is always about relationships not transactions.
• Never ever ever dwell on past mistakes… Learn from them but move on .. Don’t dwell. The past is simply that – the past.
• How do people relate to the window and the mirror. Those who blame versus take responsibility.
• You can almost always pivot the question from the what to the who. Or not what actions should you do but who could help.
• Compounding effect of playing every hand you’re dealt consistently over and over again will guarantee the outcome.
• It’s not about luck it’s about what you do with luck- including relationship luck.
• Luck favors the persistent.
• A BHAG needs to be possible not probable.
• Never underestimate the power of BIG things to do. A true BHAG owns you. If the goal is big enough you’ll feel inadequate.
• Preserve the core (your deep purpose) and stimulate progress (change, growth opportunities).
• Task is be a clock builder not a time teller If your business cannot be great without the founder then it’s not yet great.
• Grateful and fearful is productive paranoia.
• When success is coupled with arrogance is the first step to decline; arrogance to believe that the past will give us the future.
• True definition of mediocrity is in fact inconsistency.
• Consistent growth out performs fast growth every time.
• Big does not = Great. Nor does Great = Big.
• What makes a great life? Spending time doing things with the people we love.
• Great leaders have humility. Combined with a stoic need to get things done…
• Most people are not born as great leaders they become it to get what must be done, done. Leadership is a learned choice.
• Leadership is about getting people to ‘want’ to do what must be done. Rather than ‘having’ to do it. It’s s form of artistry.
• Leadership is when people have the choice not to follow otherwise it’s just power.
• Most great leaders I’ve known have had a charisma bypass. Greatness is a conscious choice.
• We cannot predict the future but we can create it.

Good is the enemy of great.

Thanks to Verne Harnish and the Growth Faculty for putting together the event.