Book Review: Good to Great

Book Review Good to Great

Book Review Good to GreatGood to Great is a classic business management book based on Jim Collins’ team researching hundreds of companies and distilling the list down to a handful or so that all have “greatness.” Collins is a leading management researcher and consultant who works out of Boulder, which adds to his coolness factor. So, why should a marketer read “Good to Great,” when in fact it is more of a management than a marketing read...?

It is simple, there are many concepts explored and delineated throughout “Good to Great” that are totally applicable to management and marketing. A few that come to mind: The Flywheel, the Hedgehog and BHAG.

The Flywheel concept is based on the fact that success does not happen overnight. Instead, it is a relentless effort pushing forward through the grind. However, at some point the momentum keeps the business moving forward like the compounding effect, which overtime the results become effortless.

The Hedgehog theory is more about staying in your lane or your organization focusing on its core competencies as the engine to achieve greatness. Not chasing pie in the sky or implementing some grandiose (risky and expensive) idea. For example, if you design a marketing campaign that tries to pander to all demographics, then you may miss the intended audience altogether.

Lastly, BHAG: Big Hairy Audacious Goal. It is about getting your team, and even company all onboard with the initiative. Collins argues that initiative is more likely to succeed if everyone is sold on it and working together to achieve the result.

In closing, “Good to Great” was created out of researching hundreds of US companies in the early 2000s, and many of the conclusions drawn 20 years ago are still spot on. Are you finalizing your 2023 goals? You may want to give this a read! In closing, a lot of what I’ve written has been oversimplified. You may not agree that all “Good to Great” applies to marketing; nevertheless, it is a great tool especially if you want to interact more with your executive team. 

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