Some companies rise above their competitors year after year while others fade after early success. What separates the enduring businesses from the ones that burn out? Jim collins spent years studying that exact question. His findings in good to great reveal patterns that any entrepreneur can apply today.
In good to great jim collins argues that greatness isn’t about luck or timing but about discipline clarity and leadership that put the mission above ego. (our good to great summary and framework breakdown dives deep into these ideas and how they connect.)
What makes these lessons powerful is their simplicity. They are not motivational slogans they are research-backed principles drawn from companies that consistently outperformed the market. You’ll learn how to lead with humility focus your strategy build disciplined teams and turn momentum into unstoppable progress.
Use this list as a practical guide. Read straight through to see how each concept builds on the next or bookmark your favorite lessons for weekly reflection. Every principle can stand alone but together they form a roadmap for building a great company that lasts.
Lessons on leadership and vision
Lesson 1: lead with humility and fierce resolve
The lesson:
level 5 leaders blend quiet humility with an unbreakable will to achieve the company’s purpose.
Why it matters:
charisma can inspire short bursts of energy but humility and determination build trust and endurance.
How to apply this:
- Take responsibility for failures and credit your team for wins.
- Focus on what serves the company not personal recognition.
- Build systems that outlast your presence.
Supporting evidence:
darwin smith at kimberly-clark one of collins’ standout examples turned a struggling paper company into a global leader through calm disciplined leadership.
(for a deeper dive into this principle explore our level 5 leadership breakdown).
Lesson 2: get the right people on the bus
The lesson:
before setting your vision focus on getting the right team in place.
Why it matters:
the wrong people make strategy irrelevant. With the right people the right direction reveals itself.
How to apply this:
- Hire for character and values over skill alone.
- Remove those who don’t fit your culture early.
- Build teams that thrive under responsibility not supervision.
Supporting evidence:
every good-to-great company made rigorous personnel decisions before defining a vision ensuring alignment and momentum from the start.
Lesson 3: confront the brutal facts
The lesson:
you can’t improve what you refuse to acknowledge. Great companies look reality straight in the eye.
Why it matters:
facing hard truths creates resilience and clarity. Avoiding them leads to blind spots and decline.
How to apply this:
- Encourage open dialogue and honest data review.
- Reward transparency not positivity bias.
- Balance realism with optimism the stockdale paradox.
Supporting evidence:
admiral james stockdale survived eight years as a prisoner of war by confronting brutal facts while maintaining faith in eventual success a mindset great companies emulate.
(this principle connects with the confronting the brutal facts framework which explores how to create a culture of truth.)
Lessons on focus and strategy
Lesson 4: find your hedgehog concept
The lesson:
focus only on what you can be the best in the world at what drives your economic engine and what you’re deeply passionate about.
Why it matters:
trying to do everything dilutes impact. Simplicity aligned with purpose builds power.
How to apply this:
- Identify your “sweet spot” where passion skill and profit intersect.
- Eliminate projects that don’t fit that intersection.
- Revisit the concept yearly to stay aligned.
Supporting evidence:
walgreens transformed from a mediocre drugstore chain to a national success by focusing entirely on convenience and profit per customer visit.
(discover how to define this clarity in our hedgehog concept guide)
Lesson 5: build a culture of discipline
The lesson:
freedom without accountability leads to chaos; discipline without freedom kills creativity. Greatness lives in the balance.
Why it matters:
disciplined cultures eliminate the need for bureaucracy. People act responsibly because they believe in the mission.
How to apply this:
- Create clear standards and expectations.
- Hire self-disciplined people not people who need to be managed.
- Reward initiative that aligns with the company’s core values.
Supporting evidence:
good-to-great firms showed remarkable consistency in adhering to their hedgehog concept even when tempted by short-term opportunities.
Lesson 6: push the flywheel
The lesson:
greatness is built by consistent effort not one defining moment.
Why it matters:
quick fixes create temporary success. The flywheel effect compounds small wins into unstoppable momentum.
How to apply this:
- Focus on progress not perfection.
- Track and celebrate small aligned victories.
- Avoid constantly changing direction.
Supporting evidence:
collins’ research found no “miracle moments.” Great companies achieved breakthrough results through patient steady progress.
(to learn how to harness momentum read our flywheel effect deep dive).
Lesson 7: use technology as an accelerator not a driver
The lesson:
technology should support your strategy not define it.
Why it matters:
tech without discipline creates distraction. With clarity it multiplies effectiveness.
How to apply this:
- Adopt tools that reinforce your hedgehog concept.
- Avoid chasing every new trend.
- Measure technology’s impact on your core metrics.
Supporting evidence:
walgreens used technology to streamline customer experience not to reinvent its model.
Lessons on growth and culture
Lesson 8: preserve core values while stimulating progress
The lesson:
great companies hold their values constant while innovating their methods.
Why it matters:
it keeps identity stable while allowing adaptation to change.
How to apply this:
- Clearly define your non-negotiable principles.
- Encourage experimentation within those boundaries.
- Review your mission annually for relevance not reinvention.
Supporting evidence:
this balance explains why companies like procter & gamble and 3m sustained success for generations.
Lesson 9: build leaders at every level
The lesson:
great companies cultivate leadership not dependency on one figure.
Why it matters:
organizations that rely on one strong personality collapse when that person leaves.
How to apply this:
- Create mentorship and leadership training systems.
- Encourage independent decision-making.
- Measure success by how well others lead without you.
Supporting evidence:
level 5 leaders in collins’ study left behind successors who sustained greatness long after their tenure.
Lesson 10: stay humble during success
The lesson:
the moment a company starts believing it has “arrived ” decline begins.
Why it matters:
arrogance blinds leaders to early warning signs of failure.
How to apply this:
- Keep measuring and questioning what works.
- Encourage feedback at all levels.
- Treat success as temporary and earned daily.
Quick reference: key takeaways
- Greatness starts with level 5 leadership built on humility and will.
- The right team comes before the right strategy.
- Facing reality builds resilience and truth-driven cultures.
- The hedgehog concept brings focus to passion excellence and profit.
- A disciplined culture replaces bureaucracy.
- The flywheel effect proves consistency beats revolution.
- Technology accelerates success when aligned with purpose.
- Preserving values while innovating sustains longevity.
- Leadership development secures long-term stability.
- Humility during success prevents decline.
Bookmark these points for quick reminders of the core good to great lessons anytime you revisit your strategy or leadership approach.
Putting it all together
These good to great lessons are more than management theories they are a blueprint for transformation. Each principle connects with the others forming a system of leadership focus and discipline that builds enduring success.
The path from good to great doesn’t require genius or massive resources. It demands clarity humility and persistence. Start with one lesson perhaps defining your hedgehog concept or practicing level 5 leadership and build momentum from there.
These lessons are just one part of jim collins’ broader research. Our full good to great summary explores additional frameworks quotes and case studies that show how good companies become exceptional.
The sooner you apply these principles the sooner your business shifts from managing today to shaping tomorrow.
