A culture of discipline is not a principle of business, it is a principle of greatness. James C. Collins More Quotes by James C. Collins More Quotes From James C. Collins Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and discipline. James C. Collins business success inspirational The moment you feel the need to tightly manage someone, you've made a hiring mistake. The best people don't need to be managed. Guided, taught, led-yes. But not tightly managed. James C. Collins business mistake people Building a visionary company requires one percent vision and 99 percent alignment. James C. Collins strategy building vision Managing your problems can only make you good, whereas building your opportunities is the only way to become great. James C. Collins mind-your-own-business opportunity way Those who build great companies understand that the ultimate throttle on growth for any great company is not markets, or technology, or competition, or products. It is one thing above all others: the ability to get and keep enough of the right people. James C. Collins technology business people Look, I don't really know where we should take this bus. But I know this much: If we get the right people on the bus, the right people in the right seats, and the wrong people off the bus, then we'll figure out how to take it someplace great. James C. Collins figures people looks Great vision without great people is irrelevant. James C. Collins vision insightful people The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconstancy. The signature of greatness is a disciplined and consistent focus on the right things. James C. Collins signatures greatness focus In the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life. And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work. Perhaps, then you might gain that great tranquility that comes from knowing that you've had a hand in creating something of intrinsic excellence that makes a contribution. Indeed, you might even gain that deepest of all satisfactions: knowing that your short time on this earth has been well spent, and that it mattered. James C. Collins creating meaningful hands Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great. We don't have great schools, principally because we have good schools. We don't have great government, principally because we have good government. Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life. James C. Collins good-life keys school Resilency, not perfection, is the signature of greatness. James C. Collins signatures greatness perfection The greatest leaders build organizations that, in the end, don't need them. James C. Collins organization leader needs Greatest danger is not failure, but be successful and not know why. James C. Collins being-successful successful danger People are not your most important asset....the right people are. James C. Collins good-to-great important people Comparison, a great teacher once told me, is the cardinal sin of modern life. It traps us in a game that we can't win. Once we define ourselves in terms of others, we lose the freedom to shape our own lives. James C. Collins games winning teacher Focusing solely on what you can potentially do better than any other organization is the only path to greatness. James C. Collins greatness organization path The essence of profound insight is simplicity. James C. Collins simplicity essence profound The critical question is not whether you'll have luck, but what you do with the luck that you get. James C. Collins critical luck choices If you have more than three priorities then you don't have any. James C. Collins priorities consciousness three True leadership has people who follow when they have the freedom not to. James C. Collins good-to-great true-leader people
