People are not your most important asset....the right people are. James C. Collins More Quotes by James C. Collins More Quotes From James C. Collins Dreams make you click, juice you, turn you on, excite the living daylights out of you. You cannot wait to get out of bed to continue pursuing your dream. The kind of dream I'm talking about gives meaning to your life. it is the ultimate motivator. James C. Collins dream motivational talking In a world of constant change, the fundamentals are more important than ever. James C. Collins communication important fundamentals Good-to-great companies set their goals and strategies based on understanding; comparison companies set their goals and strategies based on bravado. James C. Collins good-to-great understanding goal You need self-control in an out-of-control world. James C. Collins self-control self needs The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency. James C. Collins inconsistency mediocrity signatures All companies have a culture, some companies have discipline, but few companies have a culture of discipline. When you have disciplined people, you don't need hierarchy. When you have disciplined thought, you don't need bureaucracy. When you have disciplined action, you don' t need excessive controls. When you combine a culture of discipline with an ethic of entrepreneurship, you get the magical alchemy of great performance. James C. Collins discipline people needs Good is the enemy of great. And that's one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great. James C. Collins keys littles enemy How can we do better tomorrow than we did today? James C. Collins better-tomorrow tomorrow today It's more important than ever to define yourself in terms of what you stand for rather than what you make, because what you make is going to become outmoded faster than it has at any time in the past. ...hang on to the idea of who you are as a company, and focus not on what you do, but on what you could do. By being really clear about what you stand for and why you exist, you can see what you could do with a much more open mind. You enhance your ability to adapt to change. James C. Collins focus past ideas It may seem odd to talk about something as soft and fuzzy as "passion" as an integral part of a strategic framework. But throughout the good-to-great companies, passion became a key part of the Hedgehog Concept. James C. Collins passion keys business Those who build and perpetuate mediocrity...are motivated more by the fear of being left behind. James C. Collins motivated mediocrity marketing Level 5 leaders are differentiated from other levels of leaders in that they have a wonderful blend of personal humility combined with extraordinary professional will. Understand that they are very ambitious; but their ambition, first and foremost, is for the company's success. They realize that the most important step they must make to become a Level 5 leader is to subjugate their ego to the company's performance. When asked for interviews, these leaders will agree only if it's about the company and not about them. James C. Collins humility business leadership It's what you do before you are in trouble, so that you can be strong when people most need you. James C. Collins strong people needs I don't know where we should take this company, but I do know that if I start with the right people, ask them the right questions, and engage them in vigorous debate, we will find a way to make this company great. James C. Collins debate people way Discipline should amplify creativity rather than stifle it. James C. Collins amplify creativity discipline Level 5 leaders are fanatically driven, infected with an incurable need to produce sustained results. They are resolved to do whatever it takes to make the company great, no matter how big or hard the decisions. James C. Collins decision leadership needs Those who turn good organizations into great organizations are motivated by a deep creative urge and an inner compulsion for sheer unadulterated excellence for its own sake. James C. Collins motivation organization leadership Creative leadership impact increases in your 50's. When I turn 50 I want to say, "Nice start!" James C. Collins impact nice creative The secret to a successful retirement is to find your retirement sweet spot. The sweet spot is where your passions, what you do best, and what people will pay you to do overlap. James C. Collins passion sweet retirement You can't manufacture passion or "motivate" people to feel passionate. You can only discover what ignites your passion and the passions of those around you. James C. Collins ignite passion people