Great by Choice

Great by Choice written by Jim Collins and Morten T. Hansen, is a great book to read if the audience is committed to starting their own enterprise and shows how to maintain the business mentally and physically. The book gives a certain business model the 10Xers use to climb to the top of their market. The model is talking about consistency and determination to grow a business to the top by leading others in the process. The book does not give the answers to certain target markets but shows what attitude is needed to keep pushing and march the 20 miles every day. Additionally, the authors talk about the idea of fire bullets and later cannonballs. The concepts state that is neither bolder nor innovative than other companies. The difference is that 10xers are way more attentive. These companies use bullets when they are not sure about their target and later fire cannonballs when they are sure. The last idea is the SMaC idea. The term SMaC means specific, methodological, and C stands for consistent. This is how a company maintains discipline.

The authors found three main qualities of successful companies. First, great companies have extreme discipline. Collins applies the story of the two South Pole's most popular expeditions. Both expeditions started in 1910. One reached the destination first and returned safe, but the other apart from losing the race, it never returned. The secret behind the success of the first team is the fact that they walked 20 miles every day regardless of the weather (Collins & Hansen, 2011). This trick helped to preserve their energy and resources. On the other hand, the opponents walked as far as they could without any plan until they had no energy left. Collins uses this example to explain that successful companies rely on the 20 Miles March. The second quality is empirical creativity. This involves taking calculated risks. A company's innovation should be supported by evidence. Great companies don't just innovate for the sake of it. They fire bullets, the cannonballs. Finally, Collins recommends that investors should not rely on chance or luck, but rather work hard to maximize them. Every investor strives to maximize on Return On Investment because the higher ROI gets, the more money is generated for each invested dollar.

Collins and Morten aimed at explaining why some companies succeed even in uncertainty, while others fail. The target audience is anyone who is interested in knowing what makes companies successful and their leaders. The authors ensure that any reader without commercial knowledge grasps the concept. Also, the book aims at showing the reader the importance of preparation, adherence to proven data, and self-discipline (Collins & Hansen, 2011). The authors succeeded in showing the riders that it's not about what we experience, but what we do about it.

The book Great by Chance is accurate as it gives reliable and well-researched information. The book is based on nine years of study on the factors which make companies thrive, and directed by Collins and Hansen, a management professor. The research was conducted on big companies which became successful over 15 or more years under unstable conditions (Brosnan, 2015). Collins uses new terms to explain complex enterprise principles. This makes it easier for readers to understand. Also, the information on the book does not apply to a specific moment of economic instability, but to a continuous process.

Good to Great by Jim Collins is one book that is comparable to Great by Choice. The book explores how different companies change from being good to great, and how numerous companies do not make it to transition (Leavy, 2003). Both books talk about the success of various companies which are determined to make it big despite the storms.

The source of this research is the Fast Company. The authors select major companies and analyze their progress over 15 years despite the challenge these companies experience. Southwest Airlines is one of the companies that was used by Collins. The company faced fuel shocks, interest spits, hijacking amongst other problems from 1972 to 2002 (Collins & Hansen, 2011). Despite all the challenges, the company managed to generate huge profits by the end of 2002. This source helped to back up Collin's book title. 

In conclusion, this book is important for business success. The findings of this study are greatly helpful to an individual whose dream is to own a big company in the future. The in-depth analysis of the role played by lack in the success of a business makes the book more interesting. Also, the findings of this research are straightforward and easy to read, which makes a reader motivated to read without skipping any page. Finally, I would recommend every person to read this book because it is a reminder of human power and the positive things that come to those who are focused and passionate about everything they do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Brosnan, M. (2015). Humility, Will, and Level 5 Leadership: An Interview with Jim

            Collins. Independent School, 74(3), n3.

Collins, J., & Hansen, M. T. (2011). Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos and Luck-Why some

            thrive despite them all. Random House.

Leavy, B. (2003). Understanding the triad of great leadership-context, conviction and

            credibility. Strategy & Leadership, 31(1).