Summit 2015: Jim Collins

If you haven't read "Good To Great" and you're interested in organizational health, stop what you're

doing right now and order the book. Jim Collins' work in this area is outstanding, and the application to both my personal life and the functional health of our church has been remarkable. He makes fairly regular appearances at the Global Leadership Summit, and this year his talk brought no new revolutionary ideas, but a great recap and fresh personal insight from time he spent at West Point.

You can read about his time at West Point - which is fascinating - here; and you can read a compelling, extremely interesting article about the same experience - from a different perspective - here. (If you heard Collins' Summit talk this year, I encourage you to read the Inc. article - it's awesome!)

Here are my personal notes and comments from Jim Collins' talk; I thought he had seven points, but I only have six.

Sometimes I get distracted...

My favorite? When he accentuated this: Real creative impact happens after 50. YES!!! 

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Jim Collins

He described underperforming organizations as having been“infected with the disease of oppressive mediocrity."

Six important questions:

1. What cause do you serve with Level 5 ambition?

     

You don’t need a charismatic leader if you have a charismatic cause!

2. Will you settle for being a good leader, or will you grow to be a great leader?

     In the future, society will be composed of well-led networks rather than well-managed organizations.

     (read Colin Powell’s book!)

     Leaders must figure out what must be done, and get people to WANT to do what must be                                         done. 

    Leadership is an ART. Cultivate your own artistry and art form to make it happen. Learn - but don’t copy. 

3. How can you reframe failure as growth, in pursuit of a Big Hairy Audacious Goal?

“I am not failing; I’m growing.” REFRAME FAILURE!

“At West Point, everybody’s failing at something."

EVERYBODY’S FAILING AT SOMETHING.

We succeed at our very best only when we help others succeed. Our response to others should always be, ‘Let me help you’.

Service / /  Growth / / Communal Success

BUILD THE IDEA OF COMMUNAL SUCCESS INTO THE CULTURE

4. Have you found your personal hedgehog?

 REAL CREATIVE IMPACT ACCELERATES - IF YOU CHOOSE - AFTER 50.

5. Will you build your Unit - your minibus - into a Pocket of Greatness?

          

Change your focus from taking care of your career to taking care of your people. 

Life is people.

Help people run for one another. ((SING FOR THOSE AROUND YOU.))

Find a way to make a contribution to PEOPLE.

FOCUS ON YOUR UNIT, NOT ON YOUR CAREER.

6.. How will you change the lives of others?

     How will some peoples’ lives be better because you were here on this earth? Life. Is. People.