Twelve Questions To Greatness

ByDavid Paul Carter

Jim Collins has authored several books that have become required reading in a business library – including Built to Last, Good to Great, and Great by Choice. He gets a lot of fan mail with the question on how best to engage and learn from his books. Collins has developed a “sequence of Twelve Questions that serve as a mechanism of disciplined thought for a leader and his or her team.” Here’s a link to download his PDF that includes the twelve questions, a note from Collins providing some background for the questions, and a one-page summary on what defines “great.”

He explains “The questions are designed to help you efficiently access the full body of work, in what I believe is a highly effective sequence, along with readings corresponding to each question. I encourage you and your team to discuss one question per month, to fill out an entire year of disciplined thought. The most powerful results will come from repeating the cycle, rigorously hitting each question at least once per year.”

Scan through the two-pages of material and the 12 questions (how many you can answer already?). And then start working through them during your weekly advisory council meeting or next quarterly/annual planning session.

Contact me to discuss your answers to these twelve questions and how to apply them to your company growth.