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Apr 19, 2008

Stacie rated it:

To quote a brilliant former colleague, "Jim Collins makes me swoon." I've read and reread this booklet 3 different times, and I pick up something new every time. Its refreshing to look at a different paradigm from someone who gets that the work of non profits is not defined by the financial statement, but by the impact of the work. This is not earth shattering or new by any means, but its a damn good reminder of why we exist and how to start to think so we can go from being mediocre n More...

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Oct 27, 2011

Val rated it:

Be prepared to shake up your thinking! Defining your hedgehogs, priming the flywheel, and getting the right people on the bus are only part of the success equation for great companies and great social organizations.

In this monograph Collins spells out how to go for greatness by focusing on outcomes not inputs and helps clarify the challenge of defining non-monetary outcomes. What does it mean to empower middle-school girls? how do you know you've succeeded at being a world-class o More...

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Mar 12, 2011

Charlotte added it

A very slim monograph to be read in conjunction to Collin's main book. It expands your understanding of the flywheel within the social sector by expanding several ideas, executive leadership versus legislative leadership and the the economic circle within a BHAG. Primarily it builds on the idea that input are not just money, but volunteers and brand. The brand issue is an interesting one because he points to the idea that you need to be the only or nearly the only source of that benefit withi More...

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Mar 03, 2009

Jennifer rated it:

I read this book because I hoped to learn what it takes to move an organization from being a "good" organization to a "great" organization. Jim Collins focuses on businesses, but I think many of his ideas are applicable to the world of education. Ideas such as level 5 leadership, getting the right people on the bus and the right people off the bus easily translate to schools. But the challenge for me is that I'm in a position of limited influence of my school. I'm not the More...

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Nov 09, 2010

Heather rated it:

This was a fabulous little monograph that explains the "Good to Great" principles applied in the social sectors. "Our work is not fundamentally about business; it is about what separates great from good." We need to define "great" and measure it and collect evidence in some way, have good leadership and get things done in a diffuse power structure, get the right people on the bus, rethink the economic engine, and build momentum for the brand. A part of this is co More...

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Aug 07, 2010

Bickety rated it:

A lot has happened since the book was written in 2001. While the theory of what makes a good company may be valid, it's interesting to see what has happened to some of the "great" companies since then. With the hindsight of the financial meltdown, it's especially fun to see all the praise for the "financial innovations" put forth by Fannie Mae. There's a company that really turned out to be great! On the other hand, Wells Fargo, also touted in the book, did do better than mos More...

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Feb 28, 2011

Terri rated it:

Not entirely surprising based on Collins' background, this book is fairly business-oriented in language, theories and concepts. That being said, I appreciate Collins' desire to research the social sector and explore how the social sector is unique from business (duh) and how organizations can strive "from good to great." This monograph does use some excellent concrete examples of various nonprofits which would even make for very interesting case studies if written more in-depth about

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Nov 30, 2011

Glenn rated it:

Collins wrote this outstanding monograph as an addendum to his book, "Good to Great" helping organizations that work in the social sectors translate and apply the principles he previously highlighted. He acknowledges the importance of language and how meaning can sometimes get lost or confused when trying to take something from a commercial context and applying to a not-for-profit situation.

A must read for anyone who works in the NFP sector or church-based ministry context.

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Feb 24, 2009

mona rated it:

I should note that I haven't read Good to Great, so I was lost on some of the more concepts introduced in the original volume. I heard of a lot of "discipline" , "hedgehog model" , and "bus", but didn't understand it well. I have to go back and read Good to Great maybe. That said, the parts in normal English, the insights Collins had on the social sector, was worth noting and filing away. The real-life examples were inspiring as well.

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Apr 02, 2011

Nikita T. rated it:

Insightful and very interesting! In this monograph he provides a framework for the social sector to use in achieving greatness. I love how he breaks down why being great has nothing to do with being more like a business because greatness isn't a business concept (otherwise all businesses would be great, which they are not).

I haven't read "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't" but I will definitely pick it up now.

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Jun 03, 2010

Nathan rated it:

After reading Good to Great, I thought, along with many of my colleagues, "But how do we define our economic engine as a non-profit?" Collins adjusts his original material making it more helpful for those of us in the non-profit sector. I appreciate the effort. His insights are always clever and substantiated by research, but it's really Collins' sheer passion for good things becoming great that fuels his work.

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May 20, 2009

Sarah rated it:

A great book for any nonprofit or public sector employees. Collins talks about how to identify the right people for your organization, recruiting them and getting them in the right place "on the bus". He discusses hard truths about hiring and firing in the public and nonprofit sector that must be followed in order to make your organization as good as it can be.

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Jan 13, 2009

Amanda rated it:

I read Good to Great last year - this companion piece is like an extra chapter for that book, specifically focusing on nonprofits/social sector. It should hardly count as a separate book, as it isn't very good as a stand alone. My favorite quote: "What can you do today to create a pocket of greatness, despite the brutal facts of your environment?"

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Nov 11, 2009

Benjamin rated it:

What is in essence a "bonus chapter" of Collin's first book it applies the framework of "Good to Great" to non-profits and other organziations whose primary function is not necessarily to increase profitability. It's a good addition to the book for those working in the public sector, but really needs to be read after you read the original.

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Feb 19, 2010

Travlnbard rated it:

I wish there was more in this book. It is an addition to Good to Great and I appreciate the author's comments about not just adding it to the book and making people buy the new one but I think this could have had more examples. I hope the author is planning something bigger in the future just for Social Sectors.

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Feb 07, 2010

Michele rated it:

I really liked this book because it talks about what makes a company Great as opposed to good. It uses concepts in the private sector that translate to the social sector. "Greatness is not a function of circumstance. Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice, and disciple."

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Dec 17, 2008

Kate rated it:

A compliment to Good to Great for non-profits and social organizations. This is not a replacement but rather a supliment for Good to Great. Read that first to understand the concepts and then read how Collins applies them to social sectors.

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Apr 07, 2011

Carol Rich rated it:

A fascinating book for anyone working is the social sectors, including education and non-profit organizations. I learned a lot about ways to lead more effectively in their type of organizations and would highly recommend this book.

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Mar 05, 2011

Allison rated it:

This was a really interesting book. Many of the management theories I've learned don't really match with some of my recent managers' styles...I will have to hang on to this so I can assess myself if I get into a management role.

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Jul 21, 2009

Timothy rated it:

Really enjoy this manuscript - precise and like Drucker, Collins shows hope in the not-for-profit sector. The weakness is he is too much the rage. Many who use it - do not appear to be critical thinks - more good than great!!1

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Nov 21, 2008

Chip rated it:

Builds on the Good to Great premises, but not as fully developed. Do note recommend reading this first, you have to read Good to Great first to make sense of it.
A interesting expansion of some ideas though.

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Nov 18, 2011

Shaka rated it:

Said what you'd expect. Essentially said that there isn't much difference between successful non-profits and successful businesses. Nothing earth-shattering but good nonetheless.

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Apr 25, 2008

Aronkai rated it:

I enjoyed reading Jim Collin's book “Good to Great and the Social Sectors”. He focuses on his book to five issues which are,
1. Defining “Great” - Calibrating Success without Business Metrics.
2. Level 5 Leadership – Getting Things Done within a diffuse Power Structure
3. First Who – Getting the Right People on the bus within Social Sector Constraints
4. The Hedgehog Concept – Rethinking the Economic Engine without a Profit Motive
5. Turning the Flywheel – Building Mome More...

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Aug 04, 2011

DaAnne rated it:

This book influenced me to try to fight and save a failing nonprofit. Four years later, the flywheel is moving! This is one of the best books I've read about nonprofit management.

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Sep 20, 2011

Denise rated it:

I don't know why I didn't read this book sooner. It really is a good companion to Good to Great. Even though the book was written for the social sectors, I think it would also be a useful tool for a lot of business leaders in the corporate sector. As Collins notes, many business leaders serve on nonprofit boards and find it difficult to translate what they've learned in the private sector to a social sector enterprise. I also found that understanding how Good to Great's principals can be applied More...

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Mar 11, 2009

Isha rated it:

Affirming and smart. A no nonsense assesment of how our stitched together system of service delivery can be better at achieving goals and being humane to staff.

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Nov 18, 2011

Erin rated it:

This monograph is a helpful corollary to Good to Great. It adapts some of the greatness mechanisms and measurements to the non-profit sector. It focuses on using the GtG concepts in a way that does not rely on stock market returns as a fundamental measurement of success, thus far more applicable for me in my non-business leadership role.

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Sep 22, 2011

Charles rated it:

An incredibly useful book. So much of my work is done with volunteers, and every day I better understand the need for the "right people on the bus."

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Jul 24, 2011

Stephen rated it:

READ JAN 2011

Nice companion piece for the original. Collins helps translate these principles for nonprofit and public sector leaders.

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Feb 23, 2011

Travis rated it:

An excellent continuation of Collins' work, focused on the social sectors. I really respect the quality of insight his work provides.

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