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136 Jim Collins: Built to Last

The book explores the qualities that make some companies last for decades and become legendary while others fail.

Duration: 06 hours
16 minutes
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Jim Collins: Built to Last

Summary

Built to Last is a business book that analyzes successful companies and explores the qualities that allow them to endure for decades and become legendary. The book presents a set of core principles, including a focus on building a strong company culture, creating a long-term vision, and embracing change, that are common to successful companies. The authors use case studies to illustrate these principles, looking at companies like Hewlett-Packard, Procter & Gamble, and 3M, among others. The book argues that companies that are built to last are more likely to survive in the long term and become enduring institutions.

About

Title: Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

Author: Jim Collins and Jerry Porras

Publishing year: 2019

Publisher: HarperBusiness

Length in hours: 6 hours and 16 minutes

5 main ideas

  1. Successful companies have a strong sense of purpose and a clear set of values that guide their decision-making.
  2. Successful companies are willing to adapt and change over time, while remaining true to their core principles.
  3. Successful companies have a long-term vision and are willing to invest in the future, even at the expense of short-term profits.
  4. Successful companies are committed to building a strong company culture and fostering an environment of innovation and creativity.
  5. Successful companies have leaders who are humble, visionary, and committed to the success of the company above their own personal interests.
Jim Collins: Built to Last

5 funny quotes

  1. "Success is not a destination, it's a journey."
  2. "The only way to predict the future is to create it."
  3. "Companies that are built to last are like marathon runners, not sprinters."
  4. "Innovation is not a one-time event, it's a continuous process of improvement."
  5. "The best leaders are those who are willing to listen, learn, and adapt."

5 thought-provoking quotes​

  1. "Building something that lasts requires a long-term perspective and a willingness to embrace change."
  2. "Enduring companies don't just react to the future, they create it."
  3. "The most successful companies are those that are able to adapt and change over time, while remaining true to their core values and principles."
  4. "A strong company culture is not just a nice-to-have, it's a must-have for companies that want to endure for decades."
  5. "The most enduring companies are those that are able to balance short-term results with long-term investments in the future."

5 dilemmas

  1. The tension between short-term results and long-term investments in the future.
  2. The challenge of maintaining a strong company culture in the face of rapid growth and change.
  3. The balance between innovation and risk-taking on the one hand, and discipline and structure on the other.
  4. The challenge of identifying and selecting the right leaders to guide a company through periods of change and uncertainty.
  5. The tension between the need for stability and the need for change and adaptation in the face of shifting market conditions and evolving customer needs.

5 examples

  1. Hewlett-Packard: The company's commitment to innovation and its focus on creating a strong company culture helped it to endure for decades and become a legendary company.
  2. Procter & Gamble: The company's focus on innovation and its willingness to embrace change over time allowed it to remain a successful company for more than a century.
  3. 3M: The company's commitment to investing in the future and its culture of innovation helped it to become one of the most successful companies of the 20th century.
  4. Walt Disney: Disney's focus on creating a unique and inspiring vision for the company helped it to become one of the most enduring and successful companies in the entertainment industry.
  5. IBM: IBM's commitment to building a strong company culture and its willingness to embrace change over time allowed it to remain a successful company for more than a century.

Referenced books

  1. "The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technologies Cause Great Firms to Fail" by Clayton M. Christensen
  2. "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values" by Robert M. Pirsig
  3. "The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement" by Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox
  4. "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu
  5. "In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies" by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr.

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"Companies that are built to last are like marathon runners, not sprinters."

Jim Collins: Built to Last

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