Topic: Jim Collins

Happiness Is Overrated

Here's the paradox: "Happy" people are some of the dullest people I know. And yet happiness is the state to which so many of us doggedly aspire.READ»

Why Bosses Ought to Be More Interested in What Is True Than What Is New

Perhaps the thing I admire most about A.G. Lafley, who recently stepped down after running Procter & Gamble for a decade, is that, in contrast to so many other CEOs, he doesn't pretend for a second that he discovered a new way to manage, or that his success resulted from any mysterious and complicated methods.READ»

If Your Company Went Out of Business, Would Anybody Notice?

One of the truly jarring dimensions of the Great Recession is the death sentence it has imposed on of hundreds of brands, even whole companies, that were once familiar parts of the business landscape. The fact that "going out of business" has become such a growth business got me thinking about that question I heard years ago from advertising legend Roy Spence.READ»

In Their Own Words: The Value To Business People On Nonprofit Boards -- Part II

Earlier this month, I quoted business people regarding the value they derive from serving on nonprofit boards. While it is widely understood that nonprofits have much to gain from the expertise and resources that board members bring ...READ»

How to Write a Mission Statement That Doesn't Suck [Video]

I want to show you why most mission statements are so terrible. Let's say you founded a pizza parlor. And your first idea for a mission statement is something like this: "Our mission is to serve the tastiest damn pizza in Wake ...READ»

Risk, Character & New Year Resolutions | Biz Money Matters |

People are not commodities or bundles of skills and knowledge. That's why who to hire or promote is a key business question. One great way to figure out which are the 'keepers' you should have on your team is to check out their character. Read why how they deal with New Year resolutions is just one of the ways to do that.READ»

Create A Mission And Purpose Beyond Making Money

A mission will drive you and your employees more than money can.READ»

Why Customers Will Pay You to Restrain Them

We worry about many things. Our kids' grades, our parents' health, the world at large. (Also, will all those unemployed investment bankers have enough to eat?) Add to that list one really odd thing we worry about: our own future ...READ»

• Successful Experiments in Customer Restraint

Ceasing to be "Great"

  I read with some interest today that Circuit City, the consumer electronics retailer, is filing for bankruptcy. It was interesting because just a few years ago, Circuit City was cited by management expert Jim Collins in his ...READ»

Is Heroic Leadership a Thing of the Past?

The idea of heroic leadership has become something of a dinosaur in recent thinking. When people attack this notion, they have in mind senior executives who think they have all the answers, who take all the credit and who call the ...READ»

Make No Little Plans

“Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans. Aim high in hope and work.” I saw this quote from Daniel Burnham on line the other day.  It’s ...READ»

Do You Visualize Your Desired Outcome Before Pursuing It?

In the book The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur that I recently endorsed, Mike Michalowicz speaks early on about the importance of visualizing your goal before setting out to achieve it. He quotes Bob Marley as the best example of ...READ»

Leadership Lessons from... Robert Morris

Robert Morris is a 'Top 50' Amazon reviewer. His writing style is beautiful - almost poetic - which is a rarity among business writers. He was kind enough to offer this insightful review of Toy Box Leadership: "When ...READ»

Separating the Cream from the Crap

Just say "Yes" to Early Adopters, "No" and then "Bye" to Naysayers. READ»

Mickey Mouse Management

Why is Disney such a lightning rod for so much attention? Why do so many of us stop and rubberneck the latest headline about the Magic Kingdom? Is the whole drama playing to our base voyeuristic instincts as we read about the Eisner ...READ»

Mad Scientist

Can legendary Bell Labs--and its struggling parent, Alcatel-Lucent--be saved by a "crazy risk taker" who's betting that innovation can be captured in a mathematical formula?READ»

• Lab Results May Vary

18 Ways to Take Charge -- Fast

There are few career moments as exciting -- and these days, as perilous -- as taking over the top job at a company, business unit, or department. But what exactly do you do once you're in charge? This online guide provides 18 tactics -- and case studies -- to help you take the reigns running.READ»

Fast Company Library

Books previously featured in Fast Company (2001)READ»

Best of the Worst ... Year Ever

Fast Company's most popular and powerful magazine stories of 2001.READ»

Best of the Worst ... Year Ever: Part 2

Fast Company's most popular and powerful Web-exclusive feature stories of 2001.READ»

Fast Company Author Interviews

Author interviews previously featured on fastcompany.com.READ»

Good Questions, Great Answers

In a Web-exclusive interview, Jim Collins discusses the implications of his research and ideas for the economy, stock market, and the very nature of executive leadership.READ»

Will the Net Bounce Back?

Last year's Internet Summit was full of boasting and banquets. This year's gathering of tech's brightest stars featured mea culpas and buffets. A field report on the past, present, and future of the Internet economy.READ»

On the Eve of Destruction?

It is one of the defining strategic questions of the new economy: How do you build a company that excels over the long term, but that is also capable of reacting quickly to massive shifts in technology and markets? A new book offers a carefully argued study of that urgent question.READ»

A Library of Lasting Impressions

Author, professor, and RealTime speaker Jim Collins recommends five books for leaders, idea merchants, and change agents alike.READ»