Running Like a Good Business

Jim Collins, the author of Good to Great, points out that there are lots of businesses in the world that are not very good at all. His pamphlet Good to Great in the Social Sectors says that the goal of “running more like business” is crazy. Who wants to wind up like the businesses in column 2? Collins says your goal should be running like a good business.

The fundamentals of good business show in the difference between your column 1 and column 2. Good businesses create value. They do things right (e.g., make a good cup of coffee, give you a web-based interactive calendar at a single touch). And they do the right things (like provide useful needed services, build good products, improve the neighborhood, hire and train people, treat animals kindly).