Jim Collins and Morten T Hansen illustrates what legends choose to become “Great By Choice”

Often you come across the great debate, only to spot what differentiates the so-called greats from that of a common man. Few argues about the hard work, few opines for talent, while some may opt for the ability to do the right things at right times, and you can find someone as well, who is an avid believer in luck to define greatness. The debate goes on, until Jim Collins and Morten T Hansen flash “Great By Choice” Their book starts with a definition of what the authors call '10X' companies, those that outperform their industry averages by at least 10 times. These companies display three fundamental and distinctive behaviours: 'fanatic discipline' and 'monomaniacal' focus on achieving their goals; 'empirical creativity', an obsession with facts rather than opinion and a readiness to ignore conventional wisdom once armed with these facts; and 'productive paranoia', constant worry which fuels relentless preparation and precautions against even the most improbable bad events. They draw on examples from business and beyond to illustrate 10Xers at work, such as Amundsen and Scott's race to the South Pole. While Scott took a relaxed, cavalier approach to his expedition, Amundsen prepared for every eventuality, even eating raw dolphin meat to see if it could provide a decent energy supply. He loaded up with far more supplies than Scott to serve a much smaller team. And, tellingly, for Collins and Hansen, Scott took just one thermometer, which disastrously broke, whereas Amundsen brought four. The beauty of this book is its ability to make these telling points. In times like these when leadership has to suffer the daily onslaught of critics carried away by hubris about competition, as well as dark economic predictions, the book has many doses of researched strategy wisdom that are well worth reflecting on. The '10X' - the authors' label for 'exceptional' - cases Collins and Hansen have detailed, where companies have risen from initial positions of vulnerability in potentially harmful environments to sustain exceptional results for 15-plus years hold lessons for the corporate sector across the world. Dispelling myths about innovation holding the key to spectacular success and successful leaders being bold, risk seeking visionaries, the authors warn against radical change and excessive speed in decision making and suggest that it is not luck that makes 10X companies different but what they do with the luck that comes their way. Be here at www.rightbooks.in/product_details.asp?pid=9781847940889&Great%20By%20Choice now, so as to have this stupendous offering that RightBooks.in has in place for you.