Built To Last

Successful Habits of Visionary Companies

Jim Collins

Book Synopsis

"Built To Last" by Jim Collins is a groundbreaking book that examines the traits of successful, long-lasting companies and identifies the strategies they employ to thrive in a rapidly changing business landscape. Through extensive research and case studies, Collins and his co-author Jerry I. Porras uncover the fundamental principles that enable these exceptional organizations to not only achieve exceptional financial performance but also have a lasting impact on society.

The book challenges the belief that business success requires constant reinvention and emphasizes the importance of establishing a strong foundation built on core values, purpose, and a clear vision. It explores the concept of a "BHAG" (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) as a powerful mechanism for driving long-term success and provides practical advice on how to align an organization around a BHAG.

Using a framework of shared values, Collins and Porras introduce the concept of building a "cult-like" culture that nurtures employee commitment and fosters innovation. They highlight the significance of embracing uncertainty and creating an adaptive, learning organization that can weather any storm. Furthermore, they discuss the importance of effective leadership and how it can influence the long-term success of a company.

Throughout the book, Collins and Porras illustrate their findings with compelling examples from a diverse range of industries, including Hewlett-Packard, Disney, Merck, and Nordstrom. By drawing on these real-world examples, the authors provide readers with actionable insights and practical strategies for building a company that is not only successful, but also enduring.

In essence, "Built To Last" offers a roadmap for creating and sustaining organizations that can stand the test of time. With its thought-provoking ideas and in-depth analysis, this book is a must-read for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone interested in building a company that will leave a lasting legacy.

Explore More Books

See All
A History of Western Technology
Taxes Have Consequences
The Box
The Healing Journey
The Oxford History of Britain
The River of Doubt
Road to Wigan Pier
The Opium of the Intellectuals
Fewer
Academically Adrift
Raising Girls
Sourdough Culture
The Immateriality of the Material
My Forty Years with Ford
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao
Visual Explanations
The Uterus Is a Feature, Not a Bug
More Than You Know
Prisoners of Geography
Netflixed
The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind
The Big Score
Trading Bases
Living With A SEAL
Trauma
Walden
Primed to Perform
Don't Shoot the Dog!
Flu
Getting to Maybe
Reminiscences of a Stock Operator
The Poems of Dylan Thomas
The Farming Ladder
Harvesting the Biosphere
Red Notice
Confessions of a Philosopher
The 80/20 Principle
Leapfrog
How To Turn Down A Billion Dollars
The Plot Against the President
Check Your Financial Privilege
Knowledge and Decisions
Hagakure
City of the Century
An Apology for the Builder
Army Of None
Solution Selling
Andrew Carnegie
Essentialism
The Iliad
The Great Crash of 1929
Exit Interview
The Seventh Sense
First a Dream
The Fatal Conceit
The Way of Kings
True Enough
The Creative Curve
Rework
Alexander Hamilton
Portfolios of the Poor
The City In History
The House of Rothschild
Seeing Like a State
Paradigms Of A.I. Programming
Alpha Girls
The Story of Civilization: The Age of Voltaire
Well
Liberty Under Seige
I Seem To Be A Verb
The Hand
Race Matters
Empires of Light
Ask The Dust
The Eden Project
The Things They Carried
The Myth of the Rational Voter
Moby Dick
On Writing
The Great Challenge
Daring Greatly
The German Generals Talk
I Will Teach You To Be Rich
Hansel and Gretel
Expert Political Judgement
Bossypants
The Sleepwalkers
Lean In
Fooled By Randomness
New Power
Whole Earth Discipline
Ham on Rye
Brave New Words
Hoover Dam
Out of Many, One
Travels with Charley
Cold Calling Techniques
Hamlet
The Black Jacobins
The Choice