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Those who turn good organizations into great organizations are motivated by a deep creative urge and an inner compulsion for sheer unadulterated excellence for its own sake.
James C. Collins
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Great organizations are built by individuals driven by a passion for excellence, not just for external rewards.

In this quote, James C. Collins emphasizes that the distinction between good organizations and great ones lies in the mindset of their leaders and contributors. Those who drive the transformation are not merely seeking success or recognition; instead, they are fueled by an intrinsic desire for creativity and excellence, pursuing their ambitions for the fulfillment and joy it brings rather than for external validation or profit.

Themes

ExcellenceOrganizationsSuccessCreativityMotivation

In practice

Example use cases

In a leadership seminar, one might quote Collins to inspire aspiring leaders about the importance of having a passion for excellence.

More from James C. Collins

The kind of commitment I find among the best performers across virtually every field is a single-minded passion for what they do, an unwavering desire for excellence in the way they think and the way they work. Genuine confidence is what launches you out of bed in the morning, and through your day with a spring in your step.
James C. CollinsRead
If we allow the celebrity rock-star model of leadership to triumph, we will see the decline of corporations and institutions of all types. The twentieth century was a century of greatness, but we face the very real prospect that the next century will see very few enduring great institutions.
James C. CollinsRead
...the question, Why try for greatness? would seem almost tautological. If you're doing something you care that much about, and you believe in its purpose deeply enough, then it is impossible to imagine not trying to make it great. It's just a given.
James C. CollinsRead
Get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats...
James C. CollinsRead
It may seem odd to talk about something as soft and fuzzy as "passion" as an integral part of a strategic framework. But throughout the good-to-great companies, passion became a key part of the Hedgehog Concept.
James C. CollinsRead
A visionary company doesn't simply balance between idealism and profitability: it seeks to be highly idealistic and highly profitable. A visionary company doesn't simply balance between preserving a tightly held core ideology and stimulating vigorous change and movement; it does both to an extreme.
James C. CollinsRead

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