Good to Great

We use Good to Great in three very specific ways: to champion great leadership; to develop visionary thinking; and, to spur disciples to dream of a great church. Good to Great is a business book but the principles port very easily to church culture and personal leadership development. We use this book in Discipleship 3 almost exclusively. It complements the Discipleship Pathway steps 10-12 very well.

Jim Collins outlines six concepts that take good organizations from good to great. We guide disciples to inspect their organization, business, or departments against these characteristics. Our goals are to champion workers, leaders, and influencers to think with a “great” mindset. More importantly, we ask disciples to compare Collins’ ten characteristics to Biblical truth and determine if the principles are Biblical or, merely, human. My approach to reading is two or three chapters a week allowing disciples the time to check the principles against the Bible and then discuss their findings in the weekly meeting. I push the idea that even successful, secular innovators and researchers are still inspecting and learning about the world that God created. Many contemporary “discoveries” are actually anchored in God’s design and desire for human living. For example, here are a few of the connections I have ready in the event that the disciples could make no connections:

1. Level 5 Leadership
   A combination of personal humility and professional will. 
   Micah 6:8, 1 Timothy 3, 1 Peter 5
2. First Who… Then What
   Get the right people on the bus (and the wrong ones off) before you determine where to go.
   Jesus’ approach to ministry again and again. But remember, God hired almost exclusively from the pool of unqualified.
   • People should be recruited primarily for their character and work ethic rather than for education, skills, or knowledge that can be acquired on the job. 1 Timothy 3
   • When in doubt, don’t hire and keep looking. Romans 14:23
   • When you know that you need to make a change, act.
   • Put your best people on your biggest opportunities, not your biggest problems. Saul and David, David and Mighty Men

3. Confront the Brutal Facts
   Companies cannot make great decisions without first confronting reality.
   • Lead with questions, not answers. James 1
   • Engage in dialogue and debate, not coercion. 2 Timothy 3:6
   • When mistakes happen, conduct autopsies without blame. Jesus and the disciples when they did not know to pray and fast.

4. Hedgehog Principle
   Find your greatest passion, product/service, and economic driver.
   • Lead with your passion. Colossians 3:23-24
   • Do what you can be great at. Ephesians 4:11-18 A bunch of great coming together to make a great church. Romans 12:6-8
   • Focus on the single thing that drives the greatest result. Philippains 3:13-14, Luke 10:41-42, Psalm 27:4

5. Culture of Discipline
   Disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action play critical roles in allowing an organization to thrive with minimal bureaucracy.
   • identify self-disciplined people that are willing and able to go to extreme lengths to fulfill their responsibilities. 2 Samuel 23:14-16, Luke 16:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:11
   • having a fanatical adherence to the Hedgehog Concept and the willingness to shun opportunities that don’t fit. See verses and notes for “single thing” above.
   • a culture of discipline is not just about taking action but ensuring those actions contribute to a larger whole. 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4

6. Technology Accelerators
   The thoughtless pursuit of technology is a liability, not an asset. Innovation alone cannot turn a good enterprise into a great one. 
   Any instance of the people longing to see the miracles of Jesus instead of focusing on the core message.

Interestingly, Collins divides these six concepts into three phases of growth from Good to Great.

• Disciplined People
• Disciplined Thought
• Disciplined Actions

Again, these three phases give an opportunity to expand the “Be Comes Before Do” concept of spiritual growth and the idea that healthy people do healthy things. These three phases of growth from good to great are a great recipe for being a great church!