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
Failure Is Not An Option
On Writing Well
Essays and Aphorisms
Lone Survivor
Free Women, Free Men
The Evolving Self
Not The End of the World
Eating The Big Fish
The Elephant in the Brain
Energy Transitions
Mohandas K. Ghandi
Zen Mind, Beginners Mind
The Idea Factory
XKCD
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Explaining Social Behavior
The Precariat
Lagom
Getting Real
Peak
The Most Important Thing Illuminated
The Plant Paradox
Tender Is The Night
Orwell's Revenge
Harry Potter
Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance?
Sexual Personae
A Spy Among Friends
Valuation
Gang Leader for a Day
A Technique for Producing Ideas
The Magic Of Reality
Brave New Medicine
The Airbnb Story
Golden Gates
Not Zero
My Family and Other Animals
Sleep in Art
The Holy Grail of Investing
Perilous Interventions
The Messy Middle
The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
The Lean Startup
Cosmos
The Charisma Myth
Becoming
The Gray Lady Winked
Class Warfare
The Battle of Alcazar
The Artist's Way
The Storm of Steel
Peter Pan
Generations
The Golden Compass
Kill It With Fire
The Martian
The Diversity Myth
Musashi
Warren Buffett
Adapt
How Not To Be Wrong
Platform Revolution
There Must Be A Pony In Here Somewhere
What You Do Is Who You Are
Powers of Two
Deep Value
Presidents of War
Three Scientists and Their Gods
Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar
Catch-22
Becoming Steve Jobs
Replay
Making The Modern World
The Story of Civilization: Rousseau and Revolution
The Wager
Slow Sex
Lying
Timelines of World History
Essays In Persuasion
Home Work
Believe In People
A Short History of Myth
Should We Eat Meat?
Learned Optimism
The Paris Architect
Way of the Warrior Kid
The Making of an American Thinking Class
The Time Machine
Lenin
The Rise of the Rest
Americana
Maybe You Should Talk To Someone
Sustainable Energy Without the Hot Air
Idea Makers
When Prophecy Fails
The Ethics of Money Production
Why America Is Not a New Rome
A Sense of Where You Are
The Sixth Extinction
The Middleman