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
Livewired
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Raising Girls
Zen in the Art of Archery
The Inner Studio
Medieval Technology and Social Change
Thank You For Smoking
Jonathan Livingston Seagull
Savage News
Liberty Under Seige
The Breakthrough
Alpha Girls
The Great Escape
Solution Selling
The Great Transformation
The World
Oranges
Travels with Charley
That Used To Be Us
Powerful
The Unsettling of America
White Fragility
Active Inference
I, Robot
Outliers
Transmetropolitan
The House of Rothschild
Metaphors We Live By
The Secret of Fatima
The Power Broker
The Hour Between Dog and Wolf
Lean Solutions
Digital Gold
Zero to One
Long Walk to Freedom
No Filter
History and Geography of Human Genes
Meaningful Work
AI Superpowers
Howard Hughes
Free Women, Free Men
Second Foundation
Tenth of December
This Is Your Brain on Music
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
The Back of the Napkin
Poor Numbers
Dominion
We Learn Nothing
Disruptor
Learning To Love Yourself
The Reasonableness of Christianity
The Works
Bull!
The Alchemy of Air
Hunger of Memory
Mind-Body Problem
The Pursuit of Wow!
The Strange Death Of Europe
Call Me Ted
The Middle Kingdoms
The Course of Love
The Future of Capitalism
Million Dollar Weekend
Lessons for the Living
The God That Failed
Walter Benjamin
Probability Theory
Pandaemonium
Watchmen
Finite and Infinite Games
Rick and Morty Book One
Your Dad Stole My Rake
Jack
When The Facts Change
The Prince
The Madness of Crowds
Me Talk Pretty One Day
Off The Record
The Harder You Work, The Luckier You Get
The Magic of Thinking Big
Success
The Emotion Code
How Nature Works
What's Our Problem?
A Cultural History of Physics
The Black Dahlia
The Essays of Warren Buffett
The Great Mental Models
Eating The Big Fish
Fate Is The Hunter
San Fransicko
Skunk Works
Letters To A Young Athlete
Capital Ideas
Nexus
The Utopia of Rules
The Columbian Exchange
The Graveyard Book
The Price We Pay