As I ponder this month’s Success Choice Planner’s focus “Power of Choice,” I am reminded of Jim Collin’s book Great by Choice. It is a great read. I read it years ago, but I have reflected on it’s principles over the years and they have helped me with my business as well as in my personal life.
In the book, he describes what he learned from studying companies he calls 10X companies because they not only thrived, but each company beat its industry index by at least 10 times.
Here are a few principles just from chapter 1.
10Xers accept, without complaint, that they face forces beyond their control, that they cannon accurately predict events, and that nothing is certain; yet they utterly reject the idea that luck, chaos, or any other external factor will determine whether they succeed or fail.
10Xers display three core behaviors that, in combination, distinguish the from the leaders of the less successful comparison companies:
Fanatic discipline: 10Xers display extreme consistency of action — consistency with values, goals, performance standards, and methods. They are utterly relentless, monomaniacal, unbending in their focus on their quests.
Empirical creativity: When faced with uncertainty, 10Xers do not look primarily to other people, conventional wisdom, authority figures, or peers for direction; they look primarily to empirical evidence. They rely upon direct observation, practical observation, practical experimentation, and direct engagement with tangible evidence. They make their bold, creative moves from a sound empirical base.
Productive paranoia: 10Xers maintain hypervigilance, staying highly attuned to threats and changes in their environment, even when — especially when — all’s going well. They assume conditions will turn against them, at perhaps the worst possible moment. They channel their fear and worry into action, preparing, developing contingency plans, building buffers, and maintaining large margins of safety.
Underlying the three core 10Xer behaviors is a motivating force: passion and ambition for a cause or company larger than themselves. (Jim Collins’ Great by Choice, pp. 36-37)
