Student Affairs
Professional Development
Conference–
October 16, 2008
Good To Great … a discussion of Jim Collins book
Disciplined People – Level 5 leadership, First Who, Then What
Disciplined Thought – Brutal Facts, Hedgehog Concept
Discipline Action – Culture of Discipline, The Flywheel
Experiment: Change Your Look
1. Please pair up face each other
2. Select an observer
3. Observers: study your partner closely because the
partner will be making a few changes
4. Observers: turn your back (or close your eyes)
5. Change Agent: make five changes to their physical
appearance (30 seconds)
6. Face each other again
7. Observer: identify as many changes as possible. (30
seconds)
The Good to Great Paradox
“Good is the enemy of Great”
We don’t have great schools, because we
have good schools
We don’t have great government, because
we have good government
We don’t have great organizations,
because we have good organizations
The Researchers asked…
What transforms good companies
(organizations) into great ones?
What distinguishes great companies from good
companies?
To find out… Conducted a massive 5 year
research project to identify what it takes for an
organization to sustain Greatness
The Good to Great Framework
Three Stages – each with two principles
• Stage 1: Disciplined People
– Level 5 Leadership – a study in duality
•
•
•
•
Modest yet willful, Shy yet fearless
Ambitious for the organization, but not for themselves
Personal humility, professional will
This is not about being nice or soft – this type of leader makes sure
the right decision is made, no matter how difficult that decision may
be
– First Who, then what
•
•
•
•
Right people on the bus, wrong people off the bus
Greatness flows from having the right people, in the right seat
Find people who are passionate about their work
Create an environment where people do not have jobs, they have
responsibilities
The Good to Great Framework continued…
• Stage 2: Disciplined Thought
– Confront brutal facts, Stockdale Principle
• Retain unwavering faith that you can & will prevail,
regardless of the difficulties, and at the same time have the
discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current
reality, whatever they might be.
– The Hedgehog Concept
• Greatness comes about by a series of good decisions
consistent with a simple, coherent concept
• Understanding three intersecting circles
– What you can be best at
– Passionate about
– What drives your resource engine
The Good to Great Framework continued…
• Stage 3: Disciplined Action
– Culture of Discipline – rinse that cottage cheese
• Disciplined people engaging in disciplined thought and who
take disciplined action
• Operating in a framework of responsibilities – not jobs
• This is the cornerstone of a culture that creates greatness
– The Flywheel
• No – single defining action, grand program, killer innovation,
solitary lucky break or miracle moment – can build greatness
• Instead greatness is built relentlessly pushing a giant heavy
flywheel, one purposeful direction, continuously building
momentum until breakthrough occurs
Apollo 13 – a Good to Great discussion
• .\GoodtoGreat\Apollo13cut.mov
Apollo 13
A Good to Great Case Study
Group Exercises / Discussion
Case Study #1- First who, Then
what…
• Were the right people on the bus, and in the right seat?
• Do you think the NASA staff members were selfmotivated and self-disciplined?
• Were they compulsively driven to do their best- for the
organization?
• Now – when you think of Student Affairs
•
Do our people exhibit these traits?
• Do we rinse the cottage cheese?
• Are we rigorous in getting the Right person on the bus
and in the right seat?
• Using the concepts of Good to Great, how can you make
Student Affairs a Great Organization?
Case Study #2- Brutal Facts
• Was there a culture to be heard?
• Did the team exhibit traits of honest confrontation of the brutal facts?
• Did they engage in dialogue and debate, without
coercion and finger pointing?
Now – when you think of Student Affairs
• What are our Brutal Facts? How successful are
we at confronting those brutal facts? Can we
approve?
• Using the concepts of Good to Great, how can
you make Student Affairs a Great Organization?
Case Study #3- Level 5
Leadership
• Does Gene Kranz (Ed Harris) exhibit level 5 leadership traits?
If so, how?
• Did he follow the Stockdale Principle of: Retaining the faith
that you will prevail in the end regardless of the difficulties,
AND at the same time confront the most brutal facts of the
current reality?
• Did he lead by asking questions and listening?
• Did he refrain from placing blame on others?
• If the situation turned bad, would he and his team accept
responsibility – would they not make excuses?
• Now think of your unit or Student Affairs – how would your
team perform under crisis circumstances?
• Using the concepts of Good to Great, how can you make
Student Affairs a Great Organization?