We have almost 6000 years of business data!
That’s a quote from Jim Collins, spoken during the Leadercast that I attended earlier this year. Collins went on to say that we have many examples throughout history of businesses that succeeded or failed even though they were operating under the same kinds of circumstances. Why? Collins asserts:
Greatness is a conscious choice. We are not imprisoned by our past, by our mistakes, or by our circumstances.
In other words, greatness can be independent of the environment. Of course, a lousy economy or a natural disaster can spell the end of many that might otherwise be successful, but over the long haul it isn’t circumstance that determines our fate. It’s our choice, our leadership that makes the difference.
The first of Collins’ “5 stages of falling from grace” is Hubris born of success: Arrogance as the precursor to a fall. The implication is that success without arrogance is sustainable. Anything else won’t last.
According to the data, the difference between the great and not great companies–even when both had good leaders–is that the great companies had good leaders that also had humility. Those leaders had the humility to channel their ambition, passion, and drive into a cause or into their people. This type of leader understood that it isn’t all about them.
The big Question: What are we in it for?
My take is that we can ask this same question of ourselves for any area of our lives. As we work to make our lives a congruent whole of work, family, faith, and society, it’s good practice to take inventory frequently. Here’s an idea: Let’s go on an arrogance fast!
