Special from Atlanta–SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition
Stop trying to get a seat at the table, says well-known business author Jim Collins: You are the table. Collins, author of Good to Great, says that his research indicates that the single most important executive skill is the ability to pick the right people.
Collins, who offered his remarks at the SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition in Atlanta, says that one theme runs through every study his team has done—the biggest question is “who should be on the bus.”
The 20-Mile March
Every leader needs a 20-mile march, says Collins. His reference is to polar explorers Amundsen and Scott and their race to the South Pole. Both faced the same circumstances, but only Amundsen came back alive. Leadership choices made the difference.
Amundsen set a goal of 20 miles every day, day in and day out. Scott elected to march when the weather was good. On a good day, Amundsen’s people would ask to continue beyond 20 miles, but he said no. That is discipline, says Collins.
A modern day example of discipline is South West Air, the best-performing stock of the 70s through 90s, says Collins. Riding their great early success, the airline was besieged by 100 cities clamoring for their business; they chose 4. That’s discipline, says Collins.
What’s your 20-mile march? he asks.
The Success Triad
Collins points to a triad of behaviors that seem to mark success:
- Fanatic discipline (as displayed by Amundsen and Southwest)
- Productive paranoia (“We’ve predicted 11 of the last 3 recessions.”)
- Empirical creativity. (Amundsen and Scott both planned to use ponies, but Amundsen went and talked to Eskimos who said, no, use dogs. With 30 mile-per-hour winds, minus 30 temperatures, you get sweating ponies and that means frozen ponies.)
Creativity and discipline—a magic elixir, Collins says.
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But What About the Role of Luck?
Collins is often asked, Isn’t luck a major factor in what makes organizations successful? Collins and his team decided to quantify “luck” and then do research to find out what role it played in determining which organizations would be successful.
Their research suggests that over time, luck has not been a significant factor in corporate success.
Collins uses Bill Gates as an example. He went to a private school with computer access, knew basic, was there at just the right time, etc. So was that luck that let him found Microsoft? No says Collins. There were a lot of people with the same access and the same knowledge. What about the PhD electrical engineering students at all of the top colleges who had similar opportunities and greater computer knowledge?
They could have dropped out and founded a company, but they didn’t, Collins says.
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I’d never heard that about Scott only traveling when the weather was good. Obviously, few executives, let alone HR, have the option of only acting when the “weather” is good.