Did you know that Circuit City was one of the model companies in Jim Collins’ landmark book Good to Great?
Circuit City was one of the less than 15 companies his team identified as a company that went from good to great for a sustained period. Shortly after the book’s publication, the company went out of business.
The business press jumped all over Collins, claiming that it completely undermined years of research and his core arguments.
Collins chuckles to this day as he tells the story. Then he points out the key: ignoring the principles of what leads from good to great does not negate the principles.
I’ve always humorously thought of this analogy: if I want to lose weight, but don’t ensure that I consume fewer calories than I burn, I will not lose weight. I can blame my scale, the food I eat, the cook who prepares it, or the principles themselves all I want, but the failure is entirely on me for ignoring the most fundamental principle.
A failure to follow the principles that lead to success does not negate the principles. Where might you be conflating the two today?
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