Most people will look back and realize they did not have a great life because it's just so easy to settle for a good life.

It may seem odd to talk about something as soft and fuzzy as "passion" as an integral part of a strategic framework. But throughout the good-to-great companies, passion became a key part of the Hedgehog Concept.

The greatest leaders build organizations that, in the end, don't need them.

Good is the enemy of great.. The vast majority of good companies remain just that - good, but not great.

It's more important than ever to define yourself in terms of what you stand for rather than what you make, because what you make is going to become outmoded faster than it has at any time in the past. ...hang on to the idea of who you are as a company, and focus not on what you do, but on what you could do. By being really clear about what you stand for and why you exist, you can see what you could do with a much more open mind. You enhance your ability to adapt to change.

The difference between a good leader and a great leader is humility.

Discipline should amplify creativity rather than stifle it.