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Questions

Question 1

According to Chapter 3, what is the foundational principle that executives of good-to-great companies followed when initiating their transformations?

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Question 2

What management model did Wells Fargo's comparison company, Bank of America, follow that contrasted with Wells Fargo's approach of hiring top talent?

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Question 3

While losing $1 million every business day, what was CEO David Maxwell's first priority upon taking over Fannie Mae?

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Question 4

What term does the author use to describe the leadership model common in comparison companies, where success is dependent on a single, extraordinary individual?

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Question 5

In the comparison between Jack Eckerd and Cork Walgreen, what was the primary difference in their 'genius'?

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Question 6

What was the key finding from the research regarding the link between executive compensation and the transition from good to great?

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Question 7

The book revises the old adage 'People are your most important asset' to what?

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Question 8

What is the crucial distinction between a 'rigorous' culture and a 'ruthless' culture as described in Chapter 3?

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Question 9

How many Crocker Bank managers were terminated by Wells Fargo on the first day of the consolidation?

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Question 10

What was the research finding regarding the frequency of layoffs in good-to-great companies compared to comparison companies?

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Question 11

What is Practical Discipline number one for being rigorous, as outlined in Chapter 3?

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Question 12

The principle that 'No company can grow revenues consistently faster than its ability to get enough of the right people to implement that growth and still become a great company' is known as what?

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Question 13

What was the key contrast in focus during the early years between Alan Wurtzel at Circuit City and Sidney Cooper at the comparison company, Silo?

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Question 14

What behavioral pattern of management turnover did the research find in good-to-great companies?

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Question 15

For what percentage of his first two years as CEO did Gillette's Colman Mockler focus on adjusting his top management team?

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Question 16

What is the key takeaway from the story of Philip Morris moving its top executive, George Weissman, to run its international division?

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Question 17

What did Darwin Smith of Kimberly-Clark make clear to the company's best people from the paper business when the company decided to sell the mills?

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Question 18

The chapter concludes that adherence to the 'first who' principle is the closest link between a great company and what else?

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Question 19

How is the experience of the good-to-great teams described in the final section of the chapter, 'First Who, Great Companies, and a Great Life'?

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Question 20

What was the result for Teledyne's stock after its 'genius' leader, Henry Singleton, stepped away from day-to-day management in the mid-1980s?

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Question 21

In determining 'the right people,' what did good-to-great companies prioritize over specific educational background, practical skills, or work experience?

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Question 22

When Wells Fargo acquired Crocker Bank, what did its actions demonstrate about its 'rigorous' approach?

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Question 23

According to the two key questions that can help determine if a change is needed, what should you ask yourself if a person announced they were leaving?

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Question 24

In the comparison company Teledyne, how many acquisitions did Henry Singleton complete to build his far-flung empire?

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Question 25

What does the book suggest is the primary purpose of a compensation system in a good-to-great company?

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Question 26

What was the first of the three simple truths that good-to-great leaders understood?

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Question 27

What happened to the banking sector's performance relative to the general stock market during the period Wells Fargo made its spectacular rise?

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Question 28

At Fannie Mae, what was the fate of the executive who, after careful consideration, told CEO David Maxwell, 'I don’t want to do this'?

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Question 29

What was the primary guidance mechanism for Walgreens' corporate strategy, in contrast to Eckerd Corporation's?

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Question 30

What was the only significant difference the research found in the compensation of good-to-great executives versus their counterparts at comparison companies?

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Question 31

At Nucor, what was the approximate percentage of a steelworker's compensation that was tied directly to the productivity of their work team?

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Question 32

What was the consequence of letting the wrong people hang around, according to the chapter?

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Question 33

How long did it take for Circuit City and Silo's business strategies to become essentially the same, according to the book?

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Question 34

What is the first of the two key questions to ask yourself to determine if you have the right person on the bus (when considering an existing employee)?

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Question 35

In the early 1960s, what percentage of Philip Morris's revenues came from overseas before Joe Cullman decided to build the international business?

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Question 36

What is the important corollary to the discipline of putting your best people on your biggest opportunities?

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Question 37

How did Dick Appert, a senior executive from Kimberly-Clark's divested papermaking division, view the decision to sell the mills?

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Question 38

According to one of the 'three simple truths,' what happens to the problem of motivation and management if you have the right people on the bus?

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Question 39

What was the name of the powerboat owned by Harris Corporation's CEO Joseph Boyd, which was located in the city he moved the company headquarters to?

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Question 40

What did Walter Bruckart, a vice president at Circuit City, identify as the top five factors that led to the company's transition from mediocrity to excellence?

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Question 41

In the Level 5 plus Management Team model, what comes after 'First Who'?

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Question 42

The name 'Teledyne' derives from Greek and means what?

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Question 43

According to the Marine Corps analogy used by a Pitney Bowes executive, what is the organization's approach to values?

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Question 44

How much was the marbled executive dining room's china worth at Crocker Bank before the Wells Fargo acquisition?

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Question 45

According to Alan Wurtzel's letter quoted on page 68, what is the important corollary to 'getting the right people on the bus'?

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Question 46

What was the final outcome for Teledyne, the classic 'genius with a thousand helpers' company?

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Question 47

Why, according to the chapter, is it unfair to the 'wrong person' to wait too long before making a change?

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Question 48

In the Level 4 'Genius with a Thousand Helpers' model, what is the typical sequence of actions?

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Question 49

What happened to Bank of America after losing over $1 billion in the mid-1980s?

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Question 50

Why did the members of the good-to-great teams, such as the executives at Philip Morris and Kimberly-Clark, often remain friends and colleagues for life?

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