Confront the Brutal Facts (Yet Never Lose Faith)

According to Chapter 4, what is the core concept of the Stockdale Paradox?

What was the primary reason A&P failed to adapt to the changing grocery industry in the mid-20th century, while Kroger succeeded?

In the 25 years following their respective transitions, approximately how many times better were Kroger's cumulative returns compared to A&P's?

Which of the following is NOT one of the four basic practices for creating a climate where the truth is heard?

According to the book, why can a charismatic leadership style become a liability for a company?

How did Winston Churchill ensure he confronted the brutal facts during World War II, despite his strong, charismatic personality?

In the comparison between Pitney Bowes and Addressograph, what was the performance difference for shareholders? Pitney Bowes outperformed Addressograph by a ratio of:

What is the purpose of a 'red flag' mechanism, as described in the chapter with the Graniterock 'short pay' example?

How did David Maxwell and his team at Fannie Mae respond to the brutal fact that they were losing one million dollars every business day?

What happened when Philip Morris executives were interviewed about the company's failed acquisition of Seven-Up?

When leaders like Alan Wurtzel of Circuit City 'lead with questions, not answers,' what is the stated primary purpose of the questions?

What was the 'hardiness factor' described in the chapter, in relation to good-to-great companies?

How large was Fannie Mae's portfolio of losing loans when David Maxwell's team began its transformation in the early 1980s?

What does the author mean by the statement 'Facts are better than dreams'?

In the climate of debate at Nucor, what was the role played by CEO Ken Iverson?

What was the eventual fate of the A&P 'Golden Key' experimental store?

When comparing Pitney Bowes to Addressograph, the book states that Addressograph's charismatic leader Roy Ash refused to confront evidence that his plan was doomed. What was Ash's bold plan?

What was the outcome for Upjohn after it failed to confront the brutal reality of its position in the pharmaceutical industry?

What does the author suggest is the 'single most de-motivating' action a leader can take?

In Joe Cullman's autopsy of the failed 7UP acquisition, how many pages in his book did he dedicate to dissecting the disaster?

What did the 'optimists' in the Hanoi Hilton POW camp, as described by Admiral Stockdale, have in common?

How did Pitney Bowes' management meetings differ from typical corporate rah-rah sales conferences?

According to the chapter, which of the following best describes the difference in how good-to-great and comparison companies used information?

What was the interest rate spread problem Fannie Mae faced in the early 1980s?

When Alan Wurtzel of Circuit City began the company's turnaround from near bankruptcy, what was his remarkable answer to the question of where to take the company?

What was the primary difference in the response of Kimberly-Clark versus Scott Paper when facing the formidable competition of Procter & Gamble (P&G)?

What does it mean for a company's leadership to 'lead with questions, not answers'?

What was the 'scorched earth policy' that A&P launched in response to its declining market share?

How did the culture of debate at Nucor differ from a 'sham process'?

What was the 'de facto reality' in many of the comparison companies, such as Addressograph under Roy Ash?

By 1970, the Kroger executive team came to what inescapable conclusion about the old-model grocery store?

What was the 'number one, number two' concept that Kroger and over half the good-to-great companies developed years before it became a management fad?

According to the chapter, why is it that you 'absolutely cannot make a series of good decisions without first confronting the brutal facts'?

The book compares Fannie Mae's transformation to the TV show 'The Six Million Dollar Man' because:

How did the executive climate at Bank of America, as described in the chapter, hinder its ability to confront brutal facts?

According to Robert Aders of Kroger, the team's psychology during its twenty-year transformation had a 'certain Churchillian character'. What did this mean?

What happened to Addressograph after its visionary CEO Roy Ash was thrown out?

When Lyle Everingham of Kroger was asked to explain the company's successful transition, he found the question perplexing. Why?

Which of the following phrases best describes the good-to-great approach to a major transformation?

What was the eventual fate of A&P, the 'Hermit Kingdom' of the grocery industry?

At Pitney Bowes, a management meeting about the 'scary squiggly things' would typically last for how long?

What is the key danger of pursuing a vision that is not grounded in a confrontation with brutal facts?

The chapter argues that leadership does not begin with vision. Where does it begin?

What was the motto that guided A&P manager Ralph Burger's decision-making?

When Admiral Stockdale was asked who didn't make it out of the POW camps, his answer was, 'The optimists.' Why?

What did managers at Pitney Bowes worry about more than the feelings of top management?

The book argues that a primary task in taking a company from good to great is to create a culture where:

In the face of its impending monopoly loss, what was Addressograph's initial reaction?

Why did good-to-great companies emerge from adversity even stronger?

How did the story of Kroger's rise and A&P's decline challenge the simple idea that success is about having the right strategy?