First Who ... Then What. We expected that good-to-great leaders would begin by setting a new vision and strategy. We found instead that they first got the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats—and then they figured out where to drive it. The old adage “People are your most important asset” turns out to be wrong. People are not your most important asset. The right people are.

More quotes by James C. Collins

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"Most men would rather die, than think. Many do."

- James C. Collins

Awareness

"Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline."

- James C. Collins

Belief

"Greatness, it turns out, is largely a matter of conscious choice."

- James C. Collins

Belief

"A culture of discipline involves a duality. On the one hand, it requires people who adhere to a consistent system; yet, on the other hand, it gives people freedom and responsibility within the framework of that system."

- James C. Collins

Balance

"Transformations are different from the perspective of those looking at it from the outside vs those going through it (on the inside)."

- James C. Collins

Transformation

More Teamwork Quotes

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"Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much."

- Helen Keller

Teamwork

"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself."

- Henry Ford

Teamwork

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

- African Proverb

Teamwork

"It is amazing how much you can accomplish when it doesn’t matter who gets the credit."

- Harry S. Truman

Teamwork

"A boat doesn’t go forward if each one is rowing their own way."

- Proverb

Teamwork