Business Quote by James C. Collins
““Asked to paint a picture of the company in 20 years, the executives mentioned such things as “on the cover of Business Week as a model success story . . . the Fortune most admired top-ten list . . . the best science and business graduates want to work here . . . people on airplanes rave about one of our products to seatmates . . . 20 consecutive years of profitable growth . . . an entrepreneurial culture that has spawned half a dozen new divisions from within . . .””
About This Quote
Source Book: Built to Last, 1994
Executives envision future success with specific milestones, such as media coverage, top rankings, talent attraction, product praise, sustained growth, and entrepreneurial expansion.
In simple terms: Leaders set detailed future goals for company success.
Key Takeaway
Set clear, measurable long‑term objectives.
Themes
strategy
vision
leadership
Mood
strategic
inspirational
Type
business
motivational
When to use this quote
- annual planning
- brand building
- employee recruitment
- product development
- growth tracking
Key Concepts
Goal setting
corporate culture
Questions to Reflect On
- Which goal aligns best with your values?
- How will you measure progress?
A Different Perspective
Over‑ambitious targets can create unrealistic pressure.
![“Not only was [Edwin Land] one of the great inventors of our time but, more important, he saw the intersection of art and science and business and built an organization to reflect that.” quote by Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e16/steve-jobs-307_art_not-only-was-edwin-land-one-of-the-great_2698517.jpg)
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)