--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An organization is not truly great, if it…" description: "\"An organization is not truly great, if it cannot be great without you.\" — James C. Collins" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/james-c-collins-2276_great_an-organization-is-not-truly-great-if-it_3140028.png" --- # An organization is not truly great, if it cannot be great… ![“An organization is not truly great, if it cannot be great without you.” quote by James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/james-c-collins-2276_great_an-organization-is-not-truly-great-if-it_3140028.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/james-c-collins-2276_great_an-organization-is-not-truly-great-if-it_3140028.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/81b/james-c-collins-2276_great_an-organization-is-not-truly-great-if-it_3140028.png) > “An organization is not truly great, if it cannot be great without you.” [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A great organization depends on the contributions of each individual. **In simple terms:** Collective success requires each member’s excellence. Key Takeaway Empower yourself to be essential. Themes leadership teamwork excellence Mood inspirational strategic Type leadership motivational When to use this quote - company culture - project teams - non‑profits - start‑ups Key Concepts organizational theory collective impact Questions to Reflect On - How can you add unique value? - What does “great without you” mean in your role? A Different Perspective May overemphasize individual impact over systemic factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Organization Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization-truly-2708201/) [Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly/) [Truly Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truly-great/) [Without you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/without-you/) ## Related quotes > [I think that's the most exciting thing, writing my own journey, my story with an organization that truly believes in me the same way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquill-griffin/i-think-that-s-the-most-exciting-thing-writing-my-own-journey-my/) [Shaquill Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquill-griffin/) > [“To be truly great and greatly true Is to align your thoughts, words and actions in all you do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-akomas-jr/to-be-truly-great-and-greatly-true-is-to-align-your-thoughts-words/) [George Akomas Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-akomas-jr/) > [To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-become-truly-great-one-has-to-stand-with-people-not-above-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [AR Rahman is truly great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paresh-rawal/ar-rahman-is-truly-great/) [Paresh Rawal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paresh-rawal/) > [All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/all-truly-great-thoughts-are-conceived-by-walking/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I think continually of those who were truly great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-spender/i-think-continually-of-those-who-were-truly-great/) [Stephen Spender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-spender/) > [Nothing can be truly great which is not right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nothing-can-be-truly-great-which-is-not-right/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [I am the only one who can make America truly great again!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-am-the-only-one-who-can-make-america-truly-great-again/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [What proves the hero truly great,Is never, never to despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mallet/what-proves-the-hero-truly-great-is-never-never-to-despair/) [David Mallet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mallet/) > [When you meet someone who is truly great, he makes you believe you can be great, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherry-argov/when-you-meet-someone-who-is-truly-great-he-makes-you-believe-you-can-2/) [Sherry Argov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherry-argov/) > [The truly great books are the few books that are over everybody's head all of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truly-great-books-are-the-few-books-that-are-over-everybody-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/all-truly-great-thoughts-are-conceived-while-walking/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [There never was a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/there-never-was-a-truly-great-man-that-was-not-at-the-same-time-truly/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“The truly great are, in my view, always bound to feel a great sense of sadness during their time upon earth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-truly-great-are-in-my-view-always-bound-to-feel-a-great-sense-of/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [Man is truly great when he can act from his passions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/man-is-truly-great-when-he-can-act-from-his-passions/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) ## More by James C. 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Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Indeed, the real question is not, "Why greatness?" but "What work makes you feel compelled to try to create greatness?" if you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/indeed-the-real-question-is-not-why-greatness-but-what-work-makes-you/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [Not one of the good-to-great companies focused obsessively on growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/not-one-of-the-good-to-great-companies-focused-obsessively-on-growth/) [James C. Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-c-collins/) > [“Compare Bethlehem Steel to Nucor. Both companies operated in the steel industry and produced hard-to-differentiate products. Both companies faced the competitive challenge of cheap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-c-collins/compare-bethlehem-steel-to-nucor-both-companies-operated-in-the-steel/) [James C. 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