The crucible of crisis

Jim Collins on how great organizations prevail in times of crisis is a must read. A few gems that caught my eye. . .

What we're experiencing now, get used to it! It's life, and it's the normal life.

In times of great duress, tumult, and uncertainty, you have to have moorings.

The great companies that made it through the Depression, really understood that it was the caliber of their people that would get them through. If there's a storm on the mountain, more important than the plan are the people you have with you.

How do you distinguish the truly great talent from the rest? The right people don't need to be managed. The moment you feel the need to tightly manage someone, you've made a hiring mistake.

We find that great companies manage for the quarter-century.

I don't care how hard this period is. You have to have the combination of believing that you will prevail, . . .  but also not be the Pollyanna who ignores the brutal facts. You have to say that we will be in this for a long time and we will turn this into a defining event, a big catalyst to make ourselves a much stronger enterprise. Our characters are being forged in a burning, searing crucible.