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Picture a hedgehog. To protect itself it does one thing very, very well. It curls up in a tight ball with its spines facing outwards.

Companies which go from good to great are “hedgehogs,” says renowned leadership scholar Jim Collins, author of _“Good to Great.”_

**They focus on the one thing they do better than anyone else.**

Conversely, companies that are scattered and inconsistent rarely make it to greatness.

Ahead of the exclusive in-person [Jim Collins: Good to Great® - Immersion Workshop](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/events/a02RG00000Ab9BrYAJ/overview?campaign_id=701RG00000b3t97YAA&promo=Blog&type=Affiliate) in Chicago, U.S., in October 2025, let’s take a look at what Jim Collins means by the hedgehog concept.

The Hedgehog Concept 

(Image: [Jim Collins website](https://www.jimcollins.com/concepts/the-hedgehog-concept.html#:~:text=Those%20who%20built%20the%20good,Hedgehog%20Concept%20for%20their%20companies.))

The hedgehog concept is the point at which three overlapping circles intersect:

·        What you are deeply passionate about

·        What you can be the best in the world at

·        What best drives your economic or resource engine

The passion circle represents the activities, subjects, or causes you feel most enthusiastic about - the areas where you invest your time and energy not out of obligation but because they stir you at a profound level. It taps into your innate motivations and sense of meaning. Passion provides the drive to work hard and persevere in the face of obstacles.

What you are deeply passionate about

This “best at” circle refers to the skills, knowledge areas, or unique traits where you have a potentially world-beating competency compared to others. It doesn't mean you're already the best today, but that you have the capability to become a true standout in this domain through dedicated effort over time. Being the best is about finding the intersection of your unreasonable talents and obsessions.

What you can be the best in the world at

The final “drive economic engine” circle represents how the first two circles - your passion and potentially elite abilities - can be harnessed to create value measured by whatever "currency" or resources are most vital to you. For a business, this could mean a profitable economic model. For an individual, it may mean generating income, growing a career, or maximising personal potential. But the idea is to find a way to "productise" your unique passion and competency into an engine for compounding results.

What best drives your economic or resource engine

The hedgehog concept is only achieved in the centre overlap of these three circles. Trying to be excellent at something you lack passion for, or pursuing a passion you can never be elite at, or finding abilities that don't translate into valuable outcomes - these lead to an endless struggle achieving greatness. But locating and simplifying your life around that concentrated intersection is the key to going from good to truly great

The sweet spot where all three intersect

An inspiring example is Eleven Madison Park restaurant in New York City purchased from Danny Meyer by Chef Daniel Humm and General Manager Will Guidara.

Rather than just providing excellent food, Will Guidara writes in [_"Unreasonable Hospitality"_](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/summary-of-will-guidara-s-unreasonable-hospitality-event) they focused on delivering delightful, bespoke service beyond any reasonable expectation. 

For example, when a family from Spain delighted in the snow falling outside the restaurant windows, Will bought new sleds and organised transport to take them sledding in Central Park after their meal. 

 This clarity of purpose and keen execution allowed them to become one of the world's truly elite dining destinations.

World-best at customer service

The hedgehog concept applies not just to companies but to individuals as well. As Patrick Lencioni outlines in his [6 Types of Working Genius](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/6typesofworkinggenius/) assessment, we generally thrive in two areas of work. Our “working genius” might fall into two of the following:

·        Wonder - you see potential

·        Invention - you see ideas

·        Discernment - you assess ideas

·        Galvanizing - you rally others to act on ideas

·        Enablement - you help to bring ideas to life

·        Tenacity - you push ideas to completion

Those lucky enough to find roles allowing them to maximise their personal geniuses while receiving team support in areas of weakness can achieve extraordinary results through this focus.

Finding your working genius 

“Drive” author, organisational psychologist Daniel Pink's work on the [three keys to motivation](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/what-really-motivates-us-daniel-pink-event-summary) also supports this idea.

**Mastery, autonomy,** and **purpose** are necessary for intrinsic motivation, says Pink, and speak to the hedgehog circles of passion and being the best at something.  This might mean concentrating efforts to capitalise on innate strengths rather than attempting shallow dabblings in many areas (which may limit achieving excellence).

Mastery is motivating

Author of _“Multipliers”_ Liz Wiseman shows the value of [being a "Multiplier" leader](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/articles/Multipliersmasterclasstalentmagnet) - utilising 100% of what your team members have to offer rather than being a "Diminisher" who accesses only a fraction of their capabilities. The Hedgehog Concept provides a powerful blueprint for Multipliers - help individuals find what they're uniquely gifted at, then unite those talents towards a simplified, shared mission of delivering signature value nobody else can match.

How Multiplier leaders support the hedgehog

Your hedgehog is what will take you to greatness in your field. Some key questions to ask yourself or discuss with your team:

·        What activities most energise you? Where do you experience “flow?” Where do you have unreasonable **strengths or obsessions** compared to others?

·        What currently **drains you** that you realistically cannot make a competitive advantage?

·        What creates your **economic or value engine** - revenue, meaning, credentials, etc.?

Find the intersecting bounds of your “hedgehog,” simplify life around it, and you'll thrive by going deep instead of trying to be breadth.

As Jim Collins will tell our exclusive full-day, in-person intensive [Jim Collins: Good to Great® - Immersion Workshop](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/events/a02RG00000Ab9BrYAJ/overview?campaign_id=701RG00000b3t97YAA&promo=Blog&type=Affiliate) in October 2025, mediocrity comes from settling for being decent at everything - excellence comes from finding the one hedgehog you were born to master.

How to find your hedgehog

The most successful professionals are those who **embrace continuous learning** throughout their careers.

Growth Faculty's [2025 Program](https://ideas.growthfaculty.com/l/1071223/2024-06-12/5q9w34) of live virtual learning sessions gives you a regular opportunity to learn from some of the world's most influential thought leaders in business and leadership.

Events are added regularly, so keep up to date by signing up for [our newsletter](https://ideas.growthfaculty.com/l/1071223/2024-07-24/5qfgl1) and see what’s on offer for [Growth Faculty members](https://join.thegrowthfaculty.com/#plans).

Growth Faculty also offers a great value [Enterprise plan](https://thegrowthfaculty.com/#plans) for larger companies to develop leadership skills in teams of 20 or more employees.

Image: [Jacek Zapała (Jacek (talk))](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Small_hedgehog.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Why Good to Great Companies are Hedgehogs

Jim Collins concept on the power of focusing on what you do best

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Stay Inspired

Why Good to Great Companies are Hedgehogs

Jim Collins concept on the power of focusing on what you do best

Keep informedStay Inspired

Keep informed
Stay Inspired