---
title: "Three practical disciplines for rigour"
description: "How to be rigorous in people decisions without being ruthless."
canonical: https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/good-to-great/three-practical-disciplines-for-rigour/
updated: 2026-11-03
---

# Three practical disciplines for rigour

> How to be rigorous in people decisions without being ruthless.

Jim Collins's framework, from Good to Great, pp. 49 to 73.

Framework 3 of 15 from [Good to Great](https://tomsharman.com/bookshelf/good-to-great/index.md) by Jim Collins. Category: Hiring and teams.

## The steps

1. **When in doubt, don’t hire.** Keep looking, and limit growth to your ability to attract the right people (Packard's Law).
2. **When you know, act.** Make the people change, but first check the person is not simply in the wrong seat.
3. **Best people on biggest opportunities.** Put your best people on opportunities, not problems, and keep them if you sell off the problem.

## Where it comes from

From chapter: Chapter 3 - First Who . . . Then What, pp. 49–73

## The animation

24 seconds, 4:5, no sound.

- MP4: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/good-to-great/three-practical-disciplines-for-rigour.mp4
- MP4, dark: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/good-to-great/three-practical-disciplines-for-rigour-dark.mp4
- Still: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/good-to-great/three-practical-disciplines-for-rigour.png
- Still, dark: https://tomsharman-downloads-006143767029.s3.eu-north-1.amazonaws.com/downloads/bookshelf/good-to-great/three-practical-disciplines-for-rigour-dark.png