While the companies Collins and his team researched had their own particularities, the purpose of the book was to “search for timeless, universal answers that can be applied by any organization” (5). This idea of objective truth permeates the book, as Collins relies heavily on the guiding principles taken from the search in order to claim that he and his team have unlocked the good-to-great secret. Collins lends credence to his claims by drawing on hard data; his definition of “greatness” is easily measured, and his observations derive directly from the thousands of hours of research he and his team conducted on the focus companies and their comparisons, both direct and unsustained.

Collins also invites the reader to interpret the data, to consider the guiding principles, and then to draw conclusions about whether or not these principles can indeed lead to universal truths. Collins expresses confidence in the findings that the research produced, yet his offer to the reader is genuine, as seen in this passage: “I offer everything herein for your thoughtful consideration, not blind acceptance. You’re the judge and the jury. Let the evidence speak” (16). In the final pages of the book, Collins asks readers to consider how these rules can play a role in their personal lives, suggesting that the guiding principles can cross over from the business world into the everyday world of churches, schools, and communities.