At our 2013 ReThink Conference – an annual summit focused on best practices in global Human Capital Management – we had the pleasure of interviewing Jim Collins, author of the international bestseller Good to Great. Among his many valuable insights was his emphasis on the fact that when all is said and done, it’s people who really make the difference and distinguish great companies from good ones.

The key is to align your talent with the opportunities and roles that fit their passions, their natural abilities and what makes them significant within the organization. Effective human capital management is dependent on hiring and retaining employees who share the same values as your organization and can then excel at building or participating in winning teams – growing from good to great. But, as Jim points out, managing talent – attracting and keeping enough of the right people in an organization – is a journey, not a sprint.

In his interview, Jim shared three specific challenges that can hamper a company’s journey from good to great: