There are over 350 metro Areas in the U.S. and another 500+ smaller urban areas all trying to figure out how to outcompete each other for employment opportunities, residents and quality of life.
 
At the turn of the century, Jim Collins published his iconic book “Good to Great” about companies that made the leap, many of the ideas apply to communities too.
 
There’s no doubt Wilmington is a “good” place to live, and together we can make it “great” for all; it’s already happening.
 
Collins’ ideas are self-evident once articulated but are worthy of repeating often, and all rely on strong individuals, leaders and teamwork within our community.
 
Good is the enemy of great.
 
We shouldn’t settle for a good city; we should keep striving for a great one.
 
For example, David Swain (WilmingtonBiz 100 Power Player) has built several quality developments in the region but continues to envision great projects that fit into the fabric of our community and are more than buildings.
 
Chip Mahan (100-Power Player) and Live Oak Bank aren’t just business as usual; they understand that technology is a tool for driving value.
 
The mindset of the successful leaders in the community isn’t one of “do it differently.” Their mindset is of using every resource available to do it better.
 
While good is the enemy of great, only through the development of great leadership and talent will we be able to achieve greatness. Just like companies, we need leaders who are relentlessly driven in pursuit of the goal.
 
What the community’s goal is remains an open question, but folks are stepping up to make things happen.
 
Whether it’s the chamber’s Scorecard events (Natalie English is a WilmingtonBiz 100 Influencer), Rhonda Bellamy of the arts council (100-Connector) working to connect neighborhoods and provide public access to art through the Wilmington Rail Trail or Dan Brawley (100-Innovator) and Cucalorous expanding beyond film, the community is engaging.
 
The emergence of talented and engaged people from different walks of life will lead us to our direction, in the words of Collins, “first the Who, then the What.”
 
Our “what?” will likely turn out to be simpler and clearer than we currently imagine. Collins calls simplicity the hedgehog principle since hedgehogs don’t run, they don’t hide, they just ball up and put their spikes out; simple, effective and unique to the hedgehog.
 
What can we do at a world-class level that we are passionate about, and that is unique to us? Borrowing some theory from Austrian economics, the answer probably won’t come from an expensive consultant but will evolve spontaneously, through each of us making small contributions that together add up to show us and push us in the direction of our “what?”
 
As part of our journey, we will have to face facts that are uncomfortable, such as inequality of opportunity, tradeoffs between development and the environment, and difference of opinion about what constitutes attractive development or where it should go.
 
But through it all, if we maintain a culture of cooperation and discussion and continue to develop talent that understands our community, we’ll make it to great. Keep the faith.
 
Don’t believe all this is possible? Afraid we won’t make it? We already have.
 
The evolution of downtown is a great example (Ed Wolverton, 100-Influencer). In the last decade, streetscapes have improved, new residential development has revitalized dilapidated areas and the Wilson Center now makes an impressive statement when entering the Port City. These improvements have been driven by individuals that doggedly pursue greatness for their organizations and whose efforts add up across the community; I never tire of hearing Shane Fernando (100-Influencer) tell the Wilson Center’s story.
 
Southeastern North Carolina has all the necessary components: a great locale, great community members and great leadership, and we will need all our talent civically engaged to reach our potential.
 
At some point, as we continue our journey from “Good to Great,” maybe we should peek at another book of appropriate title, “Built to Last.”
 
Adam Jones is a regional economist with UNCW’s Swain Center and an associate professor of economics in UNCW’s Cameron School of Business.