Howdy, Writing Friends!

Do you remember the first truly impactful nonfiction book you read? I do. I vividly remember it, and I still have the dog-eared, overly-highlighted book on my shelf.

For me, that book was Good to Great by Jim Collins.

Some authors want to go viral. Jim Collins wants to build something that lasts. He writes in a disciplined way... something that you know he's put his absolute best into.

As the author of Good to Great, Built to Last, and Great by Choice, Collins has sold over 10 million books. His research-based, rigorously structured writing style has become the gold standard for executives, consultants, and organizational leaders who want to move beyond inspiration and into action.

I had the chance to sit down with Jim for one of our Modern Author Sessions (which was pretty surreal meeting someone you admire like that), and what struck me most wasn’t just his brilliance. It was his discipline.

This is the essence of the Flywheel Writing Framework, Jim's methodical, evidence-backed approach to writing long-form nonfiction that shapes industries, teams, and leaders.

Why This Framework Works

Jim’s writing resonates with both CEOs and students because it’s:

• Rooted in rigorous research and real-world examples
• Built around frameworks and principles—not just opinions
• Structured for long-term reference and repeat use
• Designed to inform decisions, guide teams, and shape systems

Readers don’t just read his work. They use it—again and again.

When to Use This Framework

Best For:

• Consultants, leadership coaches, and business authors
• Academics and researchers translating their findings into practice
• Thought leaders building a durable platform or movement

Ideal For:

• Business books and white papers
• Strategic frameworks and decision-making guides
• Leadership content that gets adopted in companies and classrooms

If you aim to create timeless thought leadership that people return to year after year, Jim Collins’ framework is your blueprint.

The Flywheel Framework: Jim Collins’ Writing Structure

Jim’s books are built around powerful core metaphors (like the Flywheel or Hedgehog Concept) and structured around deep, field-tested insights. Here’s how to emulate his approach in your own writing.

1️⃣ Start With a Big Question (300–500 words)

• What’s the central problem you’re solving or exploring?
• Why hasn’t this been answered clearly before?
• Use this section to frame the stakes, not share the answer.

💡 Why it works: The best thought leadership starts with curiosity. This invites the reader into an investigation, not just a lesson.

2️⃣ Introduce a Core Concept or Hypothesis (400–700 words)

• Present a clear, compelling idea: a metaphor, model, or core belief.
• Example: The Flywheel Effect in Good to Great
• Use simple, repeatable language.

💡 Why it works: Anchors the chapter around a single mental model. Readers now have a name and shape for what they’re learning.

3️⃣ Build the Evidence Base (800–1,200 words)

• Share structured findings from research, interviews, or case studies.
• Use subheaders and compare/contrast structures.
• Example: 11 companies that made the leap from good to great—and what they had in common.

💡 Why it works: Rigorous evidence builds credibility. This is where you shift from storytelling to substantiating.

4️⃣ Deep Dive on a Case Example (600–900 words)

• Choose one specific story to illustrate the concept in depth.
• Use narrative beats: struggle, decision, pivot, transformation.
• Could be from your own experience or from your research base.

💡 Why it works: Moves the insight from theoretical to tangible. Readers connect emotionally and practically.

5️⃣ Extract Key Principles (400–700 words)

• Distill your findings into principles, habits, or rules.
• Use bullet points, short mantras, or diagrams.
• Example: “Level 5 Leaders,” “First Who, Then What.”

💡 Why it works: Offers takeaway value. Great thought leadership gives readers a playbook, not just a point.

6️⃣ Preview the Flywheel (Optional/Transitional Section)

• If you’re writing a book-length project, this is where you preview how this insight fits into the bigger system.
• Reference other chapters, concepts, or the reader’s journey.

💡 Why it works: Builds continuity and momentum... like a well-designed strategy slide.

7️⃣ Conclude With a Leadership Challenge (300–500 words)

• End with a call to reflection or strategic action.
• Prompt the reader to assess their own practices.
• Example: “How many of your key people are truly Level 5 leaders?”

💡 Why it works: Empowers the reader to own the transformation... not just admire the insight.

ChatGPT Prompt: Flywheel Framework (Jim Collins Style)

You'll need to create the raw content first, then get help from your favorite GenAI tool to structure it into a chapter-like format. Once you've created the raw content, copy the prompt below and modify it, including populating your specific content:

“I’m writing a long-form chapter using Jim Collins’ Flywheel Framework. Please review and revise the following content based on these elements:

• Open with a strategic question or challenge
• Introduce a new concept or insight with clarity
• Layer in compelling research and supporting evidence
• Add one deep dive case study to ground the theory
• Extract a set of principles or lessons readers can use
• Optional: preview how this fits into a larger system
• End with a leadership question or call to action

Here’s my draft content: [Insert Your Content]”

The Takeaway for Thought Leaders

Jim Collins didn’t just write books. He built tools.

He gave readers frameworks they could explain to others.
He backed every insight with data.
And he never settled for “interesting”... he aimed for enduring.

That’s what the Flywheel Framework makes possible: books, white papers, and chapters that don’t just sound smart… they drive smart action.

📘 The next time you sit down to write... don’t just ask “What do I want to say?” Ask:
​“What system am I helping my reader build?”

What's Next?

I've gotten a few questions recently from readers about ChatGPT and GenAI and their impact on us as modern authors. I thought I'd share a fun story about one way I'm using them: Last fall, my parents planted Peachy, a little Elberta peach tree, and it’s quietly become the best generational project we’ve done.

They live in Nebraska. I’m in D.C. But every year, we visit their lake cabin, where my daughters have learned to fish, dig for worms, and now… become peach tree nerds.

This spring, Peachy turned into our family’s science-meets-AI experiment.

My dad (retired sales guy turned “Peach Tree Scientist”) wanted to learn ChatGPT. I told him: don’t start with work. Start with something fun. So we asked:

“How do we care for a peach tree in Holdrege Silt Loam soil in Nebraska?”

That one prompt turned into a fully customized care plan, with pruning schedules, frost alerts, mulch depth, and bloom forecasts.

My dad bookmarked it. Then named it. Then used it more than I did.

And when Peachy’s first blossoms popped, Aven (my 5-year-old) was so excited... until I told her we’d have to snip the flowers this year to help the tree grow stronger.

She called it “the worst gardening day of my life.”

Then added, “I’ll just sing Peachy more songs so she grows faster.”

Sometimes, the best way to explore something new... like AI... is by rooting it in something real. For us, it was a tree.

Next week, I’ll share the ORBIT Framework on how Modern Authors use ChatGPT, not to replace their writing but to amplify it.

Happy Writing My Friends!

Eric