7. Do We Have Enough Productive Paranoia?

The best leaders are consistently worried about the things they can't control, Collins said, banking on the fact that something uncertain and really bad is likely to happen.

For this reason, their companies typically overstock their supply depots to provide contingency.

The most successful businesses tend to have three to 10 times the cash-to-asset ratio of an average company, according to Collins.

"If you can't stay in the game, you can't prevail over time," Collins said. "The only mistakes you can learn from are the ones you survive."