Book excerpt: What Does it Take to Build a High-Performance Organization? In looking for help and understanding on how to build an organization and to select and manage your people, a good place to start would be to look for an organization that did that exceptionally well. Cintas is a great American success story, and Bob Kohlhepp was an important part of that success for 50 years. He began his career as Controller, but quickly moved up to ultimately become CEO and then Chairman. He was a key part of building Cintas from $1.6 million in sales in 1967 to over $7 billion today. Drawing on his experience and wisdom you will learn: The importance of defining and communicating your culture. How to select the right people for your organization. How to stretch your people without breaking them. The characteristics of great leaders. And much more.