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What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful

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What Got You Here Won't Get You There is an intriguing look into the nuances between those who climb to the top of the corporate ladder and those who fall just short, while everyone applauds their fall. We all have trouble seeing ourselves as others see us. Marshall Goldsmith takes dead aim at that problem by describing his unique methods for coaching candidates for top jobs into the corner offices.

While that's intriguing in and of itself, Dr. Goldsmith also reveals what he usually finds in such detail that you'll see the shadow of yourself spread out across the pavement in front of you. He does this so well that I felt truly mortified to think of the times when I fell for the many bad habits (that stall career and company progress) that he so eloquently describes here.

What are these bad habits? I've paraphrased them below:

Letting winning get in the way of relationships you need

Dropping too many ideas on those who work for you

Being judgmental rather than helpful

Slamming people in public or behind their backs

Making comments that indicate you disagree with everyone that's just been said

Showing off how smart you think you are

Saying anything in anger

Being negative

Keeping secret what others need to know

Not recognizing the contributions others make

Claiming undeserved credit

Refusing to take responsibility for bad results

Being focused on the past

Favoring those who agree with you

Not apologizing

Ignoring what others are saying or shutting them up

Being ungrateful

Shooting the messenger who brings bad news

Blaming others for everything

Insisting on sticking with you bad habits after you're aware of them

Dr. Goldsmith also tells a lot of stories about how he struggles in some of these areas; I thought the best lessons came from those examples. It's clearly a lot easier to describe what needs to be done than to do it.

For those who are or want to be top executive coaches, here's a chance to learn a lot about how a master does it. He relies on lot of 360 degree interviews which are repeated to test for progress (or regression). Dr. Goldsmith also tries to open up bosses, peers, and subordinates so that they try to support the executive who is trying to change.

I was particularly impressed by Dr. Goldsmith's compensation plan: He only gets paid if an executive improves in the eyes of those who work with the executive.

Realize that his perspective is on those who have great technical and leadership skills . . . but who have interpersonal bad habits that are killing performance. Turn some of these negatives into neutrals or less negatives, and great results may follow.

In a sense, this book is a good companion to Know-How by Ram Charan who looks at those who have great interpersonal skills as leaders but don't have the technical ability to know what to do. If you pay attention to the lessons in both books, you'll probably do better.

Ultimately, I was, however, skeptical of Dr. Goldsmith's suggestions for how you might duplicate his process on your own. I suspect you'd be better off to give this book to someone who is a coach and ask them to help you by playing the Marshall Goldsmith role.

Fans of Buddhism will enjoy reading Dr. Goldsmith's many perspectives on executive life drawn from those sources.

This book is a "great gift" from Marshall Goldsmith to his reader. How so? In the Coda, he suggests this exercise:

"Imagine that you are 95 years old and ready to die." By then you (i.e. the reader) understand what is really important and what isn't, what matters and what doesn't. "What advice would this wise `old you' have for the `you' who is [receiving the advice]? Take your time and answer the question on two levels: personal advice and professional advice. Jot down a few words that capture what the old you would be saying to the younger you. Once you have written these words down, the rest is simple: Just do whatever you wrote down. Make it your resolution for the rest of the current year, and the next. You have just defined your `there.'"

Everything Goldsmith provides in this volume can help his readers to develop or reactivate what he aptly characterizes as "a built-in GPS mechanism" so that they will "be blessed with [both a map and] an internal compass that orients them automatically. They will [always] make the correct turn and end up where they intended via the most economical route...[because they possess] an exquisite sense of who they are, which translates into perfect pitch about how they come across to others."

It sounds easy, doesn't it? All you have to do is read this book and (like a magic carpet) it will get you from where you are now to where you want to be. On the contrary, for most people who read this book, the challenge is formidable. First, they must accept the fact that Pogo was right: "We have met the enemy and he is us." Then, they must focus on correcting those faults and breaking those habits that currently control their interpersonal behavior. And then they must focus each day, each moment, on avoiding those faults and habits. They cannot do it themselves. With all due respect to the value of Goldsmith's counsel, those who commit to this difficult process of self-improvement must seek the assistance of members of their family as well as associates in their workplace.

Goldsmith identifies twenty of the most common flaws, none of which is a flaw of skill, intelligence, or personality. (That's a key point). "What we're dealing with here are challenges of in interpersonal behavior, often leadership behavior. They are the egregious everyday annoyances that make your workplace more noxious than it needs to be. They don't happen in a vacuum. They are transactional flaws performed by one person against others." Throughout the narrative, Goldsmith cites dozens of real-world examples to illustrate key points but, for obvious reasons, changes the names of those involved. It should be noted that, for several decades, Goldsmith career has primarily involved providing executive coaching services to senior-level executives and he does so on a one-on-one basis. To the extent possible, he establishes the same relationship with each reader. To his credit, he has a clear sense of who he isn't (e.g. a judge of others' behavior) and what he doesn't do (e.g. define anyone else's "there"). As Goldsmith frequently acknowledges, it remains for each reader to determine which flaws are most detrimental to her or his interpersonal relationships. He also points out that many people are either unaware of their faults or unaware of the extent they are resented by others. Hence the importance of continuous feedback from family members and business associates.

The first portion of this review identifies the "there" to which the title refers. It is important to understand that you can get there only if you fully understand both what your "here" is and why. (It may not be where you think it is.) Read the book, then complete the exercise briefly described earlier so that you can obtain "wisdom" that you already possess. "Use that wisdom now. Don't look ahead. Look behind. Look back from your old age at the life you hope to live. Know that you need to be happy now, to enjoy your friends and family, to follow your dreams.

"You are here.
You can get there!
Let the journey begin."

I had the pleasure of watching Marshall at the 10th anniversary conference of the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC) in Vancouver. Experiencing the Feed forward method first hand and watching him perform is not just a pleasure but a sincere privilege as well. This book will be known as a classic, no doubt about it.
Marshall is already there. I couldn't help wondering why then does he need to start this book with six pages of recommendations, not about this book, but about him. He doesn't need that. But as he teaches us: take a deep breath and let it go, just let it go.
The book is just brilliant, a new bible for executive coaches and C-level executives who are smart enough to learn and gain the upper hand in their profession.

Marshall Goldsmith is succinct, insightful and intuitive. A very powerful combination. He gets to the key dynamics of what makes people tick. Buy it. You'll only regret it if you don't have this front and center in your library!

At the top everyone is smart and accomplished - ok, feel free to argue this one - but all else being equal, Goldsmith argues that it is our behavioral issues and people skills that will ultimate determine how high we can go. Our ability to listen, solicit feedback, identify our behavioral flaws and shift the focus from ourselves to others are integral components of our career path. The author provides a great overview of the most common personality pitfalls and behavioral issues and offers many suggestions to help us improve. An interesting read and well worth everyone's time.

Marshall's book was so important for me for three reasons: First, for reminding us that ALL our behaviors in ALL social and work contexts impact others despite our intentions--either negatively or positively--and that knowing this means bringing a heightened mindfulness to how we treat others and accepting full responsibility for the outcomes of our behaviors.

Second, that receiving feedback regardless of how it's given is always a "gift" because it gives us an instant snapshot of how we're impacting others and the opportunity to possibly course correct if this is what is needed. I also appreciated the suggestion to receive feedback with a simple "thank you" without the felt need to immediately evaluate, justify or explain. Time and acute observation will easily tell if the feedback makes sense and if we've improved our behaviors with others.

And, third, for requesting we reach out and thank all those in our lives (even from childhood) who have most believed in us, guided us and assisted us in becoming who we are today. I'm creating my list now.

Thanks Marshall for calling on us to all become better humans!

--Wendy Johnson
President and Chief Executive Officer
Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC)

My clients and friends love this book! It's so easy to read, and covers so much material. They find themselves in Marshall's list of 20 habits, and Marshall's stories about experiences he's had with his coaching clients. It's become a favorite reference book for everyone I work with.

Marshall Goldsmith has been an Executive coach for over 20 years, so when he starts talking about what CEO's need to hear, we already have a few assumptions: eg. 'Executives have business smarts but no people smarts'they don't teach those at Harvard'. But this book really offers value in the way it turns the finger not at CEO's but at the reader, and says 'Look at all the ways you're being annoying, or putting people off'did you know you were doing that?'

There's a list of 'annoying habits' in the book like 'Speaking when angry' and 'Failing to Give proper recognition', I did a quick test and ticked any that applied to me: I noticed 12 of the 20. Yes that's a failing grade, like getting 40% on a mid-term, and realizing you have to rock the final exam if you're ever going to pass the course.

Looking again at the 20 'flaws' and having now read through the book, I probably have done all 20 in the past. I have a long way to go. They all boil down to one massive problem for well intentioned CEO's, which is summed up nicely by the Late Celtic's Legend Head Coach Red Auerbach: 'It's not what you say, it's what they hear'

That's what we're trying to do with this book.

And before you say, 'But Mike, I'm not a CEO, I don't have to be great at dealing with subordinates, because I don't have any. As an Office clerk, I'm the best there is,' I doubt it. The truth is, your bosses are always looking for people to bring up through the system, they're always looking for stars to promote. When they can't find any in the system, they have to go on[...]and find someone.

Unfortunately, they're going to have to find someone based on a few pages of résumé and a few interviews. How can they evaluate the 20 character flaws outlined in this book, when they know people in interviews are trying to appear flawless. They can ask for references, but, alas, people don't put their enemies as references. The best they can do is give you a 3 month probation period at a lower pay grade, and see if any problems come up.

In addition to outlining the long list of Character flaws we all do in moments of weakness, he also exposes 'Feedback' as one of the most hated things in Business. Why? Because we don't like giving feedback when we know that criticizing when we know it will hurt them (eg. the truth). We sure aren't going to criticize our superiors because we don't want to be fired when they throw a childish hissy fit. Furthermore, they don't want to hear our feedback, unless it's butt-kissing, and that just compounds the problem: the boss can't see the truth, and no one wants to tell it to him. Marshall comes up with a brilliant antidote to this fundamental problem, so simple, it can applied to any aspect of life, not just business.

And there's the gem: one of the most rewarding things about this book is that it is not a business book, its a personality book. After all your University accolades, and sparkling résumé of work experience, there's one element that you haven't brought with you (as suggested above) to the job interview: your real personality.

That's the thing (not your skin color, or your age, or your looks) that is holding you back the most. You don't know how abrasive/annoying/arrogant you can be, and you've been doing it so long that the people who might have told you have by now exited your life. Sounds harsh? Sorry, but we all know these bad bosses, and manipulative passive-aggresive coworkers, and we'd all love for them to be better, and this is the book that can make sure you're not like them.

At this very moment, your personality has got you this far. This is as far it can take you without significant improvement. Improve your personality (not by adding, amazingly, but by removing certain annoying things you do) and watch every aspect of your life flourish. Yes that includes romance. Yes that includes untold fortunes. And yet the remedies are so simple, that almost no one does them. That's why you can be, like Red Auerbach, the clear communicator that people love to work (and play) with.

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I bought this as an audio book. I liked the candid stories and examples that Goldsmith uses to outline his points. In a nutshell this book offers:

1) Straightforward and simple advice on doing the right thing.

2) Basic steps to stay accountable.

3) Insights that are not just business focussed, but rather holistic in taking into account the family and relationships you build.

4) Useful ideas to help you stay where you are (at the top) and skills to help you move further.

This is a well rounded book that is useful for folks at every level and stage of their business and life. Well worth the read.

Todd Millar, Glenn Simon Inc.

I read a book on the flight back from San Francisco that a friend recommended called, "What Got You Here Won't Get You There" by Marshall Goldsmith.

I was particularly intrigue by the title because often self-help books say things like, "If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always got". My variation of that is... "If you do what you have always done, you will go bankrupt". The reason self-help books express things in those words is that they are trying to appeal to people who don't think they are as successful as they can be. What I like about this book is that he is appealing to people who are already successful.

The book runs through a list of 20 habits that can hold people back. Often these habits are routed in high success. Many of them can be thought of as common arrogance (success can breed arrogance) and this is all something that we have to fight.

Some of the habits:
Habit 12, making excuses, this often comes down to people answering the "why" question when what really needs to be answered is "how" - not why did it fail; but how could it succeed?
Habit 17 was failing to express gratitude. I think many people could be more grateful.
Habit 18 - punishing the messenger. Nobody likes to hear bad news but if you punish the messenger, you will not get any news and find out about things too late.

There was an entire chapter on the 21st Habit called Goal Obsession.

"By itself, goal obsession is not a flaw. Unlike adding value or punishing the messenger or any of the other twenty annoying habits, goal obsession is not transactional; it's not something you can do to another person. But it is often the root cause of the annoying behavior. Goal obsession turns us into someone we should be.

Goal obsession is one of those paradoxical traits we accept as a driver of our success. It's the force that motivates us to finish the job in the face of any obstacle - and finish it perfectly."

"A valuable attribute much of the time", but taken too far, it can become a blatant cause of failure.

The book has a section on how we can change for the better and even has a seven step method.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is successful and is willing to grow and learn.