What Got You Here Won’t Get You There Summary & Review

Author: Marshall Goldsmith

Synopsis
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There (2007) highlights some of the toxic interpersonal traits of successful people which hinder their further success. It reveals how they need to overcome them in order to unlock other levels of success. The book is an eye-opener for the leaders that it’s possible the talents and habits that have gotten them this far aren’t the proper ones to go them further.
what got you here won't get you there summary
Source: amazon.com

Detailed Summary Of What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

In the book, the author Marshall Goldsmith talks about the awful interpersonal and character traits of leaders that stops them from becoming more successful. The author has named them “Success delusions” and talked about how to overcome them.

According to the author, the presumption that “I am successful” is one of the most common mistakes made by successful people. “This is how I act. As a result, I am successful because I act in this manner”

The problem is to show them that, despite their bad behavior, they can be successful at times. Because we generally confine our change endeavors to what we need to start doing, the author focuses on activities that successful individuals need to cease doing.

He also claims that it’s easier to cease doing negative things than to make many beneficial changes all at once.

As a result, he identified twenty behaviors, the most prevalent flaws, and obstacles in interpersonal conduct, which he calls “transactional flaws done by one person against another,” those successful individuals have and how to overcome them.

What Got You Here Won’t Get You There Summary Key Points

Are your toxic traits stop you from achieving the best of the world? Are you anticipated to get everything that holds you back? The below key points will surely help you in getting more successful in your way.

Recognizing and Overcoming Destructive Behavior is a part of the Success

Next up in the What Got You Here Won’t Get You There Summary, we learn that recognizing and avoiding detrimental behavior is an important aspect of any accomplishment. This holds true in the job, as well as in health and relationships.

And it is critical for executives and leaders to recognize this and set a positive example from the top. But one issue with giving up detrimental habits is that many people believe they are just a part of their personality.

Corporations can be an odd place to work at times. It’s partly due to the fact that the norms we automatically follow in our personal lives don’t seem to apply at work! However, Goldsmith reminds out that job and personal activities are not that dissimilar. As a result, we may frequently improve corporate culture by consulting common sense.

For instance, we should value avoiding poor judgments and behaviors at work just as much as we do in our personal lives. Consider that for a moment. You will undoubtedly congratulate your friend if they successfully quits smoking.

But what if an employee cancels an agreement that would be detrimental to the company? You’ll probably not notice it as much as you would if they closed a good transaction.

Four Successful Beliefs

“I have succeeded” This saying is typically focused on past success, skills, and talent and makes you ready to overlook new challenges and other roles.

“I can succeed” We often utter this phrase when we have belief in our abilities and skills.

“I will succeed” Getting motivation and stimulation to achieve a goal is OKAY and perfect until you get into trouble by taking too much work and risks.

“I choose to succeed” Believing in your willpower and actions will motivate you to succeed, but it can bring hardships and difficulty simultaneously.

Change for the Better

The author has also guided us on how to overcome bad behaviors and has shared some steps to fix them.

Firstly, the author advises that if you receive feedback in whatever form, don’t react to it. Instead, reply to it, don’t dispute, and absorb it. Secondly, if you recognize you’ve done something wrong, the author suggests letting go of your ego and pride, accepting your mistake and transgression, and just apologizing.

Telling the world when you understand your mistake, accept it, and apologize for it, you should also understand the behavior you want to change.

According to the author, apologies are meaningless unless some effort accompanies them. Also, pay attention when someone is speaking to you; the author advises you to listen and never interrupt them. Another tip shared by the author is to thank people.

Whenever someone does something kind or useful for you, you should always thank them and make time to thank them. Keep in touch when you comprehend and decide to make changes in your life, such as eliminating undesirable behaviors; the author believes you must follow through.

Don’t focus on your Personal success only but Inspire others as well

Although, people who excel in business frequently desire to win. It’s hardly unexpected; being competitive sometimes in your career will undoubtedly benefit you. However, a strong desire to win might get in the way after you’ve reached a certain level of accomplishment.

Goldsmith says success at the top of the corporate ladder isn’t about personal triumph. Instead, it should be centered on letting others shine and inspiring others around you to do better. This necessitates the leader stepping down from their own throne and looking at the big picture.

It’s no longer about “being correct.” The goal is to use your position to empower others and work together to create a shared vision. Listening to others’ thoughts without trying to improve on them is one actionable step toward this goal.

According to the author, if someone comes to you with a wonderful idea and you strive to improve it, you may be doing them a disservice. You’re taking away their passion and control over the project by giving them the idea that what they came up with isn’t good enough.

It is critical – perhaps ironically – for a high-level leader who wants to become even more successful to break out from their self-absorption. When you focus your efforts on fully empowering others, you will be rewarded with increased respect, trust, and readiness to collaborate.

What Got You Here Won’t Get You There Summary Quotes

“Successful people become great leaders when they learn to shift the focus from themselves to others.”
― Marshall Goldsmith

“Successful people, however, believe there is always a link between what they have done and how far they have come—even when no link exists. It’s delusional, but it is also empowering.”
― Marshall Goldsmith

“People who believe they can succeed see opportunities where others see threats.”
― Marshall Goldsmith

To whom would I recommend What Got You Here Won’t Get You There Summary?

What Got You Here Won’t Get You There Summary is recommended to all leaders who need to improve their communication skills with their employees and workers. Moreover, anyone who knows how to be direct with people must read this.

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