Coaching for Leaders

696: The Habits That Hold Leaders Back, with Marshall Goldsmith

Listen Later
Marshall Goldsmith: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

Marshall Goldsmith is one of the world’s leading executive coaches. He’s written 56 books, selling over 3 million copies, including 8 bestsellers and 4 New York Times bestsellers. He’s been ranked twice by Thinkers50 as the #1 leadership thinker in the world and ranked the #1 executive coach in the world for over a decade.

Marshall’s most popular book is What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful*. In this episode, Marshall and I explore the key lessons from this iconic book and the most common habits that hold leaders back.

Key Points
  • The superstition trap: I behave this way and I am successful, therefore I am successful because I behave this way.
  • The higher you go, the more your problems are behavioral.
  • Winning too much is a trap for successful people. Ask yourself, “Is it worth it?”
  • Be aware that your suggestions become orders.
  • Avoid starting your responses with “no,” “but,” or “however.” It’s hard to hear things we already know.
  • We are not here on Earth to prove how smart we are. Help more, judge less.
  • We all reinforce people who reinforce us. We hate obvious suck-ups, but not the good ones. The good suck-ups can easily fool the best leaders.
  • Beware an excessive need to “be me.” Instead, be who you want and need to be.
    • Resources Mentioned
    • What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful* by Marshall Goldsmith
    • MarshallGoldsmith.ai
      • Interview Notes

      Download my interview notes in PDF format (free membership required).

      Related Episodes
      • The Way to Be More Self-Aware, with Tasha Eurich (episode 442)
      • The Power of Courage in Leadership Growth, with Jorge Alzate (episode 611)
      • What Vulnerable Leadership Sounds Like, with Jacob Morgan (episode 648)
        • Discover More

        Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.

        ...more
        View all episodesView all episodes
        Download on the App Store
        Coaching for LeadersBy Dave Stachowiak
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8
        • 4.8

        4.8

        1,393 ratings

        More shows like Coaching for Leaders

        View all
        The Look & Sound of Leadership by Essential Communications - Tom Henschel

        The Look & Sound of Leadership

        1,167 Listeners

        The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk by Ryan Hawk

        The Learning Leader Show With Ryan Hawk

        1,337 Listeners

        Teaching in Higher Ed by Bonni Stachowiak

        Teaching in Higher Ed

        371 Listeners

        HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

        HBR IdeaCast

        163 Listeners

        Negotiate Anything by Kwame Christian Esq., M.A.

        Negotiate Anything

        720 Listeners

        How to Be Awesome at Your Job by How to be Awesome at Your Job

        How to Be Awesome at Your Job

        1,036 Listeners

        Worklife with Adam Grant by TED

        Worklife with Adam Grant

        9,119 Listeners

        Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style by Laura Camacho

        Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence & Leadership Communication Style

        94 Listeners

        Maxwell Leadership Executive Podcast by John Maxwell

        Maxwell Leadership Executive Podcast

        384 Listeners

        Inside the Strategy Room by McKinsey & Company

        Inside the Strategy Room

        176 Listeners

        No Bullsh!t Leadership by Martin G Moore

        No Bullsh!t Leadership

        127 Listeners

        The Anxious Achiever by Morra Aarons-Mele

        The Anxious Achiever

        574 Listeners

        Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques by Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart

        Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

        827 Listeners

        A Bit of Optimism by Simon Sinek

        A Bit of Optimism

        2,236 Listeners

        Coaching Real Leaders by Harvard Business Review / Muriel Wilkins

        Coaching Real Leaders

        670 Listeners

        HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review

        HBR On Leadership

        171 Listeners