Coaching for Leaders

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

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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)
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