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

by Marshall Goldsmith

the failure of managers to see the enormous disconnect between understanding and doing. Most leadership development revolves around one huge false assumption—that if people understand then they will do. That’s not true. Most of us understand, we just don’t do.

we all understand that being grossly overweight is bad for our health, but not all of us actually do anything to change our condition.

I’m not sure why bosses persist in thinking this way. Maybe their ego can’t fathom that their orders might not be strictly followed. Maybe they’re too lazy to investigate whether people did their bidding. Maybe they’re too disorganized to adhere to strict follow-up procedures. Maybe they think that following up is beneath them. Whatever the reason, they blindly assume that if people understand, they will do.

Stop the annoying behavior and you’ll stop being perceived as an annoyance.

The magazine Fast Company nailed it in 1998 when it ran a notorious cover story titled “Free Agent Nation.” It posited the then-radical notion that the “organization man” was dead, that the best performers in a company were

no longer interested in sacrificing their lives for the good of the organization. The smart ones believed that their corporation would “drop them in a flash” when they no longer met the company’s needs, so they in turn were willing to “drop the company” when it no longer met their needs. Free agency meant that each employee was operating like a small self-contained business rather than a cog in the wheel of a large system.

The first thing I do with managers who are overwhelmed or confused by this workplace shift is make them see that they are prejudiced about their employees. This always gets their attention. “Me. Prejudiced? Get outta here!” But if prejudice means harboring inflexible, intolerant beliefs about a group of

people that do not coincide with reality or how that group sees itself, it’s true. Managers who are blind to the changes in this new cohort of free agents are operating like dangerous, deluded executive bigots.

1. I know what they want. This is the biggest prejudice. And the easiest to understand. Almost every economic model has historically assumed that money is the key motivator for any employee. And so bosses assume that if they pay their people top dollar, they will get top performance and loyalty in return.

The shelf life of knowledge, especially technical knowledge, is continuously shrinking. And so free agents respond by moving on to new challenges that enhance their knowledge and let them outpace the shrinking value of their experience—and in turn reward them with more satisfaction and, quite possibly, more money.

The deduction, though, insulted him. The entrepreneur figured out how to change his employee’s behavior, but he also drove him away. They’re a complicated lot, these free agents. And if you think you know what makes them tick, you first need to check your prejudices at the door.

As a general rule, people in their 20s want to learn on the job. In their 30s they want to advance. And in their 40s they want to rule.

2. I know what they know. The days when managers know how to do every job in the company better than anyone else are over. The reason Peter Drucker said that the manager of the future will know how to ask rather than how to tell is because Drucker understood that knowledge workers would know more than any manager does.

Well, the future is here with a vengeance. And smart managers need to shed the overconfident bias that they know as much as their employees know in specific areas.

3. I hate their selfishness. How many times has an employee come to you complaining that he or she isn’t happy or fulfilled in a job, and the initial thought balloon hanging over your head is, “Quit griping, you selfish oaf! I pay you a lot of money to do a job, not to be happy. Get back to work.”

While the company was supposed to maximize return for itself and shareholders, the individual was expected to discount his or her self-interests and focus on the good of the company. It was considered outrageous for employees to openly demand, “What’s in it for me?”

I hope we can all agree that in the new world order—where the organization man has been replaced by the highly mobile free agent—no manager should be taken aback by employees who are looking out for themselves.

A talent agent once told me about an eye-opening encounter he had with Jack Welch when he was chairman of General Electric. The agent’s firm had just concluded a long-term contract renewal, with an eye-popping raise and stock options, for an on-air broadcaster at GE’s NBC broadcasting unit. Welch mentioned the broadcaster’s name in the meeting and the agent half-proudly, half-sheepishly said, “Yes, I’m afraid we took you guys to the cleaners with that one.” Welch’s eyes flared for a second, and the agent feared that he had needlessly insulted the legendary CEO. In solemn, serious tones, Welch said, “You don’t understand. You didn’t hose us. We wanted to give him the money. We would have done

4. I can always get someone else. In the past, the key to wealth may have been control of land, materials, plants, and tools. In that environment, the worker needed the company more than the company needed the worker. Today the key to wealth is knowledge. As a result, the company needs the knowledge worker far more than the knowledge worker needs them.

The difference is subtle but real: As a fungible asset, the free agent sees himself as always getting a better job somewhere else; if he were merely a commodity, anyone could replace him (which, we know, is not true anymore).

They’re beginning to see that their relationship with top talent resembles a strategic alliance rather than a traditional employment contract.

In most places, the top-down chain of command structure is still intact. People still obey their bosses’ commands. But there’s been a subtle shift in power in the workplace, and some of it now resides in the free agents.

In effect, the departing employees are voting with their feet. At some point, if enough of them cast similar votes, the free agent workers’ response to the manager registers as a serious problem.

That’s when I get called in—to find out what’s annoying the employees, share that with the boss, and get him to change his ways.

“The secret to managing a ballclub,” said Stengel, “was to keep the third who hated you from getting together with the third who were undecided.”

In the same way that some of your problems do not need fixing because they are an issue to only a small minority of people, as a boss you should stop trying to change people who don’t want to change.

Stop trying to change people who don’t think they have a problem. Have you ever attempted to change the behavior of a successful adult at work who has no interest in changing?

Stop trying to change people who are pursuing the wrong strategy for the organization. If they’re going in the wrong direction, all you’ll do is help them get there faster.

You can’t change the behavior of unhappy people so that they become happy. You can only fix the behavior that’s making the people around them unhappy.

Finally, stop trying to help people who think everyone else is the problem.

It’s hard to help people who don’t think they have a problem. It’s impossible to fix people who think someone else is the problem. You should, too. People like this will never give up on their near-religious belief that any failure is someone else’s fault. They hold this belief as firmly as if it were their religion.

Many older people say they were so wrapped up in looking for what they didn’t have that they seldom appreciated what they did have.

Your friends and family will probably be the only people who care. Appreciate them now and share a large part of your life with them.

Yet another recurring theme was the reflection to “follow your dreams.” Older people who have tried to achieve their dreams are always happier with their lives. Figure out your true purpose in life, and go for it! This doesn’t apply just to big dreams; it is also true for little dreams.

We asked each of these young stars a simple question: “If you stay in this company, why are you going to stay?” The three top answers were: 1. “I am finding meaning and happiness now. The work is exciting and I love what I am doing.” 2. “I like the people. They are my friends. This feels like a team. It feels like a family. I could make more money working with other people, but I don’t want to leave the people here.” 3. “I can follow my dreams. This organization is giving me a chance to do what I really want to do in life.”

Global Leadership Inventory Consider your own (or this person’s) effectiveness in the following areas. How satisfied are you with the way he

or she (or you) . . . Thinking Globally 1. Recognizes the impact of globalization on our business 2. Demonstrates the adaptability required to succeed in the global environment 3. Strives to gain the variety of experiences needed to conduct global business 4. Makes decisions that incorporate global considerations 5. Helps others understand the impact of globalization Appreciating Diversity 6. Embraces the value of diversity in people (including culture, race, sex, or age) 7. Effectively motivates people from

different cultures or backgrounds 8. Recognizes the value of diverse views and opinions 9. Helps others appreciate the value of diversity 10. Actively expands her/his knowledge of other cultures (through interactions, language study, travel, etc.) Developing Technological Savvy 11. Strives to acquire the technological knowledge needed to succeed in tomorrow’s world 12. Successfully recruits people with needed technolo...

14. Treats coworkers as partners, not competitors 15. Unites his/her organization into an effective team 16. Builds effective partnerships across the company 17. Discourages destructive comments about other people or groups 18. Builds effective alliances with other organizations 19. Creates a network of relationships that help to get things done Sharing Leadership 20. Willingly shares leadership with business partners 21. De...

others) 23. Creates an environment where people focus on the larger good (avoids sub-optimization or “turfism”) Creating a Shared Vision 24. Creates and communicates a clear vision for our organization 25. Effectively involves people in decision-making 26. Inspires people to commit to achieving the vision 27. Develops an effective strategy to achieve the vision 28. Clearly identifies pr...

do their work better 31. Ensures that people receive the training they need to succeed 32. Provides effective coaching 33. Provides developmental feedback in a timely manner 34. Provides effective recognition for others’ achievements Empowering People 35. Builds people’s confidence 36. Takes risks in letting others make decisions 37. Gives people the freedom they need to do their job well 38. Trusts p...

own strengths and weaknesses 40. Invests in ongoing personal development 41. Involves people who do not have strengths that he/she does not possess 42. Demonstrates effective emotional responses in a variety of situations 43. Demonstrates self-confidence as a leader Encouraging Constructive Dialogue 44. Asks people what he/she can do to improve 45. Genuinely listens to others 46. Accepts constructive feedback ...

48. Encourages people to challenge the status quo Demonstrates Integrity 49. Demonstrates honest, ethical behavior in all interactions 50. Ensures that the highest standards for ethical behavior are practiced throughout the organization 51. Avoids political or self-serving behavior 52. Courageously “stands up” for what she/he believes in 53. Is a role model for living our organization’s values (leads by example) Leading Change 54. Sees change as an opportunity, not a problem 55. Challenges the system when

change is needed 56. Thrives in ambiguous situations (demonstrates flexibility when needed) 57. Encourages creativity and innovation in others 58. Effectively translates creative ideas into business results Anticipating Opportunities 59. Invests in learning about future trends 60. Effectively anticipates future opportunities 61. Inspires people to focus on future opportunities (not just present objectives) 62. Develops ideas to meet the needs of the new environment Ensuring Customer Satisfaction

63. Inspires people to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction 64. Views business processes from the ultimate customer perspective (has an “end to end” perspective) 65. Regularly solicits input from customers 66. Consistently delivers on commitments to customers 67. Understands the competitive options available to her/his customers Maintaining a Competitive Advantage 68. Communicates a positive, “can do” sense of urgency toward gett...

71. Provides products/services that help our company have a clear competitive advantage 72. Achieves results that lead to long-term shareholder value Written Comments What are your strengths? Or if you are evaluating someone, what does this person do that you particularly appreciate? (Please list two or three specific items.) What specifically might you do to be more effective? Or if evaluating someone, what suggestions would you have for this person on how she or he could become even more effective? (Please list two or three specific items).