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

by Marshall Goldsmith

“I admire that kind of selectivity because that’s what I do here. If I have the right people around me, I’m fine. But if I have the wrong people, not even God can win with that hand.”

What’s interesting, though, is how often the people I work with try to ignore that in-your-face problem and instead tackle one of the other flaws.

Then I focus on the men: “How many times do you do this at home? That is, ask your wife, ‘What can I do to be a better partner?’ ” No yes chorus. Just silence. “Do you men believe this stuff?” I ask. Back to the yes chorus. “Of course!” they say in unison. “Well, I presume your wife is more important to you than your customers, right?” They nod.

Take a look around your office. Someone’s the best salesman. Someone else is the best accountant. Someone else is the best manager. No one is the best at everything.

From that moment I started keeping track of how many days I spent at least four hours interacting with my family without TV, movies, football, or the telephone as a distraction. I’m proud to say I got better. The first year I logged in 92 days of unencumbered interaction with my family. The second year, 110 days. The third year, 131 days. The fourth year, 135 days.

He saw that he was operating under a bogus assumption that what was good for him was good for everyone else.

Historically, large U.S. companies have benefited from a one-sided proposition. 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?”

Managers at smart companies are catching on. They’re beginning to see that their relationship with top talent resembles a strategic alliance rather than a traditional employment contract. They know free agents can leave anytime. When I polled the top 120 executives at one of the world’s leading high-tech companies, “Can the highest potential leader who works for you leave the company and get another job with a pay raise in one week?” all 120 executives said yes!