Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change, Second Edition

by Joseph Grenny

Psychologist Anders Ericsson has offered an interesting interpretation of how those at the top of their game get there. He doesn’t believe for a second that elite-level performance stems from zodiacal forces or, for that matter, from enhanced mental or physical properties. After devoting his academic life to learning why some individuals are better at certain tasks than others, Ericsson has been able to systematically demonstrate that people who climb to the top of just about any field eclipse their peers through something as basic as deliberate practice. We’ve all heard the old saying that practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect. Ericsson has spent his life proving this to be true. While most people believe that they are born with inherent limits to their athletic ability, Ericsson argues that there is little evidence that people who achieve exceptional performance ever get there through any means other than carefully guided practice—perfect practice. His research demonstrates that prowess, excellence, elite status—call it what you like—is not a matter of genetic gifts. It’s a matter of knowing how to enhance your skills through deliberate practice.