What Got You Here Won’t Get You There

About the Author

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is a renowned expert in helping business leaders achieve measurable change in themselves, their people, and their teams. He is the founder of Marshall Goldsmith Partners LLC and serves as University Professor at Alliant University's Marshall Goldsmith School of Management, named in his honor in 2006. With an extensive career in coaching top executives, Dr. Goldsmith has become a pivotal figure in leadership development and behavioral change. His co-author, Mark Reiter, is a literary agent based in Bronxville, N.Y., who has collaborated on 13 previous books.

Main Idea

"What Got You Here Won't Get You There" explores the paradox of success, detailing how past achievements can hinder future growth. Marshall Goldsmith delves into the behavioral habits that prevent successful individuals from reaching even greater heights. He presents 20 specific habits that can derail careers and offers practical solutions to overcome them. The core message is that the behaviors that led to past successes need to evolve for continued growth, especially in leadership roles.

Table of Contents

1. The Trouble with Success
2. The 20 Habits That Hold You Back from the Top
3. The 21st Habit: Goal Obsession
4. How We Can Change for the Better
5. Pulling Out the Stops

The Trouble with Success

You Are Here

Goldsmith uses the metaphor of mall maps stating "You Are Here" to illustrate that successful individuals often have an internal compass guiding them. However, while "here" might be a place of achievement, it also masks gaps in behavior that could impede further success. Goldsmith emphasizes that recognizing the need to move from "here" to "there" is crucial, highlighting that "what got you here won't get you there."

The Success Delusion, or Why We Resist Change

Success creates delusions. People overestimate their contributions, skills, and influence, often ignoring their failures. These delusions foster resistance to change because individuals credit their success to their existing behaviors. Goldsmith identifies four key beliefs that drive success but also hinder change:

• I Have Succeeded: The belief that past success predicts future success.
• I Can Succeed: The confidence in one's capability to achieve goals.
• I Will Succeed: An unwavering optimism about future success.
• I Choose to Succeed: The belief that success is a result of personal choice.

Goldsmith notes that these beliefs, while empowering, can lead to a volatile resistance to change. As he puts it, "We get positive reinforcement from our past successes and think that type of validation is predictive of great things in our future."

The 20 Habits That Hold You Back from the Top

Goldsmith lists 20 habits that successful people often exhibit, which can hinder their progress. These habits are primarily related to interpersonal behavior and leadership.

Habit No. 1: Winning Too Much

The desire to win in all situations can lead to over-competitiveness. Goldsmith argues that this need to win often underlies other problematic behaviors. He advises recognizing when it’s necessary to win and when it’s not, stating, "Winning too much is the No. 1 challenge because it underlies nearly every other behavioral problem."

Habit No. 2: Adding Too Much Value

Successful individuals often feel compelled to add their two cents to every conversation. Goldsmith suggests that sometimes, the best course of action is to simply listen and encourage others without injecting one's own opinion. This habit is about making others feel valued and empowered.