Notes on What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshall Goldsmith

​I had long heard of the classic leadership book What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful by Marshall Goldsmith, and I finally got a chance to read it. It was written for high-performers to help them get to the next level.

It specifically focused on various behaviors that stop being productive and start being annoying to others, especially as one’s level rises in an organization. It discussed how feedback can be solicited and followed up on the right way. I liked a lot of the concrete advice and perspective in this book, especially when it comes to apologizing and active listening. I recommend this book for any leader looking to continue growing and improving.

​My main notes and takeaways are below.

---

​Section 1 the trouble with success
How past success prevents future 

1 you are here
You don’t know how your behavior is impacting others
Opinions from leaders interpreted as orders
Playing favorites among staff
Trying to say too much about own opinions 
Feedback can help reorient
Small annoying flaws that sabotage careers

2 enough about you
360 feedback from colleagues and spouse
Apologize to coworkers
Advertise that you’re trying to change
Follow up with them on progress 
Thank others

3 success delusion 
Beliefs that prevent more success 
I have succeeded
Ignoring blunders
Overestimate your contributions 
I can succeed
Reduced role of luck
I will succeed
Too optimistic
Over commitment
I choose to succeed
Thinking you are actively choosing 
Choosing to change is difficult
Our success makes us superstitious 
Mistaken belief that some activity is the cause of a result due to reinforcement 
Confusion of correlation with causality
Confusing “because of” and “in spite of” behaviors
Most people driven by money, status, power, or popularity

Section 2 the 20 habits that hold you back from the top

4 the 10 habits
Stopping behaviors don’t get attention but are worth as much or more than good achievements
First shift to neutral before going positive
Bad habits 
Winning too much or at all costs
Adding too much value or our two cents to every discussion
Passing judgment and imposing our standards on others
Making destructive comments or sarcasm
Starting with no but or however
Telling the world how smart we are
Speaking when angry and using emotional volatility as management tool
Sharing negative thoughts even when not asked. Let me explain why that won’t work
Withholding info to maintain advantage over others
Failing to give proper recognition and failing to praise or reward
Claiming credit we don’t deserve 
Making excuses to justify behavior as fixed
Clinging to the past and blaming others for past problems 
Playing favorites 
Refusing to express regret or take responsibility for actions or notice how they affect others
Not listening
Failing to express gratitude
Attacking the messenger
Passing the buck and blame to others
Excessive need to be me and flaunting virtues 
The higher up you go, your people skills matter more since you have the technical ones
Make other people winners vs add value to their idea. Is what you’re about to say worth the loss of ownership by the employee?
Treat all ideas coming in as neutral and don’t pass judgment 
Zero destructive or sarcastic comments
Will this comment help this person or company
Don’t start with no/but/however
Just say thank you instead of showing off how smart you are
Don’t get angry at others. Bite tongue
Don’t share negative thoughts with others
Withholding info breeds mistrust
Give proper recognition of others’ contributions
Claiming credit we don’t deserve is bad; share the wealth of your achievements 
Don’t make excuses; just apologize and take ownership; don’t just accept bad habits you have 
Don’t cling to past failures or successes. Stop blaming others for your failures. 
Apologize at work
Say thank you
Default response to any comment 
Shed excessive need to be me

5 the 21st habit: goal obsession
Pursuit of Perfection can do more harm than good

Section 3 how we can change for the better

Compulsion to give info when not needed

6 feedback
4 commitments of those giving ratings or feedback
Let go of past
Tell truth
Be supportive and helpful and not just judgmental critic
Pick something to improve yourself
Make list of best friends at work and other colleagues
Stop asking for feedback and expressing your opinion 
Solicited feedback
Best when confidential
Best question is “how can I do better”
Solicit advice rather than criticism 
Unsolicited feedback
Be grateful for this
It is easier to see our problems in others than ourselves
Observational feedback
True because unsolicited and raw
Body language, eye contact or lack
Make list of others’ casual remarks about you
Turn the sound off. Pretend to be watching silent movie and just focus on body language. 
Complete sentence If I improve in x way, I will benefit in y way
Listen to your self aggrandizing remarks (usually false) and self deprecating remarks usually opposite
Look forward

7 apologizing
Magic move
Apologize, advertise, follow up
It’s not what you say, it’s what they hear
I’m sorry. I’ll try better
How to apologize
I’m sorry. I’ll try to do better in the future. 
Then say nothing and be quiet

8 telling the world or apologizing
A lot harder to change others’ perception of behavior than your behavior
Need to get 100% better to have others think you got 10% better
Cognitive dissonance
Repeat message many times to colleagues

9 listening
Think before you speak
Listen with respect
Treat other as most important person in world and listen to the fully with whole fiber

10 thanking
Write down names of those responsible for your success
Write thank you notes

11 following up
Go back to all coworkers and ask for suggestions and if they think you improved in the area you said
Hawthorne effect: employees more productive when bosses interested in them and watching
Following up affects coworkers perception of your improvement 
Nightly follow up routine calling friend for accountability 
Find coach who will not judge daily answers and who will just ask

12 practicing feedforward
Pick behavior you want to change
Tell it to someone even a stranger
Ask person for 2 suggestions on how to improve in that area and cannot mention past. Don’t interrupt
Listen attentively without judging or critiquing suggestions. Only permitted response is thank you

Section 4 pulling out the stops

13 changing: the rules
Stack deck in your favor
Hire best people you can
Pay them whatever it takes to keep them
Rule 1: you might not have a behavioral disease that can be cured
Sometimes we confuse interpersonal flaws with technical things missing
Might need media or technical coach
Rule 2: pick the right thing to change
Difference between wanting and choosing within the want
Not everything needs improved
Rule 3: don’t delude yourself about what you really need to change
Rule 4: don’t hide from the feedback you need to hear
Rule 5: there is no ideal behavior
Rule 6: if you can measure it, you can achieve it
Rule 7: monetize the result
Donate to charity for mistakes
Rule 8: the best time to change is now

14 special challenges for people in charge
Explain to employees your quirks
Memo of how to handle me
Stop letting staff overwhelm you
Stop being prejudiced about your employees 
Stop trying to coach people who shouldn’t be coached (those who don’t want to change or shouldn’t be doing the job)