Summary Of The Book
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful is a book that has been written by one of the leading figures in the management arena, Marshall Goldsmith, and is directed towards enabling people achieve their full potential, by overcoming certain detrimental work habits.
In the first section of this book, Goldsmith tells the readers that when a person achieves consistent success at their workplace, there are certain wrong beliefs that often set in, causing them to feel more potent than they actually are. The author notes that this mindset mostly results in failure, rather than success. In the second section, he deals with a list of 20 habits that prevent people from success in their life, explaining them in detail. Few of those habits are Winning Too Much, Speaking When Angry, Withholding Information, Playing Favourites, Not Listening, and Passing The Buck. He also adds the 21st habit, which is Goal Obsession, citing that individuals often spend a great deal of time planning for long-term goals. He further adds that an obsession with goals, often results in many of the detrimental habits he outlines.
The third section provides the readers with a 7-step plan to overcome these habits, and they include Telling The World, Or Advertising, Feedback, Practicing “Feedforward”, Thanking, Listening, Apologizing, and Following Up. The fourth section of this book is directed specifically towards individuals involved in the field of management. Goldsmith begins to throw light on certain issues prevalent in an organization, and ways to deal with them when they surface, in subordinates, as well as in those in-charge.
About Marshall Goldsmith
Marshall Goldsmith is a well-known Author, Professor and Educator.
Apart from this book, Goldsmith has written a number of other books on the subject of management, and some of them include Coaching The Community of the Future, The Leader of the Future, The Organization of the Future, Leading Authorities On Business: Winning Strategies From The Greatest Minds, and The Change Champion’s Fieldguide: Strategies And Tools For Leading Change In Your Organization.
Goldsmith was born on the 20th of March, 1949, in Valley Station, Kentucky. He completed his Bachelor’s degree from Rose-Hulman Institute Of Technology, and later went on to pursue his Master’s degree in Business Administration from Kelley School Of Business. Goldsmith also holds a doctoral degree from UCLA Anderson School Of Management. Presently, he works at the Tuck School Of Business, Dartmouth College, teaching executive education. The Times has also ranked Goldsmith among the 15 Greatest Business Thinkers In the World, and BusinessWeek placed him in their list of 50 Great Leaders In America. Goldsmith currently resides in Rancho Santa Fe, California and is married to Lyda.
