Just finished a thought-provoking book, What got you here won’t get you there by Marshall Goldsmith. He talks about characteristics of successful people: they know they have been successful, they “know” they are now successful, and believe they will be successful in the future. For the most part, a very good recipe for continued success. But frequently what makes you great at X and Y doesn’t make you equally great at X and Y and Z.Goldsmith is an executive level coach that uses 360-degree feedback to create personal coaching for successful execs. Usually the CEO has called Goldsmith in because George Successful has a glaring flaw that makes him unpromotable. So the book highlights 20 habits that people may have formed that stand in their way to advance. It might be (not) listening; it might be taking the credit that subordinates deserve; it might be playing favorites; it might be 17 other things.
I read the book once and found lots of reason for introspection. I will definitely read it a second time. Gratefully, it isn’t just a book about how people can get off track; it’s also very explicit in describing what a stymied person can do to get unstuck. I am recommending this book to colleagues that feel stuck, stymied, or want to take their career to the next level. It will benefit those that are willing to take a look in the mirror.