LeaderShip Edge

August 2007 :: Getting to "There"

“When was the last retreat or training session you attended that was titled, Stupid Things Our Top People Do That We Need to Stop Doing Now?”

• Author Marshall Goldsmith from his book “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There”

You find yourself at a dead end.

You thought all along that your path was destined for greatness. But here you are, with nowhere to go.

Did you pick the wrong path? Not initially.

Did you move fast enough? Sure, at the beginning.

Did you think that you could close your eyes and let your "career cruise control" take over. Unfortunately.

The fact is - too many people, in far too many organizations all over the world seem to feel they can stop learning and still progress. They think that once they get onto the first rung of the corporate ladder, they’ve got it made. They think there is nothing new to learn and no room to grow. They believe what got them here will, in fact, get them some where new.

The problem is - this sort of career limiting mentality died, at least in the really good organizations years, many years ago (in the Peter Senge era). People who still believe their “right of passage” is guaranteed will ultimately begin to wear themselves into a rut, and their career, and in some cases their organization will grind to a halt.

The outcome is - the various “knowledge banks” never expand. Wisdom and experience is never passed on to other employees. The sum total of the knowledge within the organization dries up, becomes outdated and ultimately it leads people and organizations into failure.

The solution is to help people and the organization overall develop a chronic itch – a relentless drive to improve abilities and competence. You must create a burning platform of chronic dissatisfaction with the status quo and an ambitious goal of quantum improvement. Organizations have to create “winning environments” where employees are encouraged to mix healthy doses of curiosity, with a spirit of entrepreneurship, and future-oriented focus.

The Trouble with Success

You are here. The problem is, that’s not good enough.

Not to be harsh or anything, but in order to become successful (really successful), you have to progress and do so at a rate better than the average. Often times, successful people delude themselves into believing that now that they are successful, that they are somehow untouchable, or worse yet “destined” for greatness.

In fact, in his book “What Got you Here won’t Get you There” author, and world renowned Executive Coach, Marshall Goldsmith has outlined 20 Bad Habits that plague successful people and ultimately limit their ability to fully realize their potential.

His message is clear. “Never read your own press”. Always be sure to get multiple reality checks - from unbiased, candid sources.

You are on a journey, and by keeping your windshield clear, you’ll be far more likely to not only stay on the road but get to your destination.

No Finish Line

The biggest problem with this whole concept is that “there” is, in fact, a moving target. Worse yet, the trajectory keeps changing and to top it all off, the terrain changes at the blink of an eye.

Ten years ago Japan was the big global threat, today it’s China.

There was a time where was Zenith made the best TV’s, Nokia made rubber boots, Pontiac was the most popular suburban car and Florida was the top US tourist spot.

The key is to understand that you, as a leader (personally, as a company or as a country) have to evolve and grow with the times. As soon as you think you’ve made it - watch out - something’s going to destabilize everything you know.

Pass It On

The importance of knowledge transfer, within the modern organization, cannot be stressed enough. If people are still afraid to pass on what they know out of fear of their own redundancy, then we are all doomed. The goal of today’s leaders is to pass on the “day-old” knowledge to those around them in order to be able to download the latest knowledge.

Remember, and Marshall Goldsmith says “what got you here won’t get you there.” Pass on what you know, and get going on learning some new tricks.

In Our Opinion

The Beacon Group’s keys to Moving to “There”

Take Inventory - You have to know what you know. Understanding what got you to where you are is important, it will also help you identify potential gaps and blindspots you may have been unaware of.

Stop Doing List - Assess your current responsibilities, and understand what you need to divest to others. The key is to free up time to develop new skills, interests, and ultimately to seize exciting new opportunities.

Look Ahead - Find out where “there” is. By knowing where you’re going (even if it’s a general direction) it will help you “pack” for the trip. By spotting your end goal you can prepare your skill set and level of experience.

Never Look Back - Give your “old clothes” away. Don’t give yourself a chance to move backwards. By closing any escape hatches you’ll be less likely to stray from your ultimate goals.