Marshall Goldsmith is a world-renowned coach of senior executives, speaker and author of popular books on personal development such as What Got You Here Won't Get You There or Mojo. In the first book, for example, he describes twenty behaviours leaders should avoid. He was inspired by his own practice as well as by Peter Drucker, the U.S. economist and theoretician of management who is known as the founder of modern management.
“We spend a lot of time helping leaders learn what to do. We do not spend enough time teaching leaders what to stop. Half of the leaders I have met don’t need to learn what to do. They need to learn what to stop,” said Peter Drucker. Marshall Goldsmith adds: "Everyone I have met has exhibited one or more of these behaviours, including me!"
1. Too much effort to win (always and at any cost)
2. Feeling the need to contribute to every debate
3. Feeling the need to judge others according to one's own standards
4. Excessive sarcasm which does more harm than good
5. Starting every sentence with the word "no" or "but" (i.e. negatively)
6. Emotional instability
7. Negative attitude to everything others have or have not asked about
8. Withholding information
9. Inability to acknowledge others
10. Taking credit for others' success
The second ten recommendations can be found in an article on Marshall Goldsmith's blog here, where you can also watch a video in which he explains the broader context of leadership behaviour.
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