What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
by Marshall Goldsmith · 2007
Goldsmith on the success-blocking habits that got you promoted, and will stall you.
Worth reading? What Got You Here Won't Get You There is Goldsmith's list of interpersonal sins (winning too much, adding too much value) that derail leaders, plus a simple feedforward fix. Sharp and behavioral. Skip it if you've already reformed these.
| Author | Marshall Goldsmith |
|---|---|
| Published | 2007 |
| Category | Business & Money |
| Favorite quote | “What got you here won't get you there.” |
The Verdict
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There is Goldsmith’s list of interpersonal sins (winning too much, adding too much value) that derail leaders, plus a simple feedforward fix. Sharp and behavioral. Skip it if you’ve already reformed these.
senior leaders whose old winning habits now hold them back
you already practice structured follow-up and feedforward
Book Summary
Goldsmith on the success-blocking habits that got you promoted, and will stall you. It earns its place by giving you a clear lens you can apply, not just inspiration. The habits that got you promoted can stall you at the top. Stop adding value when others need to own the win. The practical move is to read it once, then act on the one idea that maps to your current bottleneck, rereading the whole thing rarely adds more than executing the part you skipped.
Top 10 Lessons from What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
- The habits that got you promoted can stall you at the top.
- Stop adding value when others need to own the win.
- Winning too much alienates your team.
- Use feedforward, not just feedback.
- Structure your follow-up; discipline beats intention.
- Apologizing sincerely costs you nothing and buys back trust fast.
- Judging other people's ideas before they finish talking kills their buy-in.
- Speaking when angry always costs more than staying quiet.
- Claiming credit you didn't fully earn erodes trust the moment someone checks the facts.
- Playing favorites looks fair to you and unfair to everyone else on the team.
Top 5 Quotes from What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
"What got you here won't get you there."
Marshall Goldsmith, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
"We spend our lives trying to get better without asking what 'better' means."
Marshall Goldsmith, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
"Successful people become great leaders when they learn to shift the focus from themselves to others."
Marshall Goldsmith, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
"We spend a lot of time teaching leaders what to do. We don't spend enough time teaching leaders what to stop."
Marshall Goldsmith, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
"It's not about you. It's about what other people think of you."
Marshall Goldsmith, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There
Frequently Asked Questions
Is What Got You Here Won’t Get You There worth reading?
Yes, if the description fits you, senior leaders whose old winning habits now hold them back. Skip it if you already practice structured follow-up and feedforward.
What is the main idea of What Got You Here Won’t Get You There?
What Got You Here Won't Get You There is Goldsmith's list of interpersonal sins (winning too much, adding too much value) that derail leaders, plus a simple feedforward fix.
Who should read What Got You Here Won’t Get You There?
Senior leaders whose old winning habits now hold them back. Skip it if you already practice structured follow-up and feedforward.
What will you get out of What Got You Here Won’t Get You There?
A clearer, opinionated take you can act on, plus the sharpest lessons pulled into a short list so you don't have to read the whole book to decide.
Ready to read it?
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