See JJL blog index for Dave Rothacker.

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Product Description

America’s most sought-after executive coach shows how to climb the last few rungs of the ladder

The corporate world is filled with executives, men and women who have worked hard for years to reach the upper levels of management. They’re intelligent, skilled, and even charismatic. But only a handful of them will ever reach the pinnacle -- and as executive coach Marshall Goldsmith shows in this book, subtle nuances make all the difference. These are small "transactional flaws" performed by one person against another (as simple as not saying thank you enough), which lead to negative perceptions that can hold any executive back. Using Goldsmith’s straightforward, jargonfree advice, it’s amazingly easy behavior to change.

Executives who hire Goldsmith for one-on-one coaching pay $250,000 for the privilege. With this book, his help is available for 1/10,000th of the price.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #84 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-09
• Released on: 2007-01-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Goldsmith, an executive coach to the corporate elite, pinpoints 20 bad habits that stifle already successful careers as well as personal goals like succeeding in marriage or as a parent. Most are common behavioral problems, such as speaking when angry, which even the author is prone to do when dealing with a teenage daughter's belly ring. Though Goldsmith deals with touchy-feely material more typical of a self-help book—such as learning to listen or letting go of the past—his approach to curing self-destructive behavior is much harder-edged. For instance, he does not suggest sensitivity training for those prone to voicing morale-deflating sarcasm. His advice is to stop doing it. To stimulate behavior change, he suggests imposing fines (e.g., $10 for each infraction), asserting that monetary penalties can yield results by lunchtime. While Goldsmith's advice applies to everyone, the highly successful audience he targets may be the least likely to seek out his book without a direct order from someone higher up. As he points out, they are apt to attribute their success to their bad behavior. Still, that may allow the less successful to gain ground by improving their people skills first. (Jan. 2)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
To get to the next level, high achievers often need to get over self-aggrandizing beliefs such as thinking that they control everything, believing that all their success is due to their individual efforts, and assuming that future achievements are there for the taking. Narrating his own material, management consultant Marshall Goldsmith sounds so fresh and energetic that his program will motivate listeners to take a personal inventory. However, there are also places where he sounds like he's trying too hard, such as when he delineates the good and bad habits of executives. Nonetheless, all his suggestions about how and what to change are clear, action oriented, and punctuated with examples from his own growth experiences. T.W. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From Booklist
By now, the CEO as celebrity is old hat. (Just start counting the books from former company heads.) That goes for the executive-recruiter-cum-president-makers. What has yet to be explored--until now--is the celebrity business coach, the individual who helps C-level executives correct flaws, whether invisible or public. A frequent interviewee in major business magazines like Fortune, Goldsmith, with the sage help and advice of his collaborator Reiter, pens a self-help career book, filled with disguised anecdotes and candid dialogue, all soon slated for bestsellerdom. His steps in coaching for success are simple, honest, without artifice: gather feedback from appropriate colleagues and cohorts, determine which behaviors to change (and remember, Goldsmith specifically focuses on behavior, not skills or knowledge), apologize, advertise, listen, thank, follow up, and practice feed-forward. Admittedly, this shrewd organizational psychologist only works with leaders he knows will listen, follow advice, and change--especially considering that he doesn't receive fees until improvements are secure and visible. On the other hand, these are words and processes anyone will benefit from, whether wannabe manager or senior executive. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Customer Reviews

Good for anyone who wants to improve their interpersonal relationship and leadership skill
Although the book title clearly aims itself at the successful managers, it is a good antidote for all who want to do better particularly on interpersonal relationship and leadership, that previous success, no matter big or small, almost always mar ourselves with complacency, self centredness, over confidence etc etc. Well organised with wit and good substance, it did help improve my communication skills, till the time I forgot them all, and then pick it out for a re-read. In short, recommended.

p.s. Below please find my favorite "tactics" for your reference.

Stop asking for feedback and then expressing your opinion. pg 117
What impressed me was that when he asked a question, he waited for the answer. He not only listened, he made me feel like I was the only person in the room. pg 152
He never takes his eyes off me. Even if the Queen walked in, he wouldnt be distracted. He would stil be devoting his full attention to me. That's hard to resist. pg 153
Clinton made a point of knowing something positive about you, and without making a big show of it, saying something to let you know he knew it. In effect, he was bragging about you to you. pg 153
Once you master the subtle arts of apologizing, advertising, listening, and thanking, you must follow up - relentlessly. Or everything else is just a "program of the month." pg 161

A great tool for personal reflection and discovering your blindspots
This book is a practical and powerful tool that makes you stop and think about what you are doing - both consciously and unconsciously - in your drive to be successful. I have had several executive clients who have had the "Oh my God, he's talking about me!" experience when reading Goldsmith's candid and pointed observations. I highly recommend this book to any individual who wants to create and sustain top level legacy leadership.

Good and simple, the way it should be
This is a good book, simply spoken and simply followed.

The biggest thing I got out of this book was really simple. The reason you have success is not because of the 'quirks' you have, but "IN-SPITE" of the quirks you have! :) Brilliant!