What Got You Here Won't Get You There
How Successful People Become Even More Successful
by Marshall Goldsmith · first published 2007
65% recommend26% neutral9% critical
Why HN recommends it
Helps technically strong people moving into management or senior roles spot the interpersonal habits that hold them back, building self-awareness and empathy; suits engineers and managers beyond the Director level.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
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…Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable 2. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future 3. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance 4. Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography 5. What Got You Here Won't Get You There 6. The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings of Authenticity, Connection, and Courage 7. The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph 8. The Like Switch: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide…
on “Ask HN: Which non-programming books are a beneficial read for programmers?” ↗…advice) Personally influential: - Thinkertoys and Cracking Creativity (how to be more creative) - Atomic Habits (how to establish good habits) - A Guide to the Good Life (friendly intro to stoicism) - What Got You Here Won't Get You There (building self-awareness) Fun: - Richard Feynman autobiographies - The Martian - Shadow Divers - Ready Player One - The Myron Bolitar Series (mysteries with a good sense of humor)
on “Ask HN: Best books you read in the past decade?” ↗…unordered list of the best: [BUSINESS / SELF-IMPROVEMENT] - "Work Rules!" - about Google's culture and values - "Search Inside Yourself" - about mindfulness, meditation, and the impact on your life. - "What got you here won't get you there" - Liked a lot more than I expected. - "Re-read Innovator's Dilemma" - a great classic; never gets old. - "How will you measure your life" - from the same author. Also excellent. - "The Best Service…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2016?” ↗…in the first place? I don't want to lose all my family and friends or key moments in my child's life, while my startup make it. I think this fallacy is well described by Marshall Goldsmith in his book "What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful" about goal obsession. I read it years ago and think it's a great book for most of us here in HN, dare to say, A personality.
on “The Unintended Consequences of Startups - Docstoc CEO” ↗What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful By Marshall Goldsmith I came to realize that sometimes to improve your teams' performance you don't need another tip to add into the behavior of the…
on “Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2013?” ↗…slowed me down, but got through around 8 this year. I'm a Lencioni fan: Death by Meeting -- Describes 3 types of meetings Getting Naked -- Describes how to consult I'm also a Marshall Goldsmith fan: What Got You Here Won't Get You There - Once you get beyond a Director level with some mistakes, read this book Mojo, How to Get It, How To Keep It - Another "look yourself in the mirror" book Also: 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2015?” ↗What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful by Marshall Goldsmith. This book really helped me make the transition between being valued primarily for my technical abilities and focusing more on…
on “Ask HN: Non-tech books that have helped you grow professionally?” ↗"What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful" by Marshall Goldsmith helped me become a better teammate and communicator.
on “Ask HN: Which books have helped you the most professionally?” ↗What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful by Marshall Goldsmith I wish I had read that in my late 20's instead of in my mid-30s. If you are a successful technical person who has been or wants…
on “Ask HN: What was the one book that you read and it actually changed your life?” ↗I highly recommend Marshall Goldsmith's What Got You Here Won't Get You There. https://www.marshallgoldsmith.com/product/book-2/ Great book on overcoming smart people faults.
on “How Smart People Sabotage Their Success” ↗The book “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” by Marshall Goldsmith helped me become a better, more empathetic, teammate. It’s less than $20, but worth far more.
on “Ask HN: What is the best money you have spent on professional development?” ↗- Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don't by Jeffrey Pfeffer - What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful by Marshall Goldsmith These two books are not specifically on the topic of becoming an engineering manager but cover the important aspects of how…
on “Ask HN: Books to read when you transform from SWE into SWE Management?” ↗…the field, being authentic, etc) - https://brenebrown.com/hubs/dare-to-lead/ 4) The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni For experienced managers of managers / Directors, I recommend: 1) What got you here won't get you there, Marshall Goldsmith 2) Team of Teams, Gen. Stanley McChrystal 3) Trillion Dollar Coach 4) How women rise, by Sally Helgesen and Marshall Goldsmith 5) and get an executive coach ASAP If you have any…
on “Ask HN: Books / Resources on Leadership / Management” ↗…valuable skill for those times when you meet someone senior (or anyone really) who asks about what you're working on or if you've done anything interesting lately. Another good resource is the book "What got you here won't get you there by Marshall Goldsmith which talks about similar things and how sometimes to take the next step you need to learn new skills, not just hone your existing skills.
on “Network Determines Success More Than People Realize” ↗http://softwareleadweekly.com/ - A weekly newsletter, as well as Slack group - great resource. Books: - Leaders Eat Last - Managing Humans - What Got You Here, Won't Get You There - Radical Focus - Leading Snowflakes: The Engineering Manager Handbook - The Manager's Path - The Coaching Habit - Thanks for the Feedback
on “Tips for moving into management [audio]” ↗