Successful people can easily fall into what Marshall Goldsmith calls the superstition trap. As humans, we naturally repeat behaviours that are followed by positive reinforcement. The more success we experience, the stronger that reinforcement becomes. Over time, this can lead to a false conclusion: “I behave this way, I am successful, therefore my success must be because of this behaviour.”
As a coach, I challenge that assumption as success is rarely the result of a single behaviour. More often, it comes from doing many things well, while also succeeding despite habits or decisions that are, at times, unhelpful or even counterproductive.
““The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.” ”