Skip to main content
    Back to Webinars
    WebinarSystemic Collaboration 2007 60 min

    What Got You Here Won''t Get You There: Peer and Executive Coaching

    America's most sought-after executive coach shows how to climb the last few rungs of the ladder. He discusses how the corporate world is filled with executives, men, and women who have worked hard for years to reach the upper levels of management. 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 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, jargon-free advice, it's amazingly easy behavior to change. Marshall Goldsmith was named one of the five most respected executive coaches by Forbes and a top-ten executive educator by the Wall Street Journal. He has worked with some of the most influential leaders in Fortune 500 companies. He was identified in The Economist as one of three of the most credible thought leaders in the new era of business and was named in BusinessWeek as one of the most influential practitioners in the history of leadership development. Marshall is one of the world's top executive coaches, an expert on identifying and developing the critical behaviors for leading self and others, and for implementing the behavioral changes that drive organizational performance.

    Presenter

    MG

    Marshall Goldsmith

    • How to use “what to stop" in personal development and coaching
    • About feedforward – a positive, focused process for development
    • Dr. Goldsmith’s process for behavioral change, as well as the essentials of coaching direct reports, peers, and team members

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.Hardworking and intelligent executives are often held back from reaching the pinnacle by subtle 'transactional flaws'.
    • 2.Small interactional habits, like not saying 'thank you' enough, can create negative perceptions that halt career growth.
    • 3.According to Marshall Goldsmith, it is surprisingly easy to change the subtle behaviors that may be holding you back.
    • 4.Peer coaching and executive coaching are effective tools for identifying and implementing behavioral changes.
    • 5.Leaders can apply these principles by seeking feedback, focusing on one or two behaviors, and practicing humility.
    • 6.The skills that brought a leader to their current level may not be what's needed to get to the next one.

    '''

    The Challenge: Climbing the Final Rungs

    Many talented executives, after years of hard work to reach senior management, find their ascent stalling. They are intelligent and charismatic, yet only a few will reach the absolute pinnacle of leadership. Renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith explains that the skills and behaviors that led to their current success are often not the ones required to take the next step. Reaching the top requires a different, more nuanced approach.

    The Small Flaws with Big Impact

    Goldsmith identifies the roadblocks as subtle, near-invisible "transactional flaws." These are not major professional shortcomings but small, negative behaviors in day-to-day interactions that can undermine a leader's influence and perception. Examples include:

    • Failing to say "thank you"
    • Not actively listening
    • Being overly critical
    • Failing to acknowledge the contributions of others

    These minor habits, when repeated, create negative perceptions that can permanently hold an executive back from the highest echelons of leadership.

    The Path Forward: Coaching for Behavioral Change

    This session offers a straightforward, jargon-free methodology to enact positive behavioral change. The key is not a complete personality overhaul but a targeted effort to identify and correct these specific flaws. Leaders can apply these principles by:

    • Self-Assessment: Honestly evaluating daily interactions for potential transactional flaws.
    • Seeking Feedback: Actively soliciting constructive feedback from peers, direct reports, and superiors to gain awareness of behavioral blind spots.
    • Targeted Development: Focusing on modifying one or two specific behaviors at a time for greater impact.
    • Utilizing Coaching: Engaging in peer or executive coaching to gain structured support, accountability, and an objective perspective on behavioral change.

    By acknowledging that continuous improvement is necessary regardless of past success, leaders can successfully make the behavioral shifts required for continued advancement. '''

    This session, featuring renowned executive coach Marshall Goldsmith, delves into the critical behavioral shifts required for leaders to ascend to the highest echelons of management. It dissects how subtle "transactional flaws" often impede otherwise talented and hardworking executives, offering practical strategies to identify and rectify these habits for sustained career advancement.

    What you'll learn

    • Identify common behavioral roadblocks that prevent high-achievers from reaching the top.
    • Understand the concept of "transactional flaws" and their impact on professional perception.
    • Discover practical, jargon-free methods for enacting positive behavioral change.
    • Learn how peer and executive coaching can be instrumental in personal and professional transformation.
    • Gain insights into maintaining continuous growth even after achieving significant career milestones.

    Who this webinar is for

    • Executives and senior managers aiming for C-suite roles.
    • Mid-career professionals looking to accelerate their leadership trajectory.
    • HR and Organizational Development professionals seeking effective coaching methodologies.
    • Individuals committed to personal growth and behavioral improvement.
    • Leaders interested in understanding the subtle dynamics of interpersonal influence.

    Why it matters now

    In a rapidly evolving corporate landscape, the ability to adapt and refine one's leadership style is more crucial than ever. While foundational skills are essential, the distinction between good and exceptional often lies in behavioral nuances. This content remains relevant because the core human interactions and perceptions that drive career progression endure, making the insights into overcoming subtle flaws timeless for aspiring and current senior leaders.

    How leaders can apply this

    Leaders can apply Marshall Goldsmith's principles by:

    • Self-Assessment: Honestly evaluating their own daily interactions for potential "transactional flaws," such as not actively listening, failing to acknowledge others, or being overly critical.
    • Seeking Feedback: Actively soliciting constructive feedback from peers, direct reports, and superiors to gain awareness of blind spots.
    • Targeted Development: Focusing on one or two specific behaviors to modify at a time, rather than attempting a complete overhaul.
    • Utilizing Coaching: Engaging in peer coaching or seeking an executive coach to provide structured support, accountability, and objective perspectives on behavioral change efforts.
    • Practicing Humility: Acknowledging that continuous improvement is necessary, regardless of past successes, and being open to new ways of interacting and leading.

    About this session

    Key takeaways

    Watching this webinar gives you grounded, practical perspective on Growth. Expect ideas you can use in leadership conversations, not abstract theory, drawn from Marshall Goldsmith's direct experience.

    Who this is for

    CHROs, HR business partners, talent leaders, executive coaches, organizational development practitioners, and senior leaders who are responsible for systemic collaboration inside their organization.

    Why it matters now

    Workforce expectations, hybrid work patterns, and AI-driven change keep raising the bar on culture and leadership. Sessions like this help leaders make smarter, more evidence-informed decisions about Growth.

    How to apply it

    Use the ideas here to challenge a current assumption on your team, design a single concrete experiment in the next 30 days, and bring one finding back to your leadership group for discussion.

    Frequently asked questions

    Topics

    Best Practice Institute

    Best Practice Institute is the research organization behind Most Loved Workplace® certification, the SPARK Model, the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI™), and The Workplace Report.

    The Workplace Report

    The Workplace Report is BPI's original workplace culture research and editorial briefing series for CEOs, CHROs, people leaders, talent leaders, and employer-brand teams. It turns BPI's 25 years of research, Most Loved Workplace® certification data, SPARK findings, and current workforce signals into practical analysis leaders can use.

    The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.