Issue Seven - Conversations on Technology, Business and Society

INTERVIEWS
Dr Marshall Goldsmith
Dr. Marshall Goldsmith is a world
authority in helping successful
leaders get even better – by
achieving positive, lasting change
in behavior: for themselves, their
people and their teams.
In 2009 Dr. Goldsmith was
recognized as one of the fifteen
most influential business thinkers
in the world in the bi-annual
study sponsored by The (London)
Times and Forbes. The American
Management Association named
Marshall as one of 50 great thinkers
and leaders who have influenced
the field of management over the
past 80 years. He’s written 27 books.
Marshall’s articles are available at
www.marshallgoldsmithlibrary.com.
By Vera Ng’oma
PC TECH: At its core what is leadership?
MG: Leadership can be defined as working with and
through OTHERS to achieve objectives. The key word
in this definition is OTHERS. One of my favorite CEO
clients noted that, “for the great achiever it is all about
me – for the great leader it is all about them”.
PC TECH: Can anybody/everybody be a leader?
MG: As long as we are working with and through
others to achieve objectives, we already are leaders!
The more important question is, “Can leaders get
better?” My partner, Howard Morgan, completed
research with over 86,000 respondents which
documented how leaders who receive feedback, then
follow-up with key stakeholders in a disciplined and
frequent manner, almost invariably become more
effective – not as perceived by themselves, but as
perceived by their key stakeholders.
PC TECH: What do you see as the biggest threat to
great leadership?
MG: The greatest problem of already successful leaders
is ego. This is manifest in ‘winning too much’ or
‘adding too much value’ – as I discuss in What Got You
Here Won’t Get You There.
PC TECH: What should managers do with people
who have peaked in their organization?
MG: I never believe in stereotyping people. Anyone
who does not have an ‘incurable genetic defect’ can
improve. Some people may not ever be promoted
again, but can still become more effective, if they
choose to work at it.
PC TECH: Leadership is more convened with
competence than character these days?
MG: I believe that the press focuses on the negative
examples of leadership and ignores the positives. I
work with many leaders who have great character.
Every organization should have a ‘zero tolerance’ policy
on integrity violations.
PC TECH: Should leaders in the workplace t a k e
a more democratic approach?
MG: Peter Drucker once said that, “The leader of the
past knew how to tell. The leader of the future will
know how to ask.” Most of the leaders that I meet
today manage knowledge workers. What is the
definition of a knowledge worker? They know more
about what they are doing than their boss. If we
manage knowledge workers, we cannot just tell them
what to do and how to do it. We have to ask, listen
and learn.
PC TECH: When employees show leadership what
sorts of things would they typically do?
MG: Employees who demonstrate leadership learn how
to influence without line authority. They are focused
on ‘making a difference’ – not ‘proving how smart they
are’. They recognize that all decisions are made by the
people who have the power to make these decisions
– and learn how to maximize their impact on these
decision makers.
PC TECH: Can someone be empowered by
another?
MG: Empowerment, unlike integrity, is not always a
good idea. Empowerment only works with employees
who are motivated, knowledgeable, skilled and
confident. With the right people empowerment is a
wonderful leadership style – with the wrong people it is
a disaster.
PC TECH: Some think inspiration is overrated. Is an
inspiring leader able to achieve more?
MG: Inspirational leaders increase the odds of engaged
employees – employees who will go the ‘extra mile’ to
help the organization. Engaged employees lead to
increased productivity.
20 PC TECH | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2010 | pctechmagazine.com