Determined to succeed

June 16th, 2006 Lois Kelly Posted in Activating change |

few

What sets high performers apart? A new book to be published next week, “The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance,” scientifically proves that determination, goal setting, practice, getting immediate feedback, and doing what you love sets high performers apart from the pack.

Writing about the book in The Sunday NY Times Magazine, Stephen Levitt and Stephen Dubner, said that the book makes “a rather startling assertion: the trait we commonly call talent is highly overrated. Or, put another way, expert performers are nearly always made and not born.”

Check out another perspective on the topic, “It’s Not How Good You Are, It’s How Much You Want It, “ by management consultant David Maister, who also believes that determination is one of the most important differentiators for professional service firms and an under-rated trait for leaders.

Another related article is the Peter Drucker classic on “Managing Oneself,” where Drucker encourages us to work on what we’re good at, moving from a “B” to an A in those things, and not waste energy on those things we’ve never been good at. Same for giving performance advice to employees.

It’s no surprise that 70percent of the richest American CEOs went to state universities (or no university) rather than presigious private colleges. They were determined to succeed. And that makes all the difference whether you’re an executive, surgeon, or musician.

Some parting thoughts….

Let’s help our children and our employees find ways to focus on what they love. And stop worrying about what they’re not so good at.
Let’s set new hiring and performance metrics based on determination, and the drive to get things done.
Let’s be determined to obssess only over those marketing priorities that provide value to customers.
Let’s hang out more with friends who are passionate.

determination and success