196: The Way to Make New Behaviors Stick, with Marshall Goldsmith

Marshall Goldsmith: Triggers

Marshall says that a key factor is the environment around us in whether or not we are successful. Environmental triggers constantly take us off track.

“A trigger is any stimulus that influences our behavior.” -Marshall Goldsmith

Trigger —> Impulse —> Behavior

Marshall says we have the chance to have a second of awareness on how we behave after the impulse.

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” -Viktor Frankl

Marshall says that the biggest problem with successful people is they’ve gotten very used to winning.

Marshall recalled five questions that Peter Drucker said we should all ask ourselves:

• What’s my mission?
• Who’s the customer?
• What does the customer consider value?
• What’s the goal?
• What’s the plan?

If you want a copy of the article that Marshall mentioned, Leadership is a contact sport, send him an email to marshall@marshallgoldsmith.com

Marshall’s wheel of change model:

• Creating = Positive/Change
• Preserving = Positive/Keep
• Eliminate = Negative/Change
• Accepting = Negative/Keep

“Am I willing at this time to make the effort required to make a positive difference on this topic?” -Marshall Goldsmith

“Most people waste most of their lives on topics they’re not going to change anyway.” -Marshall Goldsmith

“Life is easy to talk and hard to live.” -Marshall Goldsmith

“Environment vs. willpower — environment generally wins.” -Marshall Goldsmith

Marshall’s six active questions:

• Did I do my best to set clear goals?
• Did I do my best to make progress towards goal achievement?
• Did I do my best to find meaning?
• Did I do my best to be happy?
• Did I do my best to build positive relationships?
• Did I do my best to be fully engaged?

The key factor in employee engagement is whether people feel like they can live their own values. -Kouzes & Posner

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