Marshall Goldsmith says packed calendars keep leaders from developing themselves. A bank CEO asked 12 executives to devote four hours to the bank’s future; none did so the next week, citing busyness. Goldsmith says leaders must protect time for development.
Goldsmith says the average reader of his books spends less than five minutes a day on personal development. He adds that executives often count passive consumption, such as podcasts and books, as development. Goldsmith pays someone to call him each evening with questions from his own checklist, saying he would not reliably do it alone.
Research for a book Goldsmith is writing with John Byrne found that 40% of respondents said making their boss look good was unimportant or something they should not have to worry about. Goldsmith said they had not been taught otherwise.
