November 01, 2008

Success: Determination and Focus Trumps Smarts


"The man who succeeds above his fellows is the one who early in life, clearly discerns his object, and towards that object habitually directs his powers."

Edward Bulwer-Lytton
Early 19th Century British Writer/Politician


Translation: Being smart is fine but no substitute for being focused on a goal letting nothing get in your way of achieving it.

Does your company do this? I'm not just talking about words but rather deeds. Have they clearly stated what it is they intend to do, how they will do it and to the extent they have does their actions support these words?


If you are senior management and you feel you have done this, ask your key employees to describe what are to you those well defined goals. If they can't do it you've got work to do.

3 comments :

  1. Actually it is the smart people who are most often focused and driven. Being that way is smart.

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  2. I am a middle level, well thought of manager in my company and if we have clearly stated goals, I don't know about them. And worse than that, what I hear from my superiors and their counterparts is often contradictory.

    Not on the same page? We're not even in the same book and it shows in our poor performance.

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  3. OK so I took your advice and asked two of my key people to tell me what the two most important company goals were intending to then ask them to what extent they thought we were "focussed" on achieving them.

    I never got to the second question because they didn't know what goals were even though they had been in a meeting where they were discussed.

    Obviously I will sign this anonymous.

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