The OTHER 7 Habits

“Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event.  You don’t fail overnight.  Instead, failure is a few errors in judgment, repeated every day.”

     –     Jim Rohn (1930-2009), American author, entrepreneur and speaker

A trip through some old files netted me a reminder of what seven of those errors in judgment look like.  (Fast Company, issue #72, “7 Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful Executives” by Sidney Finkelstein).  These are the Seven Deadly Sins, these are seven sins that could prove deadly.  It’s a long article, and it’s old (the link is no longer up on FastCompany’s site), but it’s still extremely pertinent so I’ve paraphrased the details behind the bullet points…

#1:  They see themselves and their companies as dominating their environment.   My paraphrase:  If you think your customers are lucky to have you — they’re probably not.

#2:  They identify so completely with the company that there is no boundary between their personal and corporate interests.  My paraphrase:  Make sure you have a life that has nothing to do with your workaday life.  Balance is good.

#3:  They think they have all the answers.  My paraphrase:  The winners have more questions than answers.

#4:  They ruthlessly eliminate anyone who isn’t 100% behind them.  My paraphrase:  See Monday’s post.  For that matter, see Abraham Lincoln’s career — surround yourself with constructive dissenters.

#5:  They are consummate spokesperson, obsessed with the company image.  My paraphrase:  If the public view is all that matters, temptation to cheat / fudge the truth will run really high.

#6:  They underestimate obstacles.  My paraphrase:  Know your Kryptonite, and have a plan to alter course when you run in to it.

#7:  They stubbornly rely on what worked for them in the past.  My paraphrase:  Learn every day, instead of re-learning one “defining lesson” over and over again.