At its CEO Network in November, CUES had author Sydney Finkelstein share some of his insights on management, including an excerpt from his book, "Why Smart Executives Fail... and What You Can Learn From Their Mistakes." That included the "Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful People."
1. They see themselves and their companies as dominating their environments, not simply responding to developments in those environments.
2. They identify so completely with the company that there is no clear boundary between their personal interests and corporate interests.
3. They seem to have all the answers, often dazzling people with the speed and decisiveness with which they can deal with challenging issues.
4. They make sure everyone is 100% behind them, ruthlessly eliminating anyone that might undermine their efforts.
5. They are consummate company spokespersons often devoting the largest portion of their efforts to managing and developing the company image.
6. They treat intimidatingly difficult obstacles as temporary impediments to be removed or overcome.
7. They never hesitate to return to the strategies and tactics that made them and their companies successful in the first place."
