Cautiously Learning From the Success of Former Leaders

Organizational success is more complex than leaders often recognize. 

Many uncontrollable factors play an oversized role in the results organizations and leaders enjoy. Issues like market conditions, competitors asleep at the wheel, regulations, the timing of new products or services, and the introduction of new technologies, among many other elements have a tremendous influence on how leaders navigate and succeed. Or not. 

Because the context and conditions at play are unlikely to be replicated in the future, much of the advice these leaders offer to those who want to learn how they generated the success they experienced should be highly suspect. 

This is particularly true of books and podcasts by former CEOs, athletic coaches, and star performers. While the books written by successful leaders and performers are entertaining to read and sometimes contain an insight or two worth remembering, as a rule, the lessons they posit are largely inapplicable to current conditions. 

Success is not easily repeatable when conditions change, and they are always changing. 

Not only do these pundits often over-extrapolate from a single case or experience, but they also forget the role luck and the many contextual factors played in their success. Instead, they imply, “These lessons worked for me, and they will work for you.” Maybe, but probably not. That doesn’t mean the advice in the TED talks, podcasts, and books are not worth your time, but they must be considered very selectively. 

The skills former leaders showcase, the behaviors they employ, and many of the actions they engage in are often highly transferrable to the future. Contemporary leaders can emulate many of the behaviors and actions that solve the myriad of problems that exist in any organization. 

But the strategy these leaders followed and the decisions they made to achieve success are not. The strategic choices they crafted were shaped to fit the context of that point in time. Applying them to current conditions and factors can be a big mistake. 

Leaders can learn a great deal by studying the mistakes and successes of those who preceded them as long as they factor in the context differences that created the outcomes. While strategy often does not apply and can’t be reshaped into repeatable success, many of the more specific tactics and actions offered contain a wealth of wisdom. 

By selectively finding the pearls, leaders can benefit greatly from those who came before them. When it comes to learning from former highly successful CEOs, coaches, and performers, selective learning works best.