The Success Trap

Overview Mike Fisher explores the "success trap," a phenomenon where consistent wins lead leaders and teams to become risk-averse, narrowing strategic options and stifling innovation. The article explains why celebrating success can unintentionally create complacency and offers guidance on maintaining a growth mindset.

Key Takeaways

• Success can create blind spots that limit future choices.
• Continuous winning may encourage short-term thinking over long-term strategy.
• Leaders should intentionally seek diverse perspectives and challenge assumptions.
• Building a culture of curiosity helps avoid complacency.

Who Would Benefit

• Engineering managers looking to sustain innovation.
• Technical leaders who want to balance achievement with strategic foresight.
• Teams facing pressure to maintain high performance without burnout.
• Executives responsible for long-term product roadmaps.

Frameworks and Methodologies

• Growth mindset principles.
• Periodic strategic retrospectives.
• Cross-functional idea labs.
• Decision-making frameworks that incorporate dissenting views.