Grant Seifried
MRKT 446
9-18–17
1. The five stages of decline in sequential order are: Hubris Born of Success, Undisciplined
pursuit of more, Denial of risk and peril, Grasping for salvation and lastly Capitulation to
Irrelevance or Death. I like to remember things like this in an acronym formation and it spells
out H.U.D.G.C that’s one way to remember it. I can also remember it based on the graph
presented on page 20 which reminds me a lot of what a rise and fall of a new product a
company would put out.
2. I looked up what the definition of Hubris was and it is “excessive pride or self-confidence”
this fits in being the first either downfall or the rise to the downfall. Companies have instant
gratification and success get caught up in the moment and forget to innovate and become
better.
3. Much like my dad tells me I am a know it all, this is similar to what the book talks about.
The knowing leaders know everything they refuse to let anyone tell them anything that they
don’t already know. “The my way or the highway” kind of people. They come up with ideas
that are selfish and thought of in the best interest of themselves rather than the company. The
learning leaders want to grow and innovate and continue down this path of success.
4. Personally, I believe that the markers are so difficult to effect because of the first stage of
decline and that is the Hubris. I find this to be difficult to detect not only in businesses put in
people as well. Leaders and people within the organization are in a bubble and cannot see
what is going on around them to notice they are starting to fail. In the book he mentions
success, entitlement and arrogance as some of the other reasons they start to fail. These
characteristics are not easily seen within a company.
