In What It Takes, Stephen Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of Blackstone, shares the story of his success. Below are his 25 rules for work and life woven throughout the book. It might be a worthwhile exercise for you to reflect on how each of these rules may apply to you. You'll see under each rule, [...]
Are you clever or are you wise? “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” - Rumi, Persian Poet, Theologian and Scholar
What are you putting off today that you may regret tomorrow? Exercise for your future health? Continuous learning for your future career moves? Time spent with your loved ones for your future relationships? "You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today. - Abraham Lincoln, American President
... think about the apology before you do the thing you typically apologize for. I was catching up with one of my fellow partners after a heated meeting and I found myself apologizing for pushing the team harder than they want to be pushed. He responded, "Robert, next time, think about this apology before you [...]
If you're a high-performer looking to rise into the C-suite, you might find Sol Trujillo's, former CEO of Telstra, US West, and Orange, leadership reflections useful. Sol was the youngest officer in AT&T history and the first native-born Latino to serve as CEO of a Fortune 200 company. He shares the following insights with Carla [...]
If you want to keep performing better than others, then you'll have to prepare and train better than others. What are you willing to do now that others are not willing to do? These actions and sacrifices will be what separates you from them in the future. "Today I will do what others won't [...]
Walmart's success has been undeniable and what's fantastic about Walmart's story is how its founder, Sam Walton, went from one small franchise store to the giant retail enterprise it is today. Walmart's phenomenal growth wasn't because of some secret sauce or tremendous luck, but rather it stems from a consistent application of hard work, continuous [...]
When we think about leadership, it's usually in a professional context. We focus on how we lead our organizations, departments, and teams but rarely put any thought into how we lead other areas of our life. How are we doing in our family life? our community? our own health and well-being? Are we leading these [...]
It was a real treat to hear Ken Chenault, former CEO of American Express, share his leadership insights with Carla Harris, Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley, at the 3rd Annual Senior Multicultural Leadership Conference hosted by Morgan Stanley in New York City. His practical and authentic lessons show why Ken is one of the most [...]
Steve Jobs. Mother Teresa had Father Michael van der Peet. Henry David Thoreau had Ralph Waldo Emerson (the list goes on). Despite varying and sometimes contradicting perspectives on how best to succeed professionally, most leaders agree that a mentor is one of the most valuable people to have on your career journey. Unfortunately, if you're [...]
If you want to succeed, do the hard work it takes to separate you from everyone else. If you persevere, you'll eventually get there. The extra bonus is that the journey itself will help you to grow and increase your chances of success. Don't waste your time looking for a shortcut - you're only prolonging [...]
... stop. You have nothing to gain. It doesn't matter what has happened, stay away from complaining, getting bitter, or blaming others. If Stephen Hawking, who has every right to complain, whine and be angry about his condition, recognizes this, you should too. This mirrors the advice from Dale Carnegie in his book, How to [...]
