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 [...]
... don't just wait to see how things play out. Reflect and take action. For many of us, work makes up a big part of our waking hours. One of the most common pitfalls is getting stuck in the wrong job especially when the compensation and benefits are comfortable and the job is easy for [...]
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 [...]
... work for a superstar. During a recent trip to Los Angeles, the head of sales for a top financial services firm reflected on his career and shared with me that the #1 factor for most employee's success, including executives, is the quality of their boss. When you work for a manager who is a [...]
"We live on an island surrounded by a sea of ignorance. As our island of knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance." John Archibald Wheeler, American Physicist (Scientific American (1992), Vol. 267.) The more you know, the more you realize how much you don't know. To be successful in your career, keep learning new things. Learn broadly about many [...]
You do great work. You're hardworking and confident in your abilities. Unfortunately, if you're working at a high-performing firm, everyone else feels the same away about themselves. Ask yourself: Do others recognize me as a top performer? If you're not sure, then they probably do not. It's not because you're not good - it's because most [...]
... resist your natural urge to be perfect. As a high-performer, you want to do a great job in EVERYTHING that you do. It's understandable. It's what made you successful. It's also what will limit you if you apply it too broadly. To iron out all of the kinks all of the time requires a [...]
You're six months into your job and doing well at your company. You feel you've already settled in, and you're ready for more responsibility. So you schedule some time with your boss and ask, "So, what can I do to get promoted?" Many of the managers I coach have told me this scenario is becoming more [...]
... remember what you can control. You can do the work but you can't control the results. Whether or not you get promoted, make a deal or get the resources you need all depends on the decisions of other people. Unfortunately, Peter Drucker is right - the decision maker may not be the best person to make [...]
"But I don't have any experience in this field." This is the most common pushback I hear from my clients when they gain more clarity on what they want in their careers and realize they were meant to do something completely different from their current job. Whether it's switching into a new career, company or industry, the [...]
