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Carla Harris shares Pearls of Wisdom with TCI Members in Boston

Nov 21, 2012

On the morning of November 14th, we had the pleasure of having breakfast with Carla Harris and over 120 women and men from the Boston business community. Through sponsorship fromMorgan Stanley Smith Barney and John Hancock, TCI members shared a delightful morning hearing pearls of wisdom from one of the toughest women on Wall Street. After Ms. Harris’ 25 years on Wall Street, she learned valuable lessons for surviving (and thriving!) in the fast-paced, cut-throat environment. She realized that there was more to advancing her career than just being smart and working hard. She shared four of her pearls of wisdom with us. The rest can be read in her book “Expect to Win”. Purchase the book here.

1)      Perception is the co-pilot to reality: You must understand the adjectives that are associated with success for the seat you are sitting in. Find out what those are.  You can also train people to think about you in the way you want them to, but you must have consistent behavior.

2)      You cannot do it alone- you need relationships: You must have an advisor, a mentor, and a sponsor

3)      Take risks: Show you are comfortable taking risks. Have clear vision and keep your head up. Fear has no place in your success equation. Show courage.

4)      Nobody can be you the way you can be you: Don’t try to be someone you are not. Your authenticity is your distinct competitive advantage.

And in the words of Carla Harris.. “If you expect to win…you will!”