Our Favorite Pearls of Wisdom from Carla Harris

On Tuesday, March 3rd, Take The Lead hosted Morgan Stanley banker and gospel singer Carla Harris as the first guest in our 2015 Virtual Happy Hour series. Throughout the session, Carla wowed participants with a master class on being yourself at work and strategizing for success. A few of our favorite pearls of wisdom from the evening are below.

On being yourself at work

“Bring your authentic self to the table.”

“Spend a lot of time with yourself and get to know yourself well! If you don’t know who you are, you will easily get distracted.”

“I know Carla Harris very well, and I like Carla Harris a lot, and I never wanted to compromise that.”

One of the biggest mistakes women can make is “evaluating ourselves against somebody else’s report card.”

“Be authentic. There is no time or place to be complacent anymore.”

On moving ahead in your career

How to stay organized when there are so many things going on? “I make lists and prioritize!”

“Doing a good job is not enough. You must also invest in relationships—with those above and below you.”

“There is only one person who is responsible for our career, and that is us.”

The key to negotiating your salary: “Be very clear on what your contribution is.”

“All of my pearls were acquired by making mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Choose to learn and grow from them.”

“Fear has no place in your success equation.”

On mentoring and supporting other women

“We cannot let the next generation of leaders reinvent the wheel. It is essential for you to share what you have learned with other people.”

There are some women who do tear other women down, but “There are far more women interested in supporting other women.”

If you do encounter an unsupportive woman in your career, “Whatever you do, don’t become that woman.”

“The young women I meet are hungry for information and guidance. If you pass along a nugget of wisdom, that will be huge.”

Want more great advice from Take The Lead thought leaders? Sign up for our next FREE Virtual Happy Hour on April 8th with SHE Globl Media CEO and women’s empowerment expert Claudia Chan!

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TAKE THE LEAD prepares, develops, inspires and propels women to take their fair and equal share of leadership positions across all sectors by 2025. It’s today’s women’s movement — a unique catalyst for women to embrace power and reach leadership parity.