Take a Lesson

Introduction

Chapter 1 Peggy Alford, Executive Vice President, Global Sales, PayPal 1
“There is not one successful personality type. Try to become a better you, not someone else or someone that you’re not.”

Chapter 2 Keisha Lance Bottoms, 60th Mayor of Atlanta 15
“Follow your instincts—the first time.”

Chapter 3 Samuel Bright, Chief Product and Experience Officer, Upwork 29
“You and I have a voice, we have real influence, right now.”

Chapter 4 Laphonza Butler, President, Emily’s List 41
“Choose to Understand Before Seeking to Be Understood.”

Chapter 5 Veronica Chambers, Author and Editor of Narrative Projects, The New York Times 53
“Keep going, and make the journey as joyful as possible.”

Chapter 6 Kenneth I. Chenault, Chairman and Managing Director, General Catalyst; Former Chairman and CEO, American Express 65
“In business and in life, surrounding yourself with a few trusted people just makes all the difference in the world.”

Chapter 7 Arnold Donald, CEO, Carnival Corporation 73
“Anger distorts your reaction. Anger distracts you from your purpose.”

Chapter 8 Thasunda Brown Duckett, President and CEO, Teacher’s Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA) 87
“You rent your title, you own your character.”

Chapter 9 Charles Harbison, Founder/Creative Director, Harbison 95
“In life, as in fashion, it’s not the predictable straight lines that make things interesting; it’s the unexpected stitching that makes up the fabric of who we are.”

Chapter 10 Carole Hopson, First Officer, United Airlines 107
“Dream every day. Then set a goal and get to work.”

Chapter 11 Charles “Chaz” Howard, Vice- President for Social Equity and Community and Chaplain, University of Pennsylvania 119
“We can journey with love through the crap and beautiful things can emerge from rocky soil.”

Chapter 12 Tom Jones, Senior Partner, TWJ Capital LLC 133
“Repeated success can be very heady, but it doesn’t necessarily make you wise.”

Chapter 13 Debra Lee, Corporate Board Director and Co-founder, Monarchs Collective 145
“Do you. But also be open to evolution.”

Chapter 14 Malcolm Lee, Writer, Director/Filmmaker 157
“Power is a good thing. But it means more work, and more expectations.”

Chapter 15 Alprentice McCutchen, History Teacher, New Rochelle High School 169
“Just take one step at a time, do one thing at a time, don’t stop. And you’ll eventually rock it with distinction.”

Chapter 16 Janai Nelson, President and Director Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (Incoming) 181
“There may not be a blueprint for the time and space that you are about to enter. You will likely have to create one.”

Chapter 17 Richard Parsons, Co- Founder and Partner, Imagination Capital 195
“If you want something, you’d better get up, get out of here, and go get it.”

Chapter 18 Kahina Van Dyke, Global Head, Digital Channels & Client Data Analytics, Standard Chartered 205
“Don’t do things because they look good on paper. Do things because they inspire you to work when everybody else might be sleeping.”

Chapter 19 Jason White, Chief Marketing Officer, MTV Entertainment 219
“It’s a defining truth: You can be anything you want.”
Acknowledgments 233
Index 235