What’s one piece of career advice you wish you had received?

Every large, established for more than 10-20 years, type of company has a formula or playbook that more or less explains how to succeed within the system. It’s typically passed on informally between a person and their mentor or friend. Usually if you ask enough people enough questions, they will fill you in. Sometimes what it takes is absolutely fucked up and you don’t want to sacrifice your morals - most of the time it’s just difficult and requires tremendous focus and dedication to the job (but then which is specifically demonstrated and signaled in specific ways).

Best advice ever from a CIO: “I don’t advise from someone that hasn’t actually worked doing the thing you are advising me about. I don’t need fad advice from the latest in-flight magazine.”

So I got a job in industry, learned the craft, became successful, and then came back to consulting. The result was that I could now see all of the baloney that we say to our clients, who are now rejecting that baloney because they are smarter than most consultants.

The traditional model of coming out of school, and using a consulting firm to learn what you want to focus on is fine, just recognize you need to leave the firm and come back to have future value for the firm.

The one phrase that disqualifies every partner I’ve worked with, “My Name is ….. and I’ve worked with Deloitte for…. Years.” Clients now see any number over 5 as being an indicator of a “company person” who is likely out of touch with their challenges and just trying to sell them something.

Loyalty is overrated.

Be careful about the culture of consulting, there are a lot of alcoholics. Don’t fall for the peer pressure because alcohol is a powerful baffling drug that ruins and ends lives.

Wait 24 hours before making big decisions.

Don't be limited by other people's ideas of what you are

Don't let terrible leaders get in the way of your progress

Don’t let them pigeon hole you

Focus more energy on maintaining your current network, than you spend on bringing new connections into your network

Be easy to work with, people are not judicious in their decisions they will choose the path of least resistance, be that for your coworkers, clients and dates.

The day after you leave no one will remember who you were. Act accordingly.

Leave work at your door step. When you're home, you're home!

Never let anyone pressure you or guilt-trip you into working a weekend. No money is worth it, and if your leadership asks it of you, you are in the wrong place!

You come before anyone else. People will absolutely take advantage of you if you let them. Be professional and respectful, but always have an exit strategy.

Lower your expectations of others. Be forgiving when they fail to meet your expectations.

You are solely responsible for your career, don't let company, your boss or anyone else dictate it - when they do - someone else is winning

You don’t need an MBA to get into consulting

If you aren't being challenged then it's time to move on/go for a promotion.

Don’t be your worst enemy. You got this!

Work harder on yourself instead of your job. The job becomes easy if we do that.