Take a Lesson

A fascinating set of Black perspectives on what it takes to succeed today

In this updated and revised edition of Take a Lesson: Today's Black Achievers on How They Made It and What They Learned Along the Way, award-winning journalist and author Caroline Clarke once again compels a dynamic list of Black business heroes and role models to openly share their own goals, hits, and misses, exploring what they overcame and what they’re still working to overcome, not just for themselves, but for their peers and would be peers, who the equity odds are still against.

In this book, you’ll find:

• Updated interviews with Black corporate titans containing critically important lessons about business success
• Deeply personal accounts of the journeys of Black superachievers from a diverse set of backgrounds and industries who are still rising in their industries
• Insights into the ways the world has changed—and the ways it hasn’t—since the release of the first edition in 2001

Perfect for Black students and early-career professionals looking for proven ways to navigate the unique challenges they’ll face, Take a Lesson is also a great resource for allies seeking to gain perspective on a critically important set of experiences.While these stories are specifically of Black success, their ability to inform, inspire, and reaffirm the value of ambition and perseverance, no matter the odds or era, transcends race.

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

CAROLINE CLARKE is an award-winning journalist and sought-after speaker. She spent most of her career at the media company Black Enterprise where she served in a number of pivotal roles, including founder and Chief Brand Officer for Women of Power, a pioneering brand created to nurture, support, and celebrate Black female leadership. A graduate of Smith College and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, this is her third published book.

Nothing instructs like true stories of hard work in pursuit of big dreams despite even bigger hurdles. And nothing inspires like hearing directly from those who overcame those hurdles to triumph over tough odds.

In this updated and revised edition of Take a Lesson: Today’s Black Achievers on How They Made It and What They Learned Along the Way, journalist and master interviewer Caroline Clarke delivers an oral history of black achievement every bit as groundbreaking as the original 2001 edition. The author explores powerful, first-person accounts of Black success through intimate and candid interviews with super-achievers from a variety of industries and backgrounds—and weaves them into practical narratives that enlighten, empower, and fortify.

While there are often parallels in the mostly undocumented experiences Black professionals endure, no two stories are the same and no victory–however well deserved–is ever guaranteed. So these contemporary case studies in confidence, career strategy, resiliency, creativity, and persistence are essential to understanding the Black quest for achievement, as well as its unique costs.

With updated interviews from some of the trailblazing corporate executives featured in the original book, as well as a crop of younger powerbrokers shaped by a different but no less divided world, each chapter contains critically important messages for coming generations of strivers.

Take a Lesson will encourage and energize readers who are eager to set—and realize—ambitious goals. It’s the perfect resource for students and Black professionals trying to find their way at work and in life. It’s also an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to gain perspective on the modern day plight of people of color on their path ever forward in business, and beyond.

PRAISE FOR TAKE A LESSON

“It’s always powerful when the mighty reveal not just how they ‘made it,’ but how they made it through their moments of doubt and disappointment. Take a Lesson takes you to some of the places we don’t go often enough. Let these leaders’ past experiences fortify your future.”

—MARC H. MORIAL, PRESIDENT AND CEO, NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE

“Each life has its own rhythm, and we mostly improvise our way through without a set choreography, or map, to guide us. The subjects in Take a Lesson understand something that dancers learn early. Success doesn’t require you to never misstep or fall. It just demands that you always recover, with grace.”

—MISTY COPELAND, BALLERINA, AUTHOR, AND PHILANTHROPIST

“Like the original Take a Lesson, this book will enrich you with gems that will make you richer—and wiser. It is an amazing read!”

—CARLA A. HARRIS, VICE CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, MORGAN STANLEY