5 Key Takeaways
- Julie Sweet credits her father's advice to strive for excellence and be 'undeniable' as key to her success.
- Her father's lesson taught her to be fearless but always prepared, emphasizing brutal self-honesty and continuous improvement.
- Adaptability is highlighted as crucial for business leaders, echoing the views of Jamie Dimon and Satya Nadella.
- Sweet's career journey—from losing a speech contest to leading Accenture—demonstrates the value of readiness and constant growth.
- Under her leadership, Accenture has focused on acquisitions and AI, following the principle of being 'so much better' that clients have no choice but to choose them.
The Life-Changing Advice Accenture’s CEO Got at 15 — And Why It Still Matters Today
When you think of top CEOs, you might imagine a life full of privilege and easy wins. But for Julie Sweet, the CEO of Accenture, her journey to the top was shaped by a tough lesson she learned as a teenager — and it’s advice that anyone can use.
Julie Sweet grew up in Tustin, California. At 15, she entered a local speech contest and lost to the daughter of the Lions Club president. Upset, she complained to her father, hoping for sympathy. Instead, he gave her some honest advice that stuck with her for life.
He told her, “Julie, you’re never going to be the daughter of the president of the Lions Club. That’s just not the family you were born into. I believe you can do anything, but you have to be so much better than anyone else that they have to give it to you. Tonight, you weren’t that much better.”
This was a wake-up call. Julie realized that to succeed, she couldn’t just be good — she had to be excellent. She had to work harder, be more prepared, and stand out so much that no one could ignore her.
Julie says this lesson taught her two things: be fearless, but also be ready. It’s not enough to dream big; you have to put in the work and keep improving yourself. She learned this early on, even as a teenage reservations clerk, where she had to adapt and grow quickly.
As she moved up in her career — from law school at Columbia, to a top law firm in Manhattan, and eventually to Accenture — Julie kept this mindset. She believes that being honest with yourself and always striving to get better is the key to long-term success.
Julie also points out that adaptability is crucial, especially in today’s fast-changing world. She agrees with other business leaders like Jamie Dimon (JP Morgan) and Satya Nadella (Microsoft), who say that you can’t get comfortable or stop learning. The world keeps changing, and you have to change with it.
Under Julie’s leadership, Accenture has invested billions in new technology and artificial intelligence, always staying ahead of the curve. Her guiding principle? Be so good that clients have no choice but to work with you.
So, whether you’re just starting out or aiming for the top, remember Julie Sweet’s lesson: Don’t just be good — be so much better that you can’t be overlooked. And never stop learning and adapting along the way.
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