In a reflection on her career trajectory, Accenture CEO Julie Sweet recently shared one of the most important pieces of advice she ever received. The lessor, which was given to her by her father at the age of 15, apparently shaped her early career years and something that continues to guide her professional life even today.
In an interview with Fortune, Sweet shared one of the early moments in her life when she lost a local speech contest to the daughter of the Lions Club president. Frustrated by what she assumed to be an unfair outcome, she complained to her father. The father’s response, which was said to be blunt, was also said to be transformative.
Accenture CEO got harsh reality check from her father
“First of all, Julie, you’re never going to be the daughter of the president of the Lions Club. That’s not the family you were born into… and 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,” Sweet repeated what her father advised.
This stark honesty, which seemed rude, became a foundational principle for Sweet. She has since distilled his advice into a more concise version, “You should be fearless, but you have to be ready.” Sweet says that this lesson taught her the importance of brutal self-honesty and a relentless drive for self-improvement.
Sweet praises other top industry leaders
Sharing further in the interview, Sweet shared her journey from her early days as a teenage reservations clerk. Sweet “learned to change, to grow very, very fast,” eventually leading to her current role as the global CEO of Accenture, which many see as a testament to this philosophy. She highlights the crucial role of adaptability, a quality she also sees in other top business leaders like JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, both of whom champion the ideas of continuous learning and staying relevant.
Under Sweet’s leadership, Accenture has made strategic business acquisitions and significantly increased its focus on generative AI as well as other emerging technologies. She credits these bold moves to the same principle her father instilled in her—to be “so much better” that clients have no choice but to work with Accenture.
