By Priscilla H. Douglas
C-Suite Advisor: Yvonne Jackson former chair of the board, Spelman College
“I believe in the law of attraction. If you are clear about your goals and where you are headed you will build support systems that inform and nourish you. The support systems allow you to stay connected. When I think about my early career, I see that I owe my success to the fact that I have always worked harder and more strategically than the people around me.
When I was an executive recruiter at Avon, I was responsible for the technical area—engineers, metallurgical engineers. I remember going to the VP of the area—it was a bold move—and saying, “You have five people working for you and they are all requesting people. I want to get everyone in the room to see if there are differences.” To my surprise, the VP said, “I will get them in the room.” That move signaled the beginning of a relationship that remains strong to this day. It was a routine job that I approached strategically. Some people may have even viewed it as not important, but I valued what I was doing and I valued the people who worked around me.
I treated what I was doing as the ultimate—the most important work that I could be doing. I never denigrated the work I was doing or its contribution to the enterprise. Of course I had aspirations, but every time I got promoted I was surprised because I was always focused on what I was doing.
I always did the best at what I was doing. My advice to you bloom where you are 
planted”.
FROM GETTING THERE STAYING THERE Chapter 1 “Do I have the right stuff”