"Take a Lesson is a treasure trove of insight on what it takes to lead and to achieve success in today's world ...I recommend this book to any reader wanting to get ahead." U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell This inspiring collection of lessons culled from candid, intimate interviews with famous and prominent black achievers features advice on how to get ahead in business and in life. Contributors include groundbreakers in a broad variety of industries-from investment banking to entertainment to politics who share valuable advice with people of all ages. From entrepreneurs to corporate stars, the contributor list is outstanding, featuring some of the best known and respected leaders in the black community, ranging from Ken Chenault, President of American Express, to filmmaker Spike Lee. Contributors also include Bryant Gumbel, Johnny Cochran, Maxine Waters, Terrie Williams, and more.

Table of Contents

Introduction. Kenneth Chenault: Control What You Can: Your Own Integrity, Your Own Performance. Kevin Clash: Talent is a Great Gift, But the Gift Alone Doesn't Get You There. Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr.: Prepare, Prepare, Prepare, Then Accept the Results--Whatever They Are. Ann M. Fudge: It is Your Core Beliefs That Either Propel You or Hold You Back. Marcia Ann Gillespie: You're Only Going to Be Here for a Minute; Make That Minute Count! Sylvester Green: It's a Powerful Notion: You Can Always Do Things Better. Bryant Gumbel: The Hardest Truth is This: You Can Do Your Best, and Still Not Win. Elaine R. Jones: It's Still About What Each of Us Can Do for All of Us. Tom Jones: What Matters is Not Just if You Get There, But What You Stand for if You Get There. Debra L. Lee: Taking a Risk is Scary, But It Can Feel So Good. Spike Lee: I Believe in Destiny, But You Can't Just Sit There Waiting on It. Go Get It. George R. Lewis: When the Blockades Go Up, Move Around or Through Them, Just Keep on Moving. William M. Lewis, Jr.: Don't Be Afraid to Lose. Don't Be Afraid to Go It Alone. Don't Be Afraid. Joseph A. Moniz: There are Great Benefits to a Position Like Mine, But There is a High Price to Be Paid. Joan Parrot-Fonseca: I'm Still Trying to Find My True Purpose in Life, But I'm not Trying to Rush It, or Force It, Anymore. Richard D. Parsons: My Grandmother was Right: You are Judged by the Company You Keep. A. Barry Rand: The People Who Can Handle the Valleys in Their Lives are the Ones Who Will Ultimately Make It. Robin Roberts: Think Big, Dream Big, But Focus Small. Joyce M. Roche: Hesitancy is Often Viewed as Ignorance. Better to Just Make a Mistake, Then Get on With It. Ruth J. Simmons: Watching My Mother Do Her Very Best as a Maid, That is How I Learned to Be a College President. Frederick O. Terrell: Get Your Feet on the Ground, and Know Who You Are. Lloyd D. Ward: Is the Glass Half Full or is It Half Empty? The Answer Lies in Your Attitude. Patrice Clarke Washington: My Outlook has Always Been, If It's Doable, Then Why Can't I Do It? Maxine Waters: I'm Proof That You Can Operate a Little Bit Outside of the Box and Still have the Inside Track. Clifton R. Wharton, Jr.: Develop Good Instincts, Then Trust Them Completely. Terrie Williams: Remember This: Perception is Reality. Deborah C. Wright: It was Important for Me to Hit a Brick Wall: It Forced Me to Deal With Me. Index.

Author Biography

CAROLINE V. CLARKE is Editor-at-Large at Black Enterprise magazine and Editorial Director of Black Enterprise books. She has been an editor at BE since 1992 and worked with BE founder Earl Graves on his book, How to Succeed in Business Without Being White. Ms. Clarke is a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and has a bachelor's degree from Smith College.