I always say I would never change anything about my past. It was the challenges that made me who I am and that led to my role as Chancellor today: I wanted to ensure other students had the same opportunity I did to chart their course in life.
But these accomplishments didn’t come by waving a magic wand. They didn’t come by politely raising a hand. They came from leaning in.
If you embrace challenges, no matter how big, and keep moving forward, one day you will look up and be surprised at how far you have come.
I don’t shy away from conflict or confrontation, I have little patience for excuses, and I have a relentless expectation of excellence – every day. These are the traits I look for when I hire leaders in my organization. Regardless of whether you are male or female, black or white, old or young, these are habits you can practice, too. It all begins with embracing challenges, working hard, and never looking back. If you haven’t already, you can start today.
Cheryl L. Hyman is Chancellor of the City Colleges of Chicago, a 115,000-student network that is one of the nation’s largest community college systems. In that role, she is leading a reinvention of the institution that has resulted in the highest number of degrees awarded in the system’s history. She is proud to note that her parents, mentioned in this article, survived their challenges too, and serve as great sources of support for her today.