Laurie McGraw is speaking with Inspiring Woman Carla Harris. THE Carla Harris: a renowned international public speaker who joined Laurie to share her pearls of wisdom on career success.

This is the first of the 2024 WBL Summit series where Laurie and Carla were joined by a live audience of senior executive women in healthcare. “There is NO question where I will not have a prescriptive answer,” Carla said, and she most certainly lived up to that promise.

In this powerful conversation, we touched on many of “Carla’s Pearls,” including the different types of currency you build, and bank, over the course of your career. Performance currency is what you start building early in your professional journey. But as you get more senior, performance currency has diminishing returns. What becomes more valuable is relationship currency. What will people say about you behind closed doors? In conversations where decisions are being made about senior leaders, the discussion is not about numbers, it is about what people know about you. Those conversations do not work out in your favor if you have not taken the time to build relationship currency.

Another Pearl from this conversation is busting the myth of imposter syndrome. Carla reminds us that in today’s world, to get into the chair (whatever chair that is), you are being vetted by multiple people. Do you think all of them are wrong about your skills, value, and expertise? Not possible. Own your truth.

One more favorite Pearl is the importance of supporting others. “You cannot be in that room and not support another.” Carla is clear that no one would support someone if it was not deserved. Carla’s Pearl: When you have relationship currency, you must USE it. That’s power.