U.S. Diplomat & Foreign Service Medical Provider | Fmr. White House Medical Officer | Harvard Senior Executive Fellows Alum | Tillman Scholar
High GPA ✔️ Wealthy Family ✔️ Private tuition ✔️ Elite University ✔️ Work placement at family’s company ✔️ The person above is successful, in part, because of their background. By contrast, if we build our teams with people that are brilliantly talented at something, but they attended less prestigious schools and have an undervalued resume, it’s likely that their parents didn’t spend a fortune to develop their talent. Some of the best leaders I’ve worked with in my career were successful despite their background. 😉 #leadership
I agree. A lot of those items are opportunities presented to people. As leaders and humans if we can create some of those opportunities to the very many we would have more in that list and the world will be a better place to live.
This is really true as backgrounds only pay very small part as the true talent is from within Bernard Toney Jr. 😁
Success is not solely tied to background or privileged circumstances. The best leaders are often those who have overcome obstacles and developed their skills through their own determination and passion. Embracing diversity and recognizing the talent and potential in individuals from various backgrounds can lead to stronger, more resilient, and innovative teams, Bernard Toney Jr.
University dropout (with decades of debt)✔️ Time off to figure myself out ✔️ Community College✔️ Worked full time nights and weekends while in school to survive ✔️ 4.0 GPA ✔️ I went to two schools, one enormous state university, and one community college. Not in the order you would assume. When you go to college right out of high school because it’s ‘what you are supposed to do,’ it’s not always the best option. I had no idea what I wanted to do with myself. So I had no ambition. No drive. I changed my major 4 times. I had no interest. I quit. I took time off, and once I realized what I wanted to do it was as if a light switch had gone off. Suddenly where there was no ambition, then I was full of drive. I went to school full time all week, and worked 3 12hour night shifts Friday-Sunday so that I could live while I finished my degree. It was hard, but I did it. I am PROUD to say that my degree wasn’t handed to me. I am proud of the mistakes that I made, and the path that I ended up on; because it made me work harder than I had ever had to work in my life. It showed me that I can persevere.
I agree with you Bernard. This is, in fact, a chronic disease of the modern world economy. Old money, which fails to fully utilize the talent pool, is increasingly becoming cumbersome, vanishing, or stagnating. Conversely, the innovation economy disregards qualifications such as diplomas or social status, leading it to rapidly accumulate wealth. Even if mass capital attempts to offset this through "venture investing," we find ourselves amidst a new industrial revolution, and the very notion of status is on the brink of a radical transformation.
🦈🦈 Bernard, David the Shark here 🦈🦈. You've hit the nail on the shark head! It's like finding an unopened oyster in the ocean of talent – those less polished pearls often shine the brightest when given the opportunity! 🌟 In the vast sea of success, I've seen plenty of sharks swimming against the current, showing resilience and innovation despite not having the tailwind of privileged backgrounds. Their success, my friend, is a story worth telling over a school of fish! 🐟 Here's a #SharkFact for you, Bernard - did you know sharks don't have swim bladders like other fish? We need to keep moving to stay afloat. That's a whole lot like those brilliant minds who stay resilient and keep pushing against all odds to make their mark. So, let's keep our eyes peeled for those hidden gems, those unpolished pearls! After all, every shark knows, the ocean's wealth isn't always in plain sight! Let's dive deep and discover! 🦈 Spread Shark Love 🦈🦈🦈 #GabenFreUde #SharkLeadership #HiddenTalent #Resilience #SharkSuccess
Your background and upbringing are not always a direct reflection of what/how you become and in that same regard......sometimes it is. You can also have polar opposite results stemming from the same household. The point is, YOU decide your future. YOU make the choices for yourself that lead you to where you are. There maybe influences along the way but you have the final say.
Excellent points, Mr. Bernard Toney Jr.! Although many people in different industries purposefully hold back some talented individuals who didn't attend prestigeous universities or come from money, those people often end up successful anyway because they dont know how to quit! 💪🏿💪🏿💪🏿 Timely post sir!
Success isn’t confined to one’s background or privileges. It’s about harnessing our unique talents, fostering resilience, and carving out our own path. In fact, diversity in backgrounds and experiences often leads to innovative thinking and stronger teams. It’s those who rise against odds that often make the most impactful leaders. Success is not about where you start, but where you’re going! Bernard Toney Jr.
Health Law and Compliance Attorney | RN | Certified Information Privacy Professional
1yOk GPA ✔️ Teenage runaway ✔️ Full time employment while in school ✔️ Cheap state schools ✔️ 👆🏼👆🏼 I hate it when people ask me where I went to school because it doesn't tell even 10% of the journey. Sometimes, asking where someone went to school is an attempt to judge and label.