Reflections from a 20 year career with Bank of America

As I celebrate 20 years at 美国银行 (where does the time go?!), I’ve been reflecting on my experience, and I realize that the things I remember most are not necessarily big accomplishments or accolades, but the moments with people I respect and admire.?From getting my first chance to lead financial centers from Kieth Cockrell in 2004 to the welcome call into wealth management from Dean Athanasia in 2008, the standout moments involve relationships with the people that make this a great place to work.??In addition to Dean and Kieth, I’ve worked for great leaders like Aron Levine , David C. Tyrie , Chip Rossi, Aditya Bhasin and most recently Sheri Bronstein .?What an all-star team of coaches and influences on my career!

And it hasn’t been just great bosses, it has been thousands of teammates from around the world working together towards common goals, both at work and at home.?It’s been sharing a meal, a coffee or a cocktail to catch up.?It’s been the sharing of critical life events with my teammates, whether personal challenges with kids or losing a loved one or volunteering together and creating impact in the community.??I’ve benefited from countless hours of friendship, advice and support from amazing individuals, a list too long to share.?

Hard to put it into words, but through my reflections I’ve put together a few thoughts with my best takeaways for building a sustained, successful career:

1. Focus on building genuine relationships. As I moved around the business, I’ve had the opportunity to meet and learn from so many great teammates across Bank of America, who I believe are some of the brightest minds in the industry. Many of the leaders I work with today are people I met along the way as we navigated the early days in our careers.?And it’s an incredible benefit to be able to rely on the value of these relationships as our paths cross in order to drive progress on our common goals.?
2. Lead like a coach. One of my favorite hobbies is to volunteer as a coach for my kids.?I have incredible memories from soccer, flag football and basketball over the last 20 years.?And I’ve witnessed some incredibly caring coaches making a real impact on young people.?It has reinforced to me that empathy, patience, enthusiasm, and accountability are key to success. Great coaches can unlock each individual player’s true potential by adapting their coaching and communication style to build genuine connection and trust. They establish a strong culture of teamwork grounded in accountability, and lead with a growth mindset. As a leader or “coach” of a global team, I often think about how I can best position and prepare our team for success.
3. Find your why. Finding authentic sources of purpose and fulfillment helps you to excel professionally. One of my greatest motivations is my brother, Andy, who has Down Syndrome. His journey has inspired me to support the special needs and disability community whether through Special Olympics or The Next Step Clubhouse, a nonprofit I helped found, that serves individuals with disabilities through social and recreational activities. This same passion has fueled a special interest in how we support our employees with disabilities, as well as employees who have family members, friends or customers with disabilities. One of my great privileges at work is serving as executive sponsor of our Disability Action Network (DAN) which provides opportunities for professional growth and development to our teammates with disabilities.
4. Be adaptable. In some ways, today’s workplace operates completely differently than it did when I first joined Bank of America. And that’s when being open to change – with the ability to pivot and execute a new direction really matters.?I’m really proud of the work we do at The Academy to help teammates be lifelong learners – gaining new skills that can help them in their current job and prepare them for the next.?And being innovative is part of our approach. Over the past few years, we’ve strategically invested in high-tech offerings and programs, and we were the first financial services institution to provide a virtual reality learning experience in our financial centers and contact centers – that helps our teammates better serve our clients.
5. “Results, not excuses.” Though you might think this was a Ted Lasso quote, it’s a saying my father, my first-ever coach, kept on his desk, and it has continued to resonate with me since childhood. People sometimes resort to shifting blame, avoiding consequences, or holding themselves to a lower standard when things don’t go right. None of us are perfect, but we can practice personal accountability, which is at the core of the ‘results, not excuses’ mentality. One way to do this is through setting measurable and attainable goals. Do what you say you’re going to do. Commit to the work and results will follow. One final thought – this quote holds true to how we interact with people. Making mistakes is important to growth, and it's important to listen, speak honestly, and take accountability. In my opinion, being the kind of teammate that can own your mistakes, take accountability, find solutions, and improve processes is a home run.

Cheers to 20 years at the bank.?I’m looking forward to the next leg of the journey.?What are your career takeaways?