Photo: McBoat Photography
does not guarantee that people will like your decisions, but the context and considerations are vital for them to hear.
that I had all the time in the world. As life moves and you get busy, you understand how fleeting time is. Just like you plan meals, you must schedule time with people the same way at home as you do at work. Time is the most precious resource in life. You can make more money; you cannot recreate time. Cole: As an African American leader, what do you consider to be one of the most difficult obstacles you’ve faced? Patterson: As you become successful as an African American, you may find yourself as the only person looking like you in the room. What I had to learn is that was not something to fear, but it was something to own. I do not believe in accidents. You are in the room for a reason. I discovered that someone needed to speak to the life experience of someone who looked like me and had a different perspective than most other participants in the room. Does that mean it is
Cole: How do you prioritize work-life balance, and what advice do you have for junior professionals who are struggling to find balance? Patterson: Work-life balance is a constant struggle for me. At this stage of life, I go to more funerals than birthday parties. It makes me focus on the fact that you only have today. If you can make the most of that day with time and attention to the work you care about and the family supporting you at home, you can blaze a path that becomes a legacy. Also, I have not heard someone say they hoped the decedent spent more time at work in their remarks. I more often hear how much they are missed as their role as parent, sibling, aunt or uncle, grandparent and friend.
Early in my career, I felt (like most young people)
22 The Acumen
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