S2E352 Lead to Win with Carla Harris

9 snips

Dec 2, 2025

Carla Harris, Vice Chairman at Morgan Stanley and bestselling author, shares her journey from Wall Street rookie to a leader who values inclusion and collaboration. She discusses the importance of focusing on CEO-level priorities and the mindset shift from doer to enabler. Carla emphasizes the role of faith and family in her success and reveals her passion for gospel music, which she initially kept private. Her insights on leadership, serving before selling, and acting with conviction offer a roadmap for aspiring leaders.

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INSIGHT

Make People Feel Seen And Own Outcomes

Great leaders make people feel seen and give them ownership by engaging them in solutions.
Carla learned early to have meetings where everyone put their fingerprints on the blueprint so they owned the outcome.

ADVICE

Shift From Doer To Enabler

Shift your identity from doer to enabler and make that mindset a daily practice.
Ask if people have the training and resources and then own the outcome because the buck stops with you.

ADVICE

Be Straight And Close The Loop

Be transparent about how you communicate and tell employees where they stand right away.
Deliver straight feedback quickly and consistently so people never have to wonder where they are with you.

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Carla Harris started her extraordinary career on Wall Street in 1987 – right before the financial markets crashed that fall. In the ensuing nearly 40 years, she persevered through and overcame challenges, rising to the top leadership echelons. Now the Vice Chairman of Wealth Management and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley, Carla is also a keynote speaker and author, generously with sharing with others insights into how to be a great executive that leads with courage, clarity and humility. You’ll also hear the surprising story of how she incorporates her lifelong love of gospel music into her busy schedule now and why she feels that in non-negotiable.

YOU WILL LEARN:

How giving up the need to do it all yourself will free you to do what you and only you can do best.
How the combination of believing in who you truly are — along with a healthy dose of courage — can help you reach your dreams and goals.
The importance of focusing on what you know to be true, instead of thinking about what may or may not happen, and what others may be thinking.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Lead to Win: How to Be a Powerful, Impactful, Influential Leader in Any Environment by Carla Harris

NOTEWORTHY QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:

“I want to as a leader, make people feel seen, make them feel like they're so important that they're the only person in the room.” — Carla Harris

“If you’re going to bother to do anything, deliver excellence. Sometimes your best won’t be enough, but you can always know you left it all on the floor.” – Carla Harris

“Serve, don’t sell. If you serve people well, you’ll have all the business you could ever want.” – Carla Harris

“Your people should never have to wonder where they stand with you. Be straight, be transparent, and close the loop every time.” – Carla Harris

“I say, but for the grace of God, I would not be sitting where I'm sitting today. And part of that grace was also not letting me focus on what wasn't happening or what somebody else must be thinking.” — Carla Harris

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