How I got this job: Leaders from the C-suite share their secrets

Employees often aspire to reach the C-suite on their career journeys, but getting to the top isn’t always as easy as it looks. 

For leaders at Walmart, Lyft, DailyPay and more, their career paths have been far from a straight line, filled with challenges, career changes and some tough lessons along the way. While learning how to lead comes with a few growing pains, these leaders prove that the right mindset can lead to success.  

“Back [in college], I was diagnosed with dyslexia, and it was so freeing for me,” says Pat Wadors, chief people officer at UKG. “I realized I was smart — I just have a hitch in my giddyup. I learned to be resilient and gritty and tenacious in my approach. I wouldn’t let myself fail.” 

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And when leaders thrive, their employees do, too. Wadors and several other executives share how career switches, pay cuts, supportive mentors, personal challenges and plenty of mistakes have led them to where they are today.