A moment of doubt can stall a rising career, says Accenture’s Julie Sweet, who warns that a single reflexive question during a big offer can quietly close doors before they open.
When a stretch role lands on the table, the first impulse is often to ask, “Are you sure?” Sweet calls that a mistake she learned to avoid from former JPMorgan Chase CFO Dina Dublon, who noted the person offering the role may be just as uneasy as the candidate. Questioning the offer can rattle their confidence and put the opportunity at risk at the very moment it is being extended.
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A better move, she says, is to show interest and talk next steps, which projects steady confidence without bravado and keeps the conversation moving forward. Sweet recalls answering with curiosity, “I’d be interested. What did you have in mind?” a response that both respects the offer and signals readiness to engage.
During a one to one, then CEO Pierre Nanterme told Sweet he believed she could run the company someday, a comment that arrived while she was serving as general counsel and did not fit the usual CEO profile. Rather than hedge, she leaned on Dublon’s advice and responded with interest, a choice that helped propel her from the legal seat to running Accenture’s North American business in 2015 and, later, to global CEO in 2019.
That progression highlights a simple chain: accept stretch roles without undercutting oneself, and career momentum follows. Sweet’s rise, interest first, preparation next, shows how a confident “yes” can become a bridge to senior leadership when paired with strong execution.
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Sweet links this mindset to habits she prizes in leaders: confidence with humility, excellence, and a constant push to learn. She regularly asks people what they have learned recently, arguing that deep learning at senior levels sharpens decisions and strengthens culture across teams.
Her practical takeaway is direct: say yes to stretch roles, then prepare rigorously to meet the bar that follows. Confidence opens the door, and ongoing learning keeps it open by building judgment, resilience, and trust over time.
