What Harvard Taught Me

Harvard University is considered one of the most prestigious ivy league schools in America. With around 6,700 undergraduate students and 15,250 postgraduate students, Harvard has an astonishing 98% graduation rate. Founder, Global Chairman & CEO of GUION PARTNERS, Lindsay Guion, attended Harvard and is well versed in the underpinnings of what makes Harvard such a valuable teacher. Below is his list of the top things that Harvard taught him, and how they can help you.

Focus on Faults

When you want to become a leader, the natural inclination is to focus on developing the skills you are already good at, but a key Harvard insight is to instead focus on what you’re not good at. Lindsay Guion explains that by asking yourself what your weaknesses are, you are able to more easily identify negative patterns of behavior to consciously correct them. The longer you wait to address your weaknesses, the more difficult it will become to break them over time.

Confidence is Key

Nothing sells an idea quite like confidence. At Harvard, every person is the smartest person in the room, which can be an intimidating situation — to say the least. Upon realizing that his ideas and intelligence were on par with the rest of his peers, Lindsay Guion began focusing in on confidence. It is not the smartest people who go the furthest, it is the people with the most confidence. This is the mentality that sells investors on ideas and consumers on products. Confidence is a key characteristic that Harvard often bolsters in its graduates, and allows them to boldly take on problem-solving.

Find Solutions

Problem-solving is quintessential to being a successful business owner and is arguably one of the most repeatedly taught skills at Harvard. Streamlining operations management can increase efficiency in your business and turn a greater profit — the trick is being able to easily identify issues. Figuring out the limiting step and how to streamline the process can easily be applied to every aspect of your life, whether you’re a Harvard graduate or not.

Slow and Steady

The last tip is to take…your…time. All too often, business owners will rush into decisions before they do apt research on the subject or industry they want to dive into. Lindsay Guion explains that rushing can make even the smartest people make bad decisions. Make sure that no stone goes unturned so that you can ensure you are making an informed decision that is in the best interest of you, your company and your partners.

Final Words

So, whether or not a Harvard Business or Law degree is in your future, the above skills outlined by Lindsay Guion are easily transferable to the job of full-time father, budding entrepreneur, or even a horticulturist.