Corporate CEOs Advise Young Professionals to Embrace Extra Work

Paul Griggs, CEO of PwC U.S., advised young professionals to accelerate their career growth by adopting a "yes" mindset and working beyond standard hours, including weekends. Griggs stated that curiosity and taking the initiative to research topics during downtime allow employees to outperform their peers and move more quickly into advanced roles.

This perspective is echoed by other chief executives emphasizing personal initiative. McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski stated that individuals must drive their own careers by being willing to take on new tasks. Similarly, AMD CEO Lisa Su urged workers to run towards the hardest problems to find the biggest opportunities for growth.

Former Walmart CEO Doug McMillon highlighted the practical application of this approach, attributing his ascent from a warehouse worker to chief executive to his habit of volunteering for additional responsibilities. McMillon noted that this strategy made him a low-risk promotion by demonstrating his capabilities to senior managers before officially advancing.