Accenture CEO Julie Sweet’s golden rule for students: ‘Never say no to…’

Leadership transitions rarely begin with certainty. They often begin with hesitation, followed by a decision that alters a career’s direction. When Julie Sweet was serving as general counsel at Accenture in 2014, she did not see herself as a future CEO.

She did not come from a traditional business background. She had not spent her entire career inside the company.

The organisation had historically been led by men who rose through consulting ranks. The turning point came during a routine meeting with then CEO Pierre Nanterme. “At the end of the meeting, he closes his notebook and he pushes it aside, and he says to me, completely out of the blue… ‘I think you could run this place someday,’” Sweet recalled on Fortune magazine’s Titans and Disruptors of Industry podcast in a conversation with Alyson Shontell. Even Nanterme acknowledged that the move from general counsel to CEO was not direct. She would have to run another business unit first. At that moment, Sweet could have responded with caution. Instead, she relied on advice she had once received from Dina Dublon, the former chief financial officer of JPMorgan Chase and a member of Accenture’s board. “When someone gives you a stretch role… chances are that the person offering you a stretch role is as nervous or more nervous than you are.

So, don’t say anything, like: Are you sure?” Sweet recalled Dublon’s guidance on the same podcast.“I looked at him and I said, with Dina in my head, ‘why, yes, I’d be interested. What did you have in mind?,’” Sweet replied. That exchange set in motion a shift in responsibility. Sweet went on to lead Accenture’s North American practice in 2015 and was appointed global CEO in 2019.

The stretch role principle

For students, the central lesson is not about corporate hierarchy, it's about readiness. Many students delay applying for internships, research roles or leadership positions because they believe they lack one requirement. They disqualify themselves before an interviewer does. Sweet’s rule suggests: do not reject an opportunity simply because it feels larger than your current skill set. A stretch role is not proof of readiness, it is an invitation to grow into it. For students entering competitive fields, this has practical implications.

Apply for the internship even if you meet most but not all criteria. Accept the campus leadership position that appears demanding. Say yes to projects that require learning on the job.

Confidence and disciplined learning

Sweet has linked confidence with humility and excellence in describing what builds strong teams at Accenture, a company valued at approximately 150 billion US dollars with around 770,000 employees worldwide. “We are constantly challenging each other and our assumptions,” she said on the Fortune podcast. “When you build a team that thinks that the status quo is challenging assumptions, embracing change, it means you’re constantly questioning.

You don’t need to stop and have a big strategy… because you’re always working on the strategy.” Her approach to leadership includes asking for help. She has described that as one of her “superpowers”. “I think the idea of being a deep learner at the top is really critical,” she said. “Because many times, the senior leaders, whether it’s the chief executive officer or one level down, they’re the ones with all the wisdom.

They’ve gotten these big jobs, and so the idea of training for leaders is often really odd to think about.” For students, this reframes confidence. It is not the absence of doubt, but the willingness to ask questions and learn in public. Sweet has said that early in her legal career she was not highly familiar with tech. She recognised that to become a business leader with legal experience, she needed to understand how the company operated. “I figured out pretty quickly that if I wanted to be the business leader with legal experience, I had to deeply understand the business,” she said. That decision increased her value within the organisation. “Transparency builds trust,” she added. “Because the more value you can contribute to your company, the more likely you’re going to get that best next job.”

What this means for students

Students often treat career progression as a sequence of completed qualifications.

Degree first,skill second, and confidence third. Sweet’s experience suggests a different order. Opportunity may come before certainty, and growth may precede mastery. The stretch role principle does not guarantee promotion. It does not remove competition. It does, however, prevent self-elimination. In classrooms and early workplaces, the habit of saying no to responsibility because it feels premature can narrow options over time.

Saying yes does not remove risk. It expands exposure. Sweet did not become CEO because she fit a predefined mold. She accepted assignments that expanded her scope and learned beyond her formal training. For students preparing to enter uncertain labour markets, the lesson is very simple. Do not wait to feel fully ready. When responsibility is offered, examine it seriously. If the answer is yes, say it without undermining yourself. Sometimes a career shifts not because someone feels prepared, but because they choose not to say no.