NTT DATA Services‘ LaCresha Mirrielees is a Pinnacle Awards finalist for the EA of the Year (Private Company) category. Here, Mirrielees shares some of her key accomplishmens, what’s made her successful and how she overcame a career struggle.
What key achievements did you have in 2018?
Mirrielees: When you take a step back and look at the past year, I think that the achievements that I am most proud of are those that I was able to accomplish on behalf of NTT DATA in the community. It warms my heart to see the smiles on the faces of the children we adopt at the holidays, to take part in serving dinner and packing bag lunches for the homeless — making the holidays truly a season of giving and happiness.
What has made you successful in your current role?
Mirrielees: To me, success doesn’t point to any single quality or action — it is a series of small successes that makes the lives of those around me a little easier. Sometimes, that is remembering travel preferences, sometimes, it might be effectively managing calendars. Other times, it is making the logistics of a major meeting run smoothly. It is the little things that make for big success.
What was your biggest career struggle and how did you overcome it?
Mirrielees: My biggest career struggle was learning to say no. Fundamentally, I like to make people happy — saying no does not always make everyone happy, but sometimes, it is necessary to effectively perform my role and allow my executives to be effective in their roles.