- and enthusiasm are crucial for success, particularly in your twenties—a sentiment Cisco’s U.K. chief executive shares.
Your knowledge or connections may not be the deciding factor. Cisco’s new U.K. leader suggests your next career advancement could depend on your attitude.
“It’s impossible to teach a positive attitude, engagement, and energy,” Sarah Walker states to . This is the primary positive trait she looks for during hiring or internal promotions—and she emphasizes it carries more weight than your resume, especially for those early in their professional journey.
The 45-year-old executive built her career over 25 years at the telecommunications behemoth BT. During that period, Walker advanced from a sales team member at the £14.21 billion British ($17.7 billion) legacy company to its director of corporate and public sector. After a , she moved to Cisco as managing director and was elevated to lead its U.K. and Ireland operations just two years after that.
Now in a leadership position, the CEO consistently prefers team members who are optimistic and keen to learn.
“The individual’s character is the primary consideration, more so than their skills or background,” she adds.
Skills become more important with experience—but it always pays to be positive and humble
“I consistently try to separate what can be instructed and learned from what is innate in a person,” Walker says, noting that technical skills gain significance as one advances into more specialized positions.
However, she notes that a candidate with an excellent attitude and a desire to learn can still secure a position over a more experienced individual if they show potential for development.
“You don’t have to be perfectly qualified for a promotion, but we need confidence that you can invest the time to upskill within a reasonable period—so I advise people to concentrate on their core character first, as that is what distinguishes you, cannot be taught, and will set you apart,” she adds.
Regardless of your seniority, she believes a poor attitude will make you noticeable for negative reasons.
“I have no tolerance for arrogance. Be self-assured, but maintain humility,” Walker cautions. “You cannot become complacent from past successes; you must always be considering what you will achieve next.”
“Even in my role, you must remain open to continuous learning, growth, and adaptation,” she concludes. “I operate on the principle that I am only as good as my most recent achievement, and I will only remain successful if I keep accomplishing meaningful things.”
An ’embarrassing’ amount of your success in your 20s depends on your attitude, Jassy echoes
Walker is not the only CEO pointing out that a prestigious degree or elite networking skills are not what makes a candidate stand out early on—a positive attitude is. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has remarked that a surprising proportion of career success, particularly in one’s twenties, relies on it.
Walker’s predecessor, David Meads, also previously told that “emotional intelligence (EQ) is at least as important as intellectual intelligence (IQ).” The current Cisco MEA chief highlighted that he observes potential in candidates regardless of academic qualifications, noting that formal credentials are even less critical in client-facing positions.
“You need emotional intelligence to interpret a situation and understand the unspoken messages.”
Ultimately, many executives, including , have identified treating bosses and colleagues well as a major factor in their achievements.
As Maya Angelou once said: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This principle, ultimately, also guides hiring managers and those who make promotion decisions.
An earlier version of this story was first published on on January 30, 2025.