Voice of Experience: Laila Worrell, New York Metro Office Managing Director, Accenture

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

Laila Worrell, Managing Director of Accenture’s New York Metro Office, says some of the most important advice she’s received is, “when given a choice, choose on the side of generosity.”

She explained, “We all have demands on our time and resources that we must prioritize.  The advice I share often is to remember to err on the side of generosity.  If given the opportunity to support or mentor someone, view it as a privilege.”

Worrell also emphasizes the importance of building strong networks internally and externally. She noted, “Many of us feel too busy with other responsibilities, but it’s important to prioritize building and maintaining your network.  It can be an incredible resource to you throughout your life and career.”

Career Path

Currently Worrell is the leader of the company’s New York Metro Office, where she is responsible for 4,000 people in New York and New Jersey. She serves on the company’s North America leadership team and CEO Advisory Council, and she also leads the company’s work in the private equity sector.  Initially, though, Worrell didn’t anticipate a career in business.  She recalled, “I joined Accenture immediately after completing my undergraduate degree.  I had majored in liberal arts and was passionate about the academic world. I thought I would eventually return to academics.”

“However, I had an incredible experience with Accenture, and I found I was very passionate about business and helping clients solve some of their most complex business problems,” she continued.  She enrolled in Harvard Business School, graduating with her MBA in 1998.  After several years leading strategy and corporate development for a major media company, she had the opportunity to rejoin Accenture, shaping the company’s growth initiatives in the North American market.

Today Worrell works with clients in the financial services industry and is also involved in the company’s initiative around skills and competitiveness. “Accenture is undertaking work to support an initiative to increase the competitiveness of the United States in the global economy, including by leveraging skills as a driver of economic growth.”

This ties into Accenture’s Skills to Succeed global corporate citizenship initiative, she continued. “One of our economy’s key growth levers is our base of skilled resources.  Accenture is committed to helping even more individuals in our communities gain the skills they need to get a job or start a business.”

The topic of competitiveness is relevant to her work with financial services clients as well. “I spend a lot of time with our clients in the financial services sector. We’re going through an unprecedented period of change in financial services. There is an enormous amount of competitive pressure. The question is how can institutions continue to innovate, transform, and compete in a rapidly evolving environment. It’s fascinating working with our clients on these issues.”

Worrell says the part of her career that has been the most rewarding is helping others advance in their own careers. “When I’ve helped people build confidence to fulfill their potential, to see what’s possible, these are the types of achievements I’ve found rewarding, absolutely.”

Advice for Professional Women

Worrell advised women beginning their careers to seek out opportunities to gain relevant education and professional credentials.  “One of the things I advise women early in their careers is to pursue the credentials they may need relative to their chosen field. It can give you so much more flexibility later in your career if you want to change companies, get increasing levels of responsibility, and gain credibility,” she said.

According to Worrell, work-life challenges continue to be an issue for many women – and a growing population of men. “In professional services – fields like consulting, investment banking, and law –the requirement for travel can be demanding.”

We do see this changing,” she continued. “At Accenture, we have a number of programs to address this issue. For people who need more control over when and where they work, work-life balance programs can make a dramatic difference in helping both women and men achieve their career aspirations. We have made enormous progress in the past decade.”

Accenture spent more than $850 million on training and professional development for their people last fiscal year, Worrell said.  The company, which is recruiting in the US and globally, is also dedicated to attracting and retaining women, both at the entry level and experienced hires. She cited training programs, networking, and the company’s International Women’s Day celebration as examples of how Accenture focuses on how their workforce – women and men – define success. “It’s an extraordinary opportunity for our women to hear from role models in the industry.”

The company is also focused on diversity in succession planning, she said. “We are also working to ensure we are thoughtful and mindful of diversity in our succession planning. We have made enormous progress in our organization along these lines and it’s very exciting.”

In Her Personal Time

Worrell is involved with a number of civic and philanthropic organizations outside the office, but she is especially focused on improving STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education for girls and young women. “One of the things I’ve been passionate about is the importance of math and science education in our country, and in particular, helping to ensure we have enough women in those fields.”  She said, “It’s such an important thing for the long-term competitiveness of our country.”