A former Goldman Sachs CEO has revealed his stunningly simple yet harsh advice for those looking to climb the ladder of success.
Lloyd Blankfein, 71, came from a working-class Brooklyn background before eventually becoming the top financier at one of the world's biggest banks in 2006.
Now the native New Yorker, who has an estimated net worth of $1.7billion, has three words of advice for those looking to excel in the corporate world.
'Suck it up,' he told The Wall Street Journal ahead of the release of his memoir, Streetwise: Getting to and Through Goldman Sachs.
Blankfein advises loyalty to employers, building longevity and a reputation rather than job-hopping to the top.
He insists that competent workers will always land on their feet and even advised a fake it until you make it approach.
'Regardless of title, if you do a good job and you’re capable, the world finds you,' he told the outlet.
'And the other thing is, I just acted like I was in charge. I made a joke out of it. A trader asked me: "Do I have to listen to you?" and I said: "I’m not sure myself, but that’s your risk."'
Lloyd Blankfein, 71, said his advice to those wanting to advance in the corporate world is to 'suck it up'
Blankfein, pictured at his high school graduation, grew up in the projects of Brooklyn before eventually leading one of the world's biggest banks
'Sometimes it’s just inexplicable or those higher up making the decisions don’t know you well enough,' he continued.
'So my advice to people during these times is just do your job and show they were wrong and act like you’re unperturbed by it, even though you are perturbed by it. I obviously was perturbed by it, but I acted like I wasn’t.'
He eventually became the boss in 2006, having even worked through his cancer diagnosis, which he had received three years prior, while running the bank.
Now, he's retired, and he and his wife, Laura, spend their winters in the warm Miami air before heading back to New York's metropolitan area, where they have a Bridgehampton home valued at $15.8million.
'Cancer must have affected me, but I don’t think it was the reason,' he told WSJ of his retirement.
'It could have been a delayed reaction. My cancer was over in 2016. I left at the end of 2018. I became CEO in the middle of 2006. I had one halcyon year and then it never really abated.'
The Harvard Law School-educated financier started his career doing corporate tax at a New York firm before jumping to J. Aron & Co, a trading firm that had been acquired by Goldman, in 1982.
Six years later, he was named a partner at Goldman and strengthened their foreign exchange business.
Blankfein led the bank during the 2008 recession and also through his cancer diagnosis in 2015 with his wife Laura by his side
He and his wife now spend their winters warming themselves in Miami, where they have an apartment
He previously owned a home (pictured) in Bridgehampton, New York, but has since moved further down the same street to a home estimated to be worth $15.8million
By 2002, he was the vice chairman of Goldman. Despite his high position, he was offered improvement advice on his performance review, which noted that he needed 'better listening skills' and needed to be 'less dominant in meetings.'
The review, which is featured in his memoir, also called him 'adversarial and intimidating' and as someone who has the 'tendency to micromanage.'
But the review didn't curtail Blankfein's ascension at the company, because the next year he became the COO and president of Goldman Sachs.
In 2006, he was named chairman and CEO after Hank Paulson left to be the US treasury secretary.
One of Blankfein's biggest obstacles was leading the bank through the 2008 recession.
After more than a decade at the helm, he retired in 2018. David Solomon succeeded him and continues to run the bank today.
