General Motors Chair and CEO Richard Wagoner, Trinity '75, wants to clear up a rumor. He was never a superstar on the Duke men's basketball team.
"All these automotive writers, [who are] not students of Duke basketball, want to make me sort of the Michael Jordan of Duke of that era," Wagoner said during Saturday's keynote speech for the Career Center's annual conference, acknowledging that he did play on the freshman basketball team while he was here as an undergraduate economics major.
"I learned pretty quickly that I would not be pursuing a career in the NBA," Wagoner joked.
The address, conducted as a question-and-answer session with Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta, showcased Wagoner's focus on balance: The equilibrium the University prides itself on between academics and athletics mirrors the relationship between his own work and family life.
"It's about setting priorities," Wagoner said. "I talk to our young executives a lot about this. I want their attention and I want their time... but I find most people are best at [being successful in work] if they are mentally refreshed. For a lot of us, having extra time for our families is important."
For students, that family time might translate into a healthy perspective about classwork, but Wagoner knows firsthand the difficulties of distinguishing oneself at a school that attracts top students.
"If you come and everyone has an SAT score of a zillion and a 4.5 GPA, it's hard to compete in this environment, but... your hard work and diligence can be rewarded," Wagoner said. "I think that's a good lesson in life."
Wagoner related his own experience entering the job market after graduating with an MBA from Harvard University in 1977, when he did not exactly end up where he thought he would be. His first job was with GM in New York City, a location in which he never wanted to live. Growing up in Richmond, Va., and going to school in Durham, Wagoner said New York was too big a city for him.
"New York was kind of intimidating," Wagoner said. "I said, 'Anything but that.'"
However, the position in New York turned out to be a "great working environment with great people" and the starting point for Wagoner's career with GM.
Since his initial position as an analyst in the GM treasurer's office, Wagoner advanced in the ranks of GM and was named chair and CEO in 2003.
Although he acknowledged the importance of hard work, Wagoner also recognized the importance of luck in determining one's future. Many of the positions he has held with GM have come from choosing between different opportunities at certain crossroads, which he described as the common theme in his professional life.
He took a risk with his first major position with GM, which involved a move to Brazil. While his wife encouraged the move, Wagoner joked he was hesitant because there was no televised Duke basketball in Brazil.
Wagoner did not constantly seek advancement, but he found the advice of others instrumental in choosing his career path. He initially turned down an officer-level position, which some colleagues thought was a big mistake, but six months later he was encouraged to take the position of CFO in Detroit.
"That's the one thing I would really encourage: Don't necessarily take the job that you think will be promoted the fastest or make the most money," he cautioned. "It's not about getting to a specific job. You spend most of your time getting to where you're going, so you really want to enjoy that."
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