Clara Shih’s rapid ascent to the upper echelons of America’s corporate and technology sectors is evidence enough that this Stanford University and Oxford University grad is one of the sharper blades in the drawer. But without support from some very experienced hands who took an early interest in Shih’s personal and professional development, her path to the C-suite would have been far less certain, she is quick to note.
Shih, whose titles includes CEO of Salesforce Service Cloud and director of Starbucks Corp. , recently spoke with Atlanta Business Chronicle Senior Editor Crystal Edmonson about the importance of mentors amid today’s rush of information and fast-changing economic conditions. What follows is an edited transcript from their conversation.I wanted to start off with a question about mentoring and mentorship.