“I like hiring people who have overcome adversity, because I believe I’ve seen in my own career that perseverance is really important. I will ask them directly: ‘Give me an example of some adverse situation you faced, and what you did about it, and what did you learn from it?’ The people I’ve hired who have had that ability to describe the situation have always worked out, because they’re able to sort of fall down, dust themselves off, and keep fighting the next day.”

—Nancy McKinstry ’80, Hon. ’05, CEO of Wolters Kluwer, the Dutch publishing and information company.

From “Distilling The Wisdom of CEOs,“ New York Sunday Times Business Section, April 17, 2011.