C. Michael Armstrong, AT&T

AT&T's Armstrong tells students, "Never give up"
"Assume nothing," and "Never give up." Those were among the words of advice from AT&T Chairman and CEO C. Michael Armstrong (left) to Dolan School of Business students and others during a wide-ranging discussion held April 24 at the second annual Charles F. Dolan Lecture.

Armstrong was joined by Emmy award-winning interviewer Charlie Rose (right) for a lively, two-hour program in the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. The conversation was taped for future broadcast of the national on the PBS program, "Charlie Rose."

Near the end of the exchange, Rose asked Armstrong for his advice to the business students. "I have a sign on my desk that has two words on it - 'assume nothing.' Every time I violate that, I do something wrong," he said.

Armstrong added he never planned to be a corporate CEO, but rather a salesman. Whatever one's career pursuit, however, he said a guiding maxim has been to "enjoy what I was doing and do it better than anyone else. Never give up if you believe in what you are doing."

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