Dick Sarns, A Formula for Success

1. Have a great idea saving lives by developing a heart-lung machine

2. Develop a prototype for it in your basement

3. Manufacture the product

4. Build a company that eventually employs hundreds of people

5. Successfully sell to a Fortune 500 company which treats you right

6. Have another idea on how to save lives through an exercise machine

7. Build a second company to manufacture the machines

8. Work successfully throughout all of these endeavors with your wife as a business partner

9. Serve the community

10. Remain humble

11. Follow this formula and you, too, may receive an Honorary Doctorate from University of Michigan in your mid 80’s

You can reach Dick at dsarns@nustep.com.

  

Coach Rob Pasick

Email: rob@leadersconnect.com

Website: www.robertpasick.com

Shooting Yourself in the Foot

Dr. Rob asks, “what are your favorite ways to shoot yourself in the foot?”

We are all exceptional at shooting ourselves in the foot.  Some examples are:

1. Being late

2. Speaking when you should be listening

3. Multi-tasking when you should be paying attention

4. Blurting something out you don’t intend to say

5. Complaining without offering a suggestion for change

6. Making a joke when it’s not appropriate

These self defeating habits are among the hardest to overcome.  Here’s a suggestion for breaking this bad habit:

1. For the next week, keep a list of the ways you shoot yourself in the foot.

2. At the end of the week, review the list and come up with an action plan for at least one of these  habits that you will work on changing. 

If you need more help on this, I’d be happy to talk to you about it.  Please share your comments on here, Facebook or email.

Coach Rob Pasick

Email: rob@leadersconnect.com

Website: www.robertpasick.com

Basic Advice On Leadership from Bill Hermann

As part of the Dr. Rob series, I will be featuring lists from leaders of their basic advice on leadership. This week I feature advice from Bill Hermann, served as Managing Partner of Plante Moran for eight years, who will be our speaker at CEO Connect on Friday, April 20.

1. Find teachable moments – in groups and private vacations.

2. Stretch your imagination, whenever possible.

3. Don't hold grudges.

4. Allow people to make mistakes, just make sure you have their back.

5. Ask lots of questions – and listen to the answers.

6. Observe potential successors under pressure – making decisions, leading teams and as colleagues.

7. Be compassionate .

8. Take vacations and encourage everyone to take vacations.

Please submit to me your list and I will consider it for inclusion in a forthcoming Dr. Rob column.

Coach Rob Pasick

Email: rob@leadersconnect.com

Website: www.robertpasick.com

Ten Attributes To Create A Sustainable Organization

Bill Hermann, served as Managing Partner for eight years at Plante Moran and is author of a great new book, Succession Transition: A Roadmap For Seamless Transitions in Leadership, will be the presenter at CEO Connect on Friday, April 20.  Today we feature his ten attributes needed to create a sustainable organization and what happens if the attribute is missing. He will be elaborating on these principles on April 20.

ATTRIBUTE                                IF ATTRIBUTE IS MISSING

Vision                                        Lack of purpose/understanding

Planning/Strategy                         Lack of clarity/action

Alignment                                        Creates inefficiency

Leading/Promoting Change                Creates hesitancy/resistance

Create environment (culture)                Lack of cohesion

Communication                                Lack of understanding/perspective

Selection/Leadership                        Lack of resources

Development/Experiential learning        Lack of preparedness

Mentoring/Coaching                        Lack of skill development

Transition/Succession                        Lack of future leadership

Please join the conversation on my blog (link provided below).

Coach Rob

robertpasick.com

Conversations With My Old Dog

Much of what I’ve learned in life comes from my conversations with my dogs.  Here are a few key learnings presented to you by my dogs, Lucy and Ruby (rest in peace).

1. Keep your possessions down to a few things and know where all your stuff is at all times.  We dogs never lose things even if we have to bury them.

2. Keep one pointed attention.  We dogs never do two things at once.

3. As you grow older, be comfortable with your serenity. It’s okay to sleep more of the time.

4. Don’t spend your life with the illusion of control.  You folks may get us to sit, but never to stay.

5. Hang your head when you do something wrong. People will quickly forgive you.

6. Accept yourself exactly as you are.

7. Use all of your senses, especially smell.  When something smells bad, don’t eat it.

8. Get over your anger quickly.

9. Don’t get your life so complicated that you need a    planner to remember everything you have to do.  We dogs get along fine without planners, iphones, ipads and laptops.

10. Be ready to play whenever the opportunity arises.

11. Stretch when you wake up.

12. Comfort people when they look sad.

For more wisdom my dogs, read about my book Conversations With My Old Dog http://www.readthespirit.com/book-for-dog-lovers/.

Coach Rob, Lucy & Ruby