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Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., right, with the help of Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance, John Adams, Ph.D., left, brought in Dov Seidman, chairman and CEO of LRN Corporation, center, to speak to UNMC leadership. Seidman is chairman and CEO of LRN Corporation and author of the book “how. Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything in Business (and in Life).” |
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Director of Government Relations Mark Bowen listens to Dov Seidman speak about the importance of “how” at a leadership workshop held earlier this month. |
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From left: Jim Armitage, M.D., professor of internal medicine, and Admiral Bob Bell, vice president for community relations development for UNeMed Corporation, reflect on the presentation by Seidman. |
That was the question posed to UNMC leadership at a workshop held recently at the Scott Conference Center.
Chairman and CEO of LRN Corporation and author of the book “how. Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything in Business (and in Life),” Dov Seidman, spoke to the 50 attendees about why “how” matters so much in the 21st century.
Chancellor Harold M. Maurer, M.D., sought out Seidman after he read a column by Thomas Freidman about “how” in The New York Times. Dr. Maurer immediately bought the book, read it and was so inspired that he ordered copies for the Chancellor’s Council.
“I thought it would be extremely valuable for UNMC leaders to hear what Mr. Seidman had to say, and it was,” Dr. Maurer said. “His presentation was eye-opening and inspiring with regard to ‘how’ we can help UNMC to be the best medical center it can be.”
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance, John Adams, Ph.D. invited Seidman to Omaha and arranged for him to share his message at a Chancellor’s Leadership Workshop.
“The chancellor and I felt Mr. Seidman in particular had a different take on how to look at the world,” he said, “and we always like to challenge ourselves with new perspectives.”
Seidman’s presentation centered on the “pursuit of significance” in the business world and elsewhere.
“It is said that the pursuit of happiness causes it to elude you, and I believe that applies to success as well,” he said. “Those who pursue success find that it eludes them, while those who pursue significance — doing something of value — find success comes their way.”
Tying his theory back to UNMC, Seidman said pursuing significance is relevant to the advancement of science, development of research and education of future professionals.
“You can pursue significance and leave the world a better place,” he stressed, “but it’s how you pursue something that matters more than ever.”
“Krazy” George Henderson was an example cited by Seidman as someone who pursued significance. Henderson is known for inventing the wave, a staple seen at sports stadiums and arenas around the country.
There are three ways of creating “waves” in the world, Seidman said, the first via coercion, the second via motivation and the third through inspiration.
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One way is to “outbehave” the competition, a word not in the dictionary, but an integral verb in Seidman’s vocabulary. It means “to conduct one’s business by exhibiting values and principles that differentiate and win in the marketplace.”
Qualities once thought of as unimportant in the corporate world — integrity, humility and truth — have become viable tools for earning a good reputation and image, Seidman said.
“In a transparent and connected world where everybody is aware of everybody else, you can only differentiate yourself by brand promise, not brand awareness,” he said. “Staying in the game is not enough anymore.”
To stay ahead of the game is to connect and collaborate, or in other words, to “lean in” and embrace the world.
“‘How’ is about leaning in, not hunkering down as if we have something to hide,” Seidman said. “The reason to lean in is because you don’t have a choice. You can’t control the story, but we can control ourselves and how we participate and connect with others.
“Those of us who connect are the ones finding success coming their way.”
Drs. Maurer and Adams both believe UNMC has done a good job of pursuing significance thus far, but agreed that the presentation by Seidman challenges the UNMC leaders to “lean in” more and go beyond the “what” to get to the “how.”
“I’ve worked 20 years at UNMC to help build a better medical center,” Dr. Adams said. “We are about significance. The message I took away from (Seidman) was that it’s important to refocus on what truly embodies significance.”