Dear Friends,

This will be my fourth LiveStrong Challenge in late October this year.  For all you who have continued to give, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I hope I will be honored with new contributors this year.  The last three rides have all carried different themes as you are aware.  For this year, I want to look back and say “that was an easy ride.”  Believe me, that was not what I would say in the past.  This year my riding has gone to a different level; I just need to be more consistent in my training. 
 
Regardless of all the noise we often hear about Lance Armstrong, LiveStrong is a dedicated organization supporting a wonderful and necessary cause.  Again, I will ride in honor of my mother (Ruth), sister-in-law (Joan), the mother of my sons (Marilyn, who is a survivor) and all your friends and family who have dealt with this dreaded disease, cancer.  It seems like no one has not been touched by it at some level and I am passionate about diminishing it in my lifetime.  I will train well and ride well for all who support me, so that I will honor your friends and family touched by this disease.
 
More than 10 million Americans are currently living with, through or beyond cancer, and more than 1.3 million people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer this year alone.
 
I am going to ride my bike 60 or 90 miles and have a personal goal of raising at least $10,000 (I have personally made the first contribution and am currently at 53% of my goal) for the LiveStrong Foundation which was founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist, Lance Armstrong, to inspire and empower people affected by cancer.  
Please remember donations of any size do count and are appreciated.  
I know I can do this with the support of friends like you. Would you please consider making a donation?
 
You can donate online at http://austin2011.livestrong.org/jimwiederhold or print a form from there and mail a check directly to LiveStrong.
 
Thank you in advance for your time and generosity. I’ll keep you updated on my fundraising and training progress as I prepare for the event.
 
Jim

Jim, I want to publically thank you for your efforts on my behalf over the years. (This is long overdue by the way.) The network has been extremely valuable in a number of ways.  From a professional point of view I have met many network members from whom I have gained knowledge which has been both educational and personally rewarding.  Certainly my own network has benefitted significantly as a result.  

Over the years I have also been able to tap into your network in order to fill executive level positions. In many cases your personal recommendation has been the key to a final decision regarding a person. It is gratifying to see these individuals grow and mature into talented leaders.  

Most recently I depended on the network again in an effort to quickly identify experts who could assist with due diligence. You were able to recommend a number of folks with whom I have been in touch. Although this particular effort did not materialize, I believe you have provided a core group of experts on whom I could call in the future.

You may also remember that, almost 10 years ago, you were the primary influence in assisting me through a personal transition. All you asked in return was that I be willing to talk with others who might benefit from my experiences and knowledge. I hope I have met your expectations in that regard. These contacts have benefitted me as well.

Warmest personal regards,

Dave Bussone

When Jim related the response of his race partner to a network blast regarding the race they ran together during our staff meeting, everyone on the call (we all work virtual) agreed that having Jim as your running partner was no different than having Jim as your job search partner.   The preparation, the expectation of working hard, having others around you pushing, pulling, cheering you on.  It is what he does every day with our clients – and us on those Monday meetings.   Typical of Jim, we asked and he said yes to posting it, and typical of those in our network, we asked Rick for permission and he said “whatever you need.”  Here is Rick’s email:

I ran one of the best races of my life running with Jim.  So let me add to Jim's list of things one can learn from a race:

1. Humans were made to run with one another, not against each other.   

2. Competing with a friend, like everything else in life, drives you to do your best.  Jim was in better shape and ran the faster race.  He hung back to give me a chance to catch up. This drove me to do my best; run faster and compete better than I would have on my own.   I finished in the top ten for my age group in the first half marathon I ever ran.  I have always had a *Board" when making important life decisions.  Jim was my "Board," my wingman during this difficult race.  The race started at 6:00 am on a rainy day when the temperature never exceeded 37 degrees.  I am not sure if I would have even started the race if it had not been for him.

3. Like Jim, I was very apprehensive about this race.  When I agreed to run, I planned an extensive training program.  All of this went off track when I was unexpectedly required to travel out of town every week since early March to a location that did not support my training program.  What I learned from this experience was not to let unexpected obstacles stand between you and your goals.  Running is nothing more than putting one foot in front of the other.  Many challenges are nothing more than taking one step at a time and persevering.

4. This took more out of me than I would have expected.  I thought I was doing well until it was over and I crashed.  There is a time to run you race and time to rest and reconnect.

Best 

Rick Newsome

So many of you inquired about my run in Denver that I felt compelled to give a report for those that did inquire, but also for those who may not have known about it.  This will prevent me from missing someone.

Rick Newsome and I had run a marathon relay back in October.  I ran the shortest leg and was amazed at how much the altitude affected that short 3.2 mile run.  Rick asked me if I wanted to run the Colfax half marathon in May.  Though incredibly apprehensive, I appreciated his gracious invitation and accepted.  You must understand that Houston sits at 20-50 feet above sea level and Atlanta and North Georgia around 1,000 to 1,800 feet above sea level.  Then there is Denver at 5,280 feet and the memory of my short, somewhat painful previous run.

I never could get a straight answer on how to best approach this other than you will probably never adjust to the elevation even if you go out early.  The best I could do was to arrive 12 days early and, because of two friends Deb and Bill Pollick, I was able to train at 8,500 to 9,000 feet.  I believed at the time that this would benefit me more.  What was really interesting was as the event got closer, more and more people stepped up with information and articles on how to best approach the run.  The approach I took based on that information and the wonderful people that supplied it was as follows:

·         Hydrate – I drank 96 ounces of water and G2 each day

·         Minimize or eliminate coffee and alcohol – I chose to minimize

·         Run at about 80% of your top mileage speed

·         Focus on cumulative mileage but get in one long run each week

·         Eat more carbs – which I did

·         Fourteen days minimal time to adjust to altitude – I only had 12

My 10 days in training prior to the event were agonizing, both mentally and physically, because when I started I almost coughed up a lung.   I told myself at one point when my training was not going well that it was not necessary for me to run.  It would be wiser to pull out.  But, as is typical both in life and this kind of preparation, all can change on a daily basis if you’re putting the numbers in.  And, in this case, it did.  Incrementally, it got better daily though there were occasional setbacks.  My favorite saying became “in Houston, I never got winded, but my legs got tired, in Denver my legs never get tired, but I do get winded.”  It makes you feel like every mile was the last mile.

Even up to the day before the event, I had my doubts, but to my surprise I not only never got winded, I ran my best time in the half marathon to date.

I want to thank Rick Newsome for inviting me, and Deb and Bill Pollick for providing the perfect place to train and still work with my clients.

What did I learn from this adventure?

• Collect data
• Develop a plan
• Work your plan
• Keep the faith
• Have fun
• Have a support group

I wanted to take a moment and tell you about something I am passionate about and very concerned about.  Over the last two to three months, there has been a disturbing trend with organizations who, for whatever reason, are letting executives go and providing minimal to no severance and no transition/outplacement assistance.  The cuts have been a reaction to healthcare reform and some consultants who see no value in helping exiting executives. 
 
This concerns me for several reasons:
 
First, what message are these organizations sending to their remaining employees when they do not give adequate assistance to exiting employees?
 
Second, they are opening the door to increased litigation.
 
Third, where mission is important, does that mission only apply to patients and not employees?
 
Fourth, these individuals are moving into the most, or one of the most, competitive markets we have seen without tools to be successful.
 
This mentality seems short term driven with no consideration of the trickledown effect or concern for the exiting employee who, in most cases, served the organization well, but are being impacted by things outside their control.
 
The solution, to me, lies in two areas.  One, we need to voice our concern and be heard and, two, every executive should ask for an employment agreement prior to joining any organization.  An agreement that provides adequate severance and funds for outplacement/transition assistance, making sure that they have the choice of the firm they want to use.
 
Executives are constantly asked to make tough decisions and to do so with the best interest of the organization at hand; they need a safety net and an employment agreement provides that.
 
Additionally, if exiting employees have not put an agreement in place they still need to ask when leaving for severance, extension of benefits and outplacement/transition funds to be used with the firm of their choice.  I see too many executives leaving money on the table they could use because they forgot to, or will not, ask.  In many cases, it will not be mentioned until you ask.
 
Thanks for listening.

No, no news, is not always bad news.  Kyle and I finished our 40 days without alcohol as planned.  We both savored our success with a beer in Austin, TX.  For me, I had just completed the 150 mile MS150 bike ride from Houston to Austin.  When you achieve anything worthwhile it feels good and it builds confidence, something most of us can always use more of – I have learned that you need to savor these moments because they can be far and few and take away something of value. 

What I learned is that what I preach in transition works and it’s always good to practice what you preach.  Passion for the outcome, a plan, focusing on one day at a time, a supportive team around you, and accepting that everyday will not go smoothly, but that in the end you will succeed.  I will add that I also learned the power of balance.  I will not return to the way I was, a drink every day, but would have a certain number of days alcohol free every week.  Any achievement needs to not only have a short term result, but must bring long term positive change.

This is my 6th or 7th ACHE meeting in a row and the first I have attended on a non-drinker basis, due to the Lent Commitment I made with my son.  Is it not interesting how we never notice all the people who drink until we do not, or how many of the cars we just bought are on the road, or how many people are unemployed when we are also unemployed?

So it is day 14 of the Lent Commitment and I have stayed particularly aware of this from 4-6 pm.  What keeps me on the straight and narrow; 1) passion to succeed 2) sending the correct message to the audience I admire 3) leading by example – and my integrity.  Also, I have substituted another behavior for the one I have given up.   When the urge hits me, rather than give in, I go and exercise.  I also have visualized me succeeding as I ride into Austin on the 2nd day of the MS150.
On a lighter note, a friend told me that for Lent – as he drank his beer – he gave up crack.  My new conversations with old friends has certainly opened up some interesting dialogue.

I want to share something with you on a personal level because it reveals what is important to me and also because as I am going through this process I am experiencing how it has common themes found in career transition.  My son, Kyle, approached me with an interesting question a couple of weeks ago.  He told me he would like me to join him, as well as support him, during Lent with something he would have difficulty giving up.  That something was drinking.  His reasoning was he wanted to cut back, improve his health, lose some weight and save some money.  I also sensed, like most of us, he wanted to be in control.

My initial reaction was WOW --- a young person wanting to reduce his drinking, something that would not be easy!  Initially I tried to join him on a limited basis (how about six days, then one day where you could have that beer or glass of wine?).   His girlfriend, Amy, who really planted the idea, reminded us that it was not what Jesus did during the forty days – succumb to temptation once a week.  That really hit home!  You can’t have your cake and eat it, and you can’t do anything half heartedly – just like transition. 

When I make a commitment to God, I make it with passion since failure is not an option, just like transition.  I also wondered what message I am sending to my son if I do not join him in his quest.  Positive messaging in transition is key to one’s success as well as a passion for the result.  Without the passion, one would roll over when the going gets tough.  Kyle was reaching out for support in order to not make the important journey by himself, just like transition.  Transition is truly a team sport.

So, I will share this journey with you and how it relates to so much of what we experience in transition.  Remember the ingredients of success:

§  A plan

§  Passion to achieve that plan

§  Willingness to step outside of your comfort zone

§  Do not take it on half heartedly

§  Stay in control of your message

§  Get a team around you for both accountability and support

§  Focus only on that which is controllable – leave others alone and understand the difference

§  Remember, your status may have changed but your value has not.

On a more personal note, I welcome the challenge.  I felt that over the last couple of years I had become a little too dependent on wine to take the edge off since I struggle with relaxing.  The timing was perfect, though not exactly my first reaction.  Just like transition, I know I will end up in a much better place.

I am headed to ACHE with a schedule full of “drinks with….” where I will sip on Sprite or Sarsaparilla instead of a glass of wine.  I will have to be honest about my current path which might have the added benefit of opening up new conversations with old friends.  I will try to keep you updated on how I am doing.

A client sent me this email:
 
"Jim,
 
I had a great recent success story with LinkedIn.   Several months ago, I mistakenly sent LinkedIn invites to all of my email contacts!  Several responded and "linkedIn."   I recently updated my LinkedIn profile with my new interim position, and to my surprise LinkedIn sent messages to all of my contacts of my new role, to which I have rec'd 50+ "Congratulations" responses - all from a mistake I made several months ago.  What a neat way to stay in touch with my network!"
 
The strength of this message wasn't how much LinkedIn did for him but showed how much personal networking he has done to get this type of response.  This client has a relationship with these 50+ people or they would not have taken the time to send their congratulations. That is networking in its truest form.
 
In the beginning of their transition, most of our clients have a neglected personal network and struggle to pick up the phone and call their colleagues or past business associates.  Fortunately we have a tremendous network of healthcare executives across the country to introduce them to, growing each of our "circles of influence."  Not once in my almost twenty years of executive outplacement and coaching can I remember someone telling me "networking doesn't work", instead more often than not we are told, "It's much easier than I thought!  The names you gave me were so helpful, I think I can do this!"   
Try it, and tell me your success stories....