Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan and a partner at the RBL Group, a consulting firm focused on helping organizations and leaders deliver value. He studies how organizations build capabilities of leadership, speed, learning, accountability, and talent through leveraging human resources. He has helped generate award-winning data bases that assess alignment between strategies, organization capabilities, HR practices, HR competencies, and customer and investor results. He has published over 200 articles and book chapters and over 25 books.
My Definition Of Success | Success is a very personal statement of well-being, feeling like I have used my gifts and talents in ways that benefit others. The multiple scorecard of success includes the tangible results… the talks, honors, etc. But, the real success is in the relationships and personal growth that comes from caring and being cared for by others and from knowing I have done my best.
I Am Driven By | I am driven by learning. I like ideas and the pursuit of new ideas that address problems in novel ways. In this regard, I like to define the paths that others will study and offer insights to others along that path. I don’t always have answers, but I like to ask interesting questions and make useful observations.
My Highlights | Life: family. I am so proud of my family … 3 kids and 6 grandkids. I am also delighted with extended family and feeling of closeness with them.
Faith: it is comforting to me to have a peace with the divine and to bring this spirit into my life in a daily way through communication with the divine and through being part of a community of like-minded believers.
The Characteristics Of Success | I like the research that has started to meld around: learning agility, grit, growth mindset, resilience, and perseverance. The basic message is that success is less about IQ and EQ, and more about curiosity, experimentation, learning, and persistence. I tend to like to explore new problems and stick with things.
Principles I Live By | Most major religions share common values about service, relationships, hope, charity, and giving back. These values and actions go by different terms, but they focus more on how we help others than help ourselves.
Dealing With Doubt | When something does not go well, I like to run into it. First, what have I learned that I would do differently in the future? If there is something, I can incorporate that into my subsequent projects or actions. If not, and I really did the best I could, given what I knew, let go of the doubt and frustration.
Performing At My Peak | I am NOT always at a peak. Average means that sometimes things are higher and sometimes lower than others. I often work very hard to focus less on what I am doing and more on how what I am doing will help someone else.
Advice On Building Wealth | Don’t focus on riches and wealth. Focus on what matters most to you around ideas and relationships. Wealth is often a by-product of insight and passion.
I Am Inspired By | My mother who is 86, vibrant, service oriented, and cares deeply about those around her.
