Lesson Plan

Although I left prison eight years ago, I still find inspiration in stories from leaders like Bill. Despite growing up in humble circumstances, Bill prospered in a lucrative industry and provided a livelihood to several thousand employees later in his life. Like Bill, many people in prison or jail did not grow up with clearly identified pathways to their future success.

We see that Bill determined that he wanted a less physically demanding career, so he chose an academic route to his success. His decision offers us a valuable lesson in critical thinking – Bill identified attaining nonmanual employment as a goal and followed incremental steps, such as studying and gaining hands-on experience early on, to fulfill his dream.

Bill teaches us that education goes beyond simply earning a credential. When I tutored others in prison, many of the people with whom I worked focused only on completing the coursework rather than mastering the material. In contrast, Bill supplemented his coursework by attaining real-world experience. He proved to prospective employers that he could successfully perform assignments, distinguishing himself in the job market from other graduates.

Similarly, our participants that work toward GED programs should strive to thoroughly understand their coursework rather than simply earn a diploma equivalent. The most successful students sharpen their basic skills in critical thinking, math, and reading. These three skills become building blocks for those aspiring to establish a career and upon release.

We also learn that skills in some industries can transfer to other areas. Bill’s immersion in mechanical engineering led him to work in different medical fields, though other options were likely available to him. In the interview, I often mention the term “vertical industry,” which refers to a group of companies that focus on a shared niche that spans more than one industry.

A mechanical engineer could choose other fields, such as electronics, construction, or consumer goods. Similarly, many professionals, such as physicians, lawyers, and stockbrokers, lose their licenses upon conviction, leaving them unable to resume the career they had before their incarceration. Our team strives to help such individuals use their communication and critical thinking skills to begin a career in consulting, sales, or other fields open to those with criminal histories.

• How do you believe Bill’s early experiences in the workforce led him to develop a strong work ethic?
• How do you think that positive traits like a strong work ethic and cooperative attitude led Bill to become successful so soon after graduating?
• Why is it important to master the concepts taught in the classroom rather than simply earn a degree?
• What tools or self-directed exercises can you adopt to master a skill or subject?
• How do you believe Bill’s father served as a good role model for him?

Career Advancement and Leadership Roles:
After several years at Miles, Bill became a manager at a small firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. This firm specialized in producing lancets – miniature devices used to monitor diabetics’ blood sugar levels. A supplier from Bill’s previous role founded the firm and recruited Bill to head its research and development division and grow its revenue.

As we speculate on why this supplier selected Bill for this role, we discover two salient facts:

• First, Bill worked with this supplier at Miles to successfully develop a medical device ahead of schedule and under budget, occurrences considered unprecedented at the company. 
• Second, Bill recalls treating this supplier as a partner rather than as a subordinate. These two actions led the supplier to trust Bill as a competent and congenial professional capable of expanding his new business’ operations.

Bill remained at the Georgia-based firm for 14 years. During his tenure, the company experienced exponential growth. When he began working at the company in 1994, it operated with around $10 million in annual revenues. Over the next several years, the company became a market leader in micro-sampling devices (those used to collect blood samples, often for people with diabetes), eventually holding about 50% of the world’s market share. The firm acquired other companies, bringing its total value to $98 million only four years later.

Another company eventually bought Bill’s firm, leading to continued increases in revenue for enterprise over the next decade. During this transition, Bill earned several promotions and assumed broader leadership responsibilities. His titles included:

• Vice President of Engineering
• Director of Engineering
• General Manager
• President

When I ask him about his leadership experiences, Bill explains that good leaders take on several responsibilities and continuously contribute to the team’s wellbeing. Strong leaders like Bill never ask anyone to do something that they are not willing to do. They willingly help others and lead by example.

Bill had to “wear a lot of hats” (i.e., fulfill various duties). He identified work that his team needed to complete. He developed strategies to satisfy the company’s needs. He had to hone his communication skills to describe the team’s challenges and identify possible resolutions.

Eventually, Bill left that firm to join a startup. When he started, the company did not have any revenues at all, only a plan. The team aspired to specialize in the biotechnology sector. They intended to develop products from living systems and organisms.

As a gifted leader, Bill drove the firm to grow from employing only 15 people to a staff of more than 1,000 people. Over Bill’s nine-year tenure, the company generated more than $1 billion in revenue. Those resources reflect a monumental contribution to society, resulting in taxable income that would benefit families and communities.

As he describes his actions as a leader at this firm, we see that Bill embodies many of our success principles:

• He set incremental action steps. Bill had to take deliberate actions over a sustained period to gain regulatory approval for new medical products. For more than two years, Bill had to set small goals to meet different government requirements to get these products approved.
  
• He remained aware of opportunities. Bill used his knowledge of mechanical engineering to become proficient in medical concepts relevant to the biotechnology industry. Bill had to learn a different type of technology and find products better suited to his company’s needs. He also adopted the lexicon of a medical professional to become proficient in his new industry’s jargon.
  
• He also “kept his head in the game.” Bill found new opportunities to grow his company, acquire talented employees, and research emerging technologies in his industry. 
• He celebrated success. Bill’s company acknowledged its most successful sales teams with trips, plaques, and employee of the month awards. Bill stresses the importance of recognizing the hardest workers who serve as the “backbone” of a company.

As he reflects on his career, Bill teaches us the importance of a relentless work ethic and finding purpose in one’s profession. His rigorous schedule involved working 60-65 hours per week, including at night and over the weekends. He attests that the demands of a fast-growing company compelled him to maintain such tenacity. Bill also found meaning in his work as the production of cutting-edge medical technology helped prevent people with diabetes from suffering amputation and lowered their risk of death.