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Mountain Peaks Offer Perspective for CEO
Author: Ray Brasted | Monday December 03, 2007
Greg Engleman climbed to the summit of Uhuru Peak in Tanzania.
Climbing the Heights
Mountain Peaks
Offer Perspective
For Industry CEO
Mount Rainier in Washington State requires those who wish to reach the 14,410 foot summit to negotiate the largest glaciers in the lower 48 states and have the stamina and will power to stay the course for two to three days. Only half of those who attempt the climb make it and an average of three adventurers die each year. Source: Wipeka Encyclopedia
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Greg Engelman discovered outdoor adventure when he was in college and spent his time hiking, skiing and rafting every chance he got. The Orlando native taught others how to ski and negotiate white water in a raft and later, when he had the chance, he traveled to distant places to climb the highest peaks in the world.
Working as a health care executive after college did not dim his enthusiasm, even living in what he calls "vertically challenged" central Florida did not keep him from his avocation "I really enjoy going to places very few people see and doing what relatively few people have a chance to do. It gives me a different perspective of the world," Engelman told the Voice in a recent interview.
The Voice approached Engelman with the idea of discussing the correlation between climbing a mountain peak and building a successful business. As CEO of Optimal Translation and Transportation, which serves the workers' compensation industry, Engelman has had to take on the highly competitive industry in order to reach a high level of success.
"I guess it was on Mount Rainer when I was trudging through deep snow with a forty pound pack on my back that I began to think about how preparing for, and undertaking, a difficult climb correlates to building a successful company," Engelman recalled. "Mount Rainier requires the ability to put one foot in front of the other as you near the summit no matter how tired or mentally fatigued you might be.
"You have to have the physical and emotional toughness to take each step. I am a big guy and I would sink deep into the snow, even though I tried to stay in the tracks of my fellow climbers who did not weight as much as I did."
The Lesson: In business you have to keep moving forward with resolve and dedication to reaching your goal. Here are some other thoughts that evolved during the interview.
PREPARATION
Whether taking on the wilderness or building a company one must prepare for as many contingencies as possible. Engelman had to carry a forty pound pack because it contained gear that he might need in an emergency or to meet certain unexpected needs. "The same concept is true in business. You have to be prepared for unexpected challenges and do your homework if you are going to be successful in sales and in business.
PERSISTENCE
When Engelman climbed to Mount Kilimanjaro’s 19,344 foot summit in 2006 he had to overcome the dizzying altitude as he moved ever higher. Above all, he had to be persistent and push himself to make the long climb. "I tell our staff all the time that building a business takes preparation and dedication over the long term to reach success. We have built our company by adhering to these principals," Engelman pointed out.
PATIENCE
You cannot run up a mountain, Engelman noted, but he said that many companies try to do the equivalent when they start out in business. "When I was climbing for hours. the Chagga tribesman would say 'Pole' Pole', which in Swahili means 'go slowly, go slowly', because my focus had to be, not how fast I reached the summit, but that I reached it," he concluded. "In sales particularly, I advise our staff that they have to work with their potential clients, sometimes over the long term, before they see results. I am a salesman at heart, so I understand where they are coming from," Engelman said.
TEAMWORK
Whether you are taking on a major outdoor challenge, or seeking to succeed in the corporate world, at some point you have to rely on teamwork to reach the summit. Engelman said that when you are roped together with other climbers you had better have the best team you can assemble because your life could depend upon their skills. While the requirement of teamwork might not have such dramatic consequences in business, the analogy works when considering the life of a company.
Optimal Story: Based in Central Florida, Optimal Translation & Transportation began in 1999 as a national translation and interpreting company. It has grown to be on of the largest companies in the industry under the direction of Engelman, Jodi Floyd its President and Jackie Snook, RN, the company's Chief Operating Officer. "Jackie is responsible for the quality of our daily operations. She is also a Registered Nurse and is very active in case management organizations," Engelman pointed out. "Another key individual is Jo Ann Finnegan, our Vice President of Sales, who does an excellent job," he added.
Also on board and a major contributor the company’s success, is Cathy Engelman, who brings her executive experience with a major workers' compensation industry pharmaceutical company to Optimal Translation & Transportation. The couple has two children, a seven-year-old daughter and four-year-old son.
"Providing transportation services is a problematic business because there are plenty of opportunities for errors. Vehicles break down, traffic causes delays and directions can get misread. Our focus is on providing quality and to reduce the error rate as much as possible," Engelman said. "We have formed a training team that has, as their focus, a commitment to service. We also focus on taking care of our employees because if we take care of them, they will take care of the customers.
The same is true of translation services, he noted and added that Optimal is the first to provide instant telephonic interpretation services, 24/7. "We saw there was a need in the market for instant access," the CEO said. "We are trying to change the way to do business in this industry."
Engelman said that every company will point out their quality services. "We do that, but we also provide references and ask potential clients to check us out for themselves." Good advice. If you are going to climb the mountain and reach your goals, a bit of preparation is a good idea.
Ed. Note: Optimal Translation & Transportation provides all transportation services to meet the specialize needs in the workers' compensation industry. The company also provides on-site and over-the-phone interpreting or document translation. One phone number reaches all services: 877-210-9011. Visit www.GoToOptimal.com.
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