Accepting a Presidency During the Pandemic (wsg Sean Killian)

Gregg Garrett, discusses how transforming an organization is a lot like baking a cake. Gregg then speaks with Sean Killian, President North America, Atos Medical. Sean shares insights he has gained as a global citizen and observations he has made as he pivoted his career from industry to industry. Of course, he speaks about his top three who include mentors who taught him to bring structure to unstructured situations, inspirational leaders in the world of sports, and day-to-day confidants who help him scale. And you have to hear what he has to say about what it’s like to become the president of a company in the midst of a pandemic. About Sean Killian Sean serves as President of North America for Atos Medical, a PAI-portfolio healthcare company that serves customers in the laryngectomy space. Prior to joining Atos earlier this year, he was on the executive team of Performance Health, a portfolio company of Chicago-based Madison Dearborn Partners, where he was VP of Global Strategy and GM of Specialty Products. Previously, Sean was Global Head of M&A Strategy at Mondelez International and, prior to that, a Principal at The Boston Consulting Group in its Chicago office. Show Highlights Segment 1: Overview 1:07      Why do over 70% of transformations fail? 3:01      Transformation is like baking a cake. 6:52      Sean Killian: His journey began with journalism and consulting that led him around the world and back to his current role in the medica. industry. Segment 2: The “Top Three” 14:06   Sean’s “Top Three” beings with mentors who give perspective on the tools you need, connecting it to where you are today as an individual on a development curve, and playing a role model 16:39   Weighing mentor quality vs boss quality. 18:02   Hints for leaders: Be structured. Get into the 80/20 – what really matters. Have a plan and execute that plan. 20:47   Sean’s “Top Three” expands with a speakers, personalities, and leaders in the world of sports, such as Jim Valvano & Brian Kelly from whom he can gain life advice. 23:05   There aren’t lines between the workplace and personal life; it just is. 26:12   Modeling for your team that it is okay to make a mistake is really important. 28:28   Sean’s “Top Three” concludes with day-to-day confidants who help him scale including Mauricio Atry. Segment 3: Transformation & Disruption 33:57   Accepting the President role during the pandemic. 40:00   The realities of what ‘after’ the pandemic looks like. 45:15   Blurring the lines: what is the role of a business in providing a social output for people? 49:09   “What matters is how you are trying to evolve the organization.” 53:06   Atos Medical: Passionate to make life easier for people who breathe through a stoma. Segment 4: Wrapping Up 58:39   Use an extensive filing system for emails. 1:00:34 Stay in touch via LinkedIn! Additional Information Contact Sean Killian: Sean’s LinkedIn Contact Gregg Garrett: Gregg’s LinkedIn Gregg’s Twitter Gregg’s Bio Contact CGS Advisors: Website LinkedIn Twitter

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You, Me, and Your Top Three is a podcast focused on exploring leadership in the connecting world. Specifically, the podcast invites leaders to tell stories, reflect, and discuss their views on: - disruptions in industry and society; - how they are leading transformations considering these disruptions - brave leadership to drive transformation. It is this last point where we focus most of the discussion, asking our guests to share their insights into the relationships they have with their “Top 3” closest advisors. It is our observation and experience that as the world connects, the importance of a diverse set of counselors is increasing in value. For some this may be a formal advisor who has been contracted on behalf of the company. For most this will be deep relationships in which they have been invested and nurtured. Through stories and discussion, we strive to celebrate the art of giving and receiving advice. The stories that are told are heartfelt and real. At the root we are exploring the process of knowledge building, relationship building, and perhaps most importantly, confidence building. After all, it takes a brave leader to battle the inertia that exists in industries, our organizations, and in ourselves. It is our hope that as successful leaders open up about around the subjects and the way in which they interact with their closest confidants, that our listeners will, in turn, reflect on their own “virtual board of advisors.” Over time they will then surround themselves with those who help them stretch toward greatness and lead bravely in the connecting world.