12 Mar Summit Keynote Speaker Gunderman Explores the Enduring Leadership Lessons of Colonel Eli Lilly
Registration is now open for the IU Ventures Founders and Funders Network Venture Summit where Dr. Richard Gunderman, in his keynote remarks, will explore the life and legacy of Colonel Eli Lilly in recognition of the company’s 150th anniversary. The Summit brings together founders, funders, alumni, faculty, and students from across the IU community and is expected to sell out. Attendees can register now on the IU Ventures website.
As Indiana marks 150 years since the founding of Eli Lilly and Company, the milestone offers an opportunity to reflect on the character and convictions behind one of the state’s most influential enterprises.
We recently had a chance to catch up with Dr. Gunderman about his upcoming presentation and asked him to preview his Summit session and reflect on the enduring leadership lessons of Colonel Lilly.
How has your long association with Indiana University shaped your career?
After 13 years at the University of Chicago, IU appealed to me as a place that welcomed interdisciplinary exploration and was willing to take chances in discovery and innovation.
As an example, a historian and I founded the university’s medical humanities program, enabling students at the nation’s largest medical and nursing schools to explore the intersection between patient care and medical research and fields such as ethics and literature in the School of Liberal Arts. Before we can care for human beings, we must first become human beings, and this program continues to draw on humanistic resources to nurture the character and compassion of future health professionals.
As we approach the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and Company, why does Colonel Eli Lilly’s story still matter for today’s entrepreneurs and leaders?
Colonel Lilly, a man who earned his military title through highly meritorious service and leadership during the Civil War, faced many setbacks and even tragedies in life, including a miserable experience as a prisoner of war, business failures, and the loss of his wife and child. Yet, he operated according to bedrock principles, grounded in part in his family’s faith tradition, that guided him through difficult times. He had looked death in the face and bore a clearer sense than most of what it means to live.
Colonel Lilly faced real setbacks and uncertainty in building his company. What stands out to you about how he responded to adversity?
He advised others to take what they found and make it better. Each setback could also be regarded as a learning opportunity, helping to engrain even more deeply the habit of seeking understanding and rededicating ourselves to make a difference in the lives of others. Having been responsible for the lives of his men in battle, he was able to keep business matters in perspective, recognizing that some risks were not as momentous as they might seem, while also seeing that compromising foundational principles is a price no wise person should be willing to pay.
Without giving away your full presentation, what is one idea you hope Summit attendees carry with them?
That character shines through in everything we do. Flourishing should be assessed not simply in terms of sales, market share, or profit, but also in terms of the promotion of quality, value, and the enrichment of lives. Making money should not be the primary purpose of entrepreneurial activity, but a happy byproduct of the pursuit of something far more important — namely, making a differences in the lives of others.
The IU Ventures Founders and Funders Network Venture Summit is limited to 350 attendees and is expected to sell out. Registration is $100 and includes all Summit programming. A limited number of full scholarships are available for current IU students on a first-come, first-served basis.
About IU Ventures
IU Ventures invests in and supports IU-affiliated early-stage companies. Its investment programs include the IU Philanthropic Venture Fund, IU Angel Network, and the Innovate Indiana Fund. It further supports IU founders through its Executive in Residence Program and IU Founders and Funders Network. Each program takes unique approaches to accelerate and support the positive impacts that entrepreneurs affiliated with IU already achieve across the world. http://www.iuventures.com/