CEO's book advocates respect, communication

When Randall Tobias graduated from IU in 1964, he left with many experiences and a growing sense of confidence. Yet, he had no idea that this confidence would help to make him a successful businessman.\nIn his new book, "Put the Moose on the Table," published by the IU Press, Tobias discusses how to succeed by embracing change, treating people with respect, and most importantly, communicating. \nTobias, former vice chairman of AT&T and most recently, chairman and CEO of Eli Lilly, was successful at dramatically turning around the company, at which point the company entered into the most successful period in its 128-year history.\nLaurie Sachtleben, a speech writer for Eli Lilly since 1996, worked with Tobias.\n"As a remote employee of Eli Lilly, I had to commute from my home to Lilly, and Mr. Tobias really championed diversity and family-friendly policies with me and his employees." \nSachtleben also said Tobias' relationship with his employees made him a better leader. \n"(Tobias) knew how to connect with people," she said. "Every single policy that applied to me kept me loyal to Eli Lilly. He knew that if you were respectful of your employees and treated them right, employees would work harder and respect you."\nThe title of the book comes from a saying Tobias used and stuck by at AT&T and Eli Lilly. He said talking about things honestly, putting tough issues on the table and confronting them head-on helped him to succeed in decades of management. \nAnother main point throughout the book is the idea of embracing change. \n"Change is inevitable," he says in his book. "Like it or not, the world is going to change and successful people in life understand change and use it to their advantage and are overall more happy."\nMarilyn Breiter, marketing manager for IU Press, said her business isn't usually a book publisher, but Tobias' book was different. \n"Since we feel that it's part of IU Press' mission to publish books that make a difference, we were quite impressed by the lessons conveyed in the book, that ethics in business do matter, and that it's possible, even desirable, to succeed without selling out," she said. "In fact, anyone who aspires to lead a business, a non-profit organization, a university, or even a family, will acquire wise insights from this book."\nGrowing up in the small town of Remington, Ind. during the 1950s and '60s was both a blessing and a disadvantage for Tobias. \n"For me, growing up in a sheltered community, the resources available at my high school were limited, which was an obstacle coming to IU with people from larger high schools that had more opportunities than I did," he said. \nWhile at IU, Tobias participated in many extracurricular activities. Tobias was student body president, a member of the Student Senate and the IU Student Foundation. However, he said one of the most memorable experiences he had while at IU was serving as co-host of the student-run radio program, "University Showtime," every Sunday from 7 to 10 a.m. \n"For three hours, we played records, interviewed guests, and generally had a wonderful time," he said. "This was the closest I ever came to the career in broadcasting I'd once considered." \nSince his time at IU, Tobias said he has no regrets.\n"I'm not a person who spends 40 years in business and says 'I wish I had been a brain surgeon,'" he said. "I've had some extraordinary experiences. As I look back on it, I wouldn't change a thing"