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Michael Samuelson

Over the past 35 years – from Boston to Brussels, London to Little Rock, Peoria to Paris and Harrisburg to Havana, Cuba – Michael Samuelson has lectured on leadership, health promotion, patient experience, health policy, disease prevention and the dynamics of behavior change. An author of five books and numerous articles on leadership and behavior change, his work has been featured on the ABC News program, 20/20, The CBS Morning Show, CNN and MSNBC as well as numerous national print publications including The New York Times, Boston Globe, The Lancet, Employee Benefit News, Business Week and USA Today.

Michael completed his graduate studies at the University of Michigan, is a Vietnam Era veteran of the US Air Force (1967-1971) and a recipient of the Commander’s Coin of Excellence from the US Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine.

His distinguished professional resume includes successful entrepreneur, senior executive in the health insurance industry, CEO, university professor and US health policy advisor. His writings, audio work and behavior change programs have been distributed to millions throughout the world and have been publicly endorsed by scientists, politicians, advocacy organizations, business leaders and media personalities including: George H.W. Bush, Betty Ford, C. Everett Koop, Ken Blanchard, The Lance Armstrong Foundation and Larry King.

Practicing what he preaches, Michael is an avid world trekker with high altitude mountain adventures logged in Asia, Europe, Africa, Alaska and the US lower 48.

Categories: Health Care, Health Care - Inspiration / Survivor, Health Care - Leadership and Administration, Time Management, Stress and Life Balance

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SHERPA LEADERSHIP: 15 Steps to the Summit

In mountaineering, getting to the top is less than half the battle. Getting back down - to climb another day - is the key. You don't simply want to endure the experience; slugging your way to the summit through pain and exhaustion, you want to stand on the top and shout your delight as you enjoy the view. You don’t want to simply survive, you want to thrive! You want the cycle: the 360 degree experience that takes you from basecamp to the pinnacle of a new experience and back down safely to basecamp. The name of this game is resiliency; the ability to create a vision, lay out a plan, give it all you've got, rest up and come back strong ... ideally, even stronger and more confident than before you left home. In organizations as well as on exotic expeditions, every team member's contribution is critical not only for measured success - the pinnacle (sales goals met, charitable funds raised, elections won, etc.) - but also for everyone's safe return to basecamp ready and anxious to take on the next challenge. In mountaineering, success and safety are the ultimate responsibility of the head guide and his team of porters. If they are not focused on the details of the journey and if they are not physically and psychology fit, the mission and the lives of all those on the trail are in jeopardy. No different at sea level. Those in charge not only need to formulate and execute strategic plans consistent with corporate mission and vision, they also must set, maintain, and encourage healthy living standards throughout their organizations. To forget the latter is to doom their organizations to a precarious existence punctuated by sporadic bursts of success followed by exhaustion and healing, at best, or body-count and staff replacement, at worst. In this engaging and entertaining executive briefing, Michael provides ready-to-use tools that will enhance both personal and professional performance. He knows the steps and the ropes. In addition to founding and building successful organizations, he continues to respond to a 1999 cancer diagnosis and surgery by trekking across glaciers, wondering through rain forests and reaching the summits of exotic mountains. In August of 2000, he turned possibility into reality by getting re-certified in technical climbing at the Alaskan Mountaineering School. In 2001 he trekked across Nepal to the Mt. Everest base camp and the summit of Mt. Kala Patar. In 2007, he watched the sunrise from the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro and, in 2011, the sun set over Mt. Salkantay in the Peruvian Andes.

Voices from the Edge: Life Lessons from the Cancer Community

Based on the highly praised book of the same name, Voices from the Edge presents the wisdom of real people who have been diagnosed with and treated for cancer. They have been to the edge and returned. Some have come back to "normal" life, resolved to endure, to live out the full span of years that they once took for granted, and have put several years between themselves and their diagnosis. Some have returned for only a short stay and face each day with the reality that the next, or the one after that, could be their last. All have returned with a new appetite for life. Their voices ring with their newfound passion - with hope, anger, fear, courage, acceptance, defiance, joy, love, and humor. Inspirational, entertaining, and profoundly genuine, this presentation delivers smiles, tears, and laughter, but most of all, the audience is left with a renewed appreciation for the fact that the living part of life is captured in the moments - not years.

WAKE UP! Beyond Survival...Living a Life of Thrival

Because we are human we do not always do what our mothers taught us to do. We make mistakes. We slip. Sometimes we feel guilty, sad and remorseful. This is followed by a strong commitment to change; to get back on the right path, to do all those things that mom, our first-grade teacher, Captain Kangaroo, Bert & Ernie, Mr. Rogers and Oprah told us to do. Unfortunately - just like when on a bike path - once we slip off we tend to make deeper and deeper grooves in the soft grass and mud. If we stay too long the grooves just get deeper until we find ourselves in someone else's tracks; someone who slipped off the path long before we came along. Without fast action, we quickly adapt to this new trail. It seems so much easier to just continue along in the mud. The problem is that we know we are in the mud and that we would be much safer if we could break through the rut and get back on the stable road. However, when we try to leave the sloppy and increasingly dangerous trail we are intimidated by the bumps as we smack up against the groove’s edge. So, we settle back into the rut (we'll try again, later). We lack the courage, strength or will to risk the initial jar so we stay where we are. Such is life both on and off a bike path. The difference between life and a bike path is that, on the life path, there are plenty of people willing and anxious to tell you what’s good for you --- what you need to do to live a healthy, happy, and prosperous life --- to get back on the right path. Parents, teachers, priests, rabbis, monks, brahmas, mullahs, your Aunt Betty, Dr. Phil and the next-door-neighbor stand ready to offer (push) advice your way. Mostly, this advice is well intentioned, but it is often general in scope with little or no personal relevance. There are countless “How To…” books outlining the objective science of life complete with full-color templates. But, only YOU can explore, discover, design and nurture the unique, subjective, deeply personal, art of living your life. The question is: What do YOU want? Where do YOU want to go? What predictably triggers and sustains those moments when you feel truly happy and satisfied with the life you’re living? Is it yoga or deep breathing exercises? How about “The Secret,” The Bible, The Koran, The Torah, or “The Four Noble Truths?” Is it truly better in the Bahamas … and does it simply take a trip to Jamaica to feel all right? Perhaps, for you, well-being --- life satisfaction --- improves when you read a good book, spend time with your kids, go to the movies, buy gifts for your grandchildren, drink a cold beer on a hot summer day, watch television or work till dawn on a project that comes to life and tickles you each time you give it your undivided attention? Of course you want to increase and sustain your life satisfaction but first you must WAKE UP! You must become AWARE and take inventory of what brings meaning to your life, today. You must open all senses and pay attention. In this entertaining and informative lecture, nationally acclaimed health promotion pioneer, Michael Samuelson, will help you design a personal and passionate path toward optimal health and meaningful purpose ...as defined by YOU (not mom, your first grade teacher, dad, your partner, aunt Betty, Oprah, Bert & Ernie, Mr. Rogers, Dr. Phil or Captain Kangaroo).

HEALTHCARE VS SICKCARE: Time to Level Set

"Wellness" is an Amorphous, Dangerous & Distracting Term: The word "wellness," when used as an antonym for sickness loses punch and significance because it's not measurable. How does "wellness" translate into dollars? The argument goes, "I get that 'sickness' means missing work, incurring medical expenses and running-up pharmacy costs, but what are the savings - or, absence of cost - that comes with being well?" It's too slippery to measure, so anything called "wellness" is often the first to feel the blade of fiscal cutback. Far from fluff and waste, WELLNESS is an umbrella descriptor for programs, policies and initiatives that promote health prevent certain diseases and compress morbidity (shorten length of illness). Wellness is also an objective and subjective incremental state of well being with infinite variations. The next time someone talks about the need to improve productivity, slow the surge of healthcare costs, recruit top talent, retain key employees and improve the overall quality of life for your community...THINK WELLNESS. And, then, tell me "wellness" is fluff! Think Like A CFO: At the end of the day, the goal of every organization is to open the doors the next morning. Simplistic, yes; however, sustaining and expanding both mission and margin is a fiduciary responsibility of every corporate officer. That goes for the one-person-not-for-profits all the way up to Fortune 500 companies. Nobody in senior management will argue the importance of having healthy and happy employees (mom and apple pie). That being said, if employee health and wellness initiatives, policies and activities are not tightly framed and measured in the context of corporate survival, growth and profitability, they will be viewed as ancillary and delegated to the same bucket that holds company picnics, charitable contributions and free fresh fruit in the cafeteria. When times get tough, calculators are worked overtime and, well…you know the rest. That's why it's important that you always level set when using the word "wellness" in a conversation with senior management or when submitting budget requests/renewals. Make sure it is clearly understood that you addressing business and bottom-line issues. If not, your programs, initiatives and policies will suffer and, gradually, go away. From his seat as a health promotion pioneer, university lecturer, international disease prevention researcher, former health insurance senior executive, and nationally respected cancer awareness advocate, Michael Samuelson knows this story from all angles and he is anxious to share the observations and lessons learned from his journey.

Books

Voices From The Edge

Voices From The Edge

Voices from the Edge presents the wisdom of real people who have been diagnosed with and treated for cancer. Written and compiled by a cancer survivor, this book offers interviews and survival stories of ten individuals who have faced death, who have been to the edge and returned. Inspirational, entertaining, and profoundly genuine, this collection of very personal stories delivers smiles, tears, and quiet reflection, but, most of all, it leaves the reader with a lingering appreciation for the fact that the living part of life is captured in moments - not years.

You can purchase this book here

Moments...Not Years

Moments...Not Years

Moments…Not Years is a compilation of essays, poetry, and photos capturing the spirit and soul of everyday life.

You can purchase this book here

What Would Mickey Say: Coaching Men to Health and Happiness

What Would Mickey Say: Coaching Men to Health and Happiness

What Would Mickey Say? recognizes the influence of sports and athletic heroes on men. Set in a company cafeteria, the book follows six men, all members of the company softball team, as they discuss such topics as drugs, alcohol, aging, raising kids, sex, and a host of other real life concerns. Observing the men from the sidelines, and invisible to all but the reader, are Mickey Mantle and the virtual professor Edwards from the local university. Mantle, having learned much from his own poor lifestyle choices, provides commentary and advice to the reader on the health issues that the men discuss, while the professor helps to clear up popular misconceptions.

You can purchase this book here

Marketing Healthy Lifestyles:
Advancing Health Promotion as a Profit Center and Cost Containment Strategy

Marketing Healthy Lifestyles: Advancing Health Promotion as a Profit Center and Cost Containment Strategy

Marketing Healthy Lifestyles will show you how to plan and execute successful health promotion marketing strategies using specific techniques and recommendations derived from marketing experts as well as from affiliates of the National Center for Health Promotion. Over NCHP’s 25 year history, the affiliates have learned what works and what doesn’t. You will also find practical tips and suggestions and examples to illustrate basic concepts and principles.

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