Alumnus Sir Robert Worcester visits Summerfield

by Dan Dutcher

Prof. Nelson and Worcester

Professor Noelle Nelson welcomed Sir Robert Worcester to her introductory consumer behavior class Thursday, Nov. 29. The University of Kansas School of Business alumnus spoke to a packed classroom about his experiences since graduating from KU in 1955. Worcester talked about how he got to where he is today, often crediting KU with giving him the skills to succeed.

Early in his career, he said, “everything was fitting into place because of KU.”

Worcester also shared some advice with the crowd of students and faculty mentioning his fondness for a “grasshopper mind,” a mind that can balance many projects at one time and jump between them when needed. But, when a student raised his hand and asked if there was one specific thing Worcester could tell young business students, his answer was simple.

“Take a risk. If you think something should be done, do it,” Worcester said. “Then if somebody says you weren’t supposed to do it, tell them you didn’t know you weren’t supposed to do it. Just take a risk.”

Worcester is the chancellor of the University of Kent and the chairman of the Magna Carta 800th Committee, celebrating the documents 800th anniversary. He is also the founder of Market & Opinion Research International (MORI). Worcester is originally from Kansas City and is a Korean War veteran.

Creativity in business success

Steven Koonin, president and CEO of Turner Entertainment, presented “CREATIVITY: Why Good Ideas Matter More Than Ever,” to students at the University of Kansas School of Business, Monday, Oct. 15.

“You used to plop down in front of the T.V. and watch, then came the VCR and recording, and now there is online streaming,” Koonin said.

As one of the smartest people in television, Koonin has led his company to success in an industry that focuses on change. In order to be successful in business, Koonin said there has to be a vision to avoid outcomes like Blockbuster’s. Its inability to adapt led to its defeat by Redbox and various online streaming sites.

“Media is under attack by technology,” Koonin said.

To overcome changing times, to strive for long-term success in work, to avoid tunneling all focus on what is being done, there should be attention to where the company is going, Koonin said.  In his presentation, Koonin revealed some of his most helpful points to provide insights that aim to succeed.

•        Take a fresh look. Children view the world with a different set of eyes. Be the one to see opportunities that others do not.

•        Use the F-word. The scary word to a business is “focus.” The key to building a brand is by
making choices. TNT is the first and only television network that decided to focus on drama and, by making this decision, to drop WCW, its highest rated program, TNT grew its audience loyalty by shrinking its focus.

•        Place your bets.  See opportunities that other don’t. It’s possible to increase audience by eliminating the danglers. For example, 9 out of 10 television shows fail. TBS took on Tyler Perry’s show after extensive research. Turner thought that there was no good reason that this would work, but it did.

•        Know your strengths. Know what you are, know what you’re not. Conan O’Brien transformed his identity from a traditional late night host to a multimedia hit because he adjusted to changing platforms and changing times.

•        Don’t be afraid to fail. Every company has failures. Ideas are like disposable diapers – when they’re full of crap, throw them away.

•        Serious work does not have to be serious. Work should be fun and you should enjoy every day you’re doing something. I use humor as a tool to manage people. Just because someone has a hammer doesn’t mean it should be flaunted. Treat people in the same way that you want to be treated, with kindness, respect and opportunity.

Koonin said, in a technologically advanced world, there have been major advancements in the way people interact and manage their media, and there is no ending in sight. “Creativity is the currency for the future,” Koonin said.