Episode 3 – How Joel Dobbs followed a path he loved, avoided a mid-life crisis, and based his retirement on mentoring
Dr. Joel Dobbs
In this episode, Marc interviews Dr. Joel Dobbs. Dr. Dobbs is an experienced life sciences executive, with over thirty years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. He has served in a variety of senior leadership roles in information technology, as well as general management, clinical research, regulatory affairs, post-marketing surveillance, academia, and consulting. Dr. Dobbs has served as a member of top-tier executive teams of dynamic organizations, in startup, rapid-growth, turn-around, merger, integration, and change phases.
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He currently serves as the Executive-in-Residence at the University of Alabama Birmingham’s Colatt School of Business, where he also directs the school’s office of innovation and entrepreneurship, teaches, and works with entrepreneurs within the UAB environment and the greater Birmingham business community to help them develop and grow their business. He is also the CEO of the Compass Talent Management Group, LLC, a consulting firm that assists organizations with the identification and development of key talent with designing organization strategies and structures to maximize their ability to compete in the business world of today and tomorrow. Marc and Joel discuss several topics, including Joel’s intentionally varied first half of his life, some of the triggers that started his pursuit of goals for the second half of his life, and how giving back through mentoring, from his extensive experience, is so gratifying.
Key Takeaways:
[2:52] Joel majored in Chemistry, went to pharmacy school, and got a doctorate. He followed a purposefully varied career path until he retired five years ago.
[8:03] Today Joel is a business school professor at UAB Colatt School of Business.He also runs a leadership consulting business, teaching from the multitude of mistakes he has made over the first half of his life. He finds it tremendously gratifying.
[9:35] In his late 40s, Joel started considering his life’s impact. Around 50, he read Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance, by Bob Buford, and it set his path.
[11:28] Halftime is a period to ask: how do I turn the second half of my life into one that leverages my success, but focuses on significance?
[12:00] Joel began really thinking about what did he want to do next? Was his ladder of success leaning against the wrong building?
[14:25] What did Joel think about his company’s offer of a voluntary retirement?
[16:59] What areas of focus did Joel put in his plan for the second half of his life?
[22:40] Marc comments on how Joel drove his career agenda. He knew when to move on, and he left, always with the goal in mind.
[23:35] If you know what you want to do, and you’re able to answer that question clearly, concisely, and decisively, you’d be surprised how often you get to do that.
[24:13] Spend time thinking about the perfect life and writing it down. That very act sensitizes you to opportunity.
[24:22] When Joel checked his perfect life list after years, how much had he achieved?
[26:22] Intentional achievement takes clarity. Usually, clarity does not come overnight.
Mentioned in This Episode:
Contact Marc, and ask questions at: Careerpivot.com/contact-me
LinkedIn: Joel H. Dobbs
Email: Joel.Dobbs@iCloud.com
Repurpose Your Career: A Practical Guide for Baby Boomers, by Marc Miller and Susan Lahey
Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance, by Bob Buford
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