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Thirty Years of Impact

Posted On  September 28, 2016
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Today we celebrate Dave Sackman’s thirty years of impact at LRW. You can look at our trajectory from a small West coast research firm to our current position as one of the largest research consultancies in the world and know that Dave is an extraordinary leader. With Dave at the helm, LRW has enjoyed decades of double-digit growth. We are known for our ability to turn insight into impact and our ability to innovate during a time of great disruption and change.

Now Dave didn’t move us by himself. He enlisted us all. He said, “Take that hill.” And, so we took that hill, and then the next and the next. We showed up every day asking, “so what?®”, asking how we could have an impact… on our clients, on their brands, on their companies. And he reminded us to have an impact on each other, challenging each other to achieve our potential as individuals and as a collective group. And… to be honest, this is where his impact is so profound.

So Dave, we say congratulations for all you have accomplished! And we say thank you for inspiring us, supporting us, and challenging us to reach our potential in ways that are authentic to who we are. Here’s what your team has to say:

“Dave, you changed the entire trajectory of my career which had a huge impact on all parts of my life. From you, I learned to dream big, and then even bigger. I learned that each of us is responsible for our own success, or lack of it. We each have the power to MAKE things happen, rather than waiting for things to happen.”

“Before joining LRW, I had never had a boss who truly treated me as a business partner who he wanted to collaborate with and help, rather than as someone who was below him in the organization. Thank you.”

“Dave has shown me how to see possibility and potential in people and ideas, and then to turn those into action.”

“Dave’s balance of humanity and drive is amazing. I don’t think anyone can replicate it, but it sure has been inspiring.”

“Strategy, sales, account management, personnel management, business acumen, research acumen. Master of all trades; nowhere is Dave just jack.”

“When I was having some personal problems, I came to Dave. Without pushing his opinion, he was able to give both comfort and useful direction that helped me focus my thinking.”

“No matter how busy or how stretched he is, he is always there when you need him.” (Note from the Editor: Can I get an AMEN?)

“The sophistication of his sense of humor always made me feel better about my own.”

“Dave, you taught me to be more persuasive with my thoughts and my arguments. My husband does not thank you.”

“Dave has always encouraged me to fight for what I am passionate about.”

“Dave taught me that it’s ok to ask for help.”

“Dave taught me that with creativity and tenacity, there is almost always a way to solve a problem and still achieve your goals.”

“Dave taught me that our purpose is to enable our clients to be the heroes they seek to be, and their stakeholders need them to be. We are their partners, not their heroes.”

“Dave taught me that failure is ok. Fail fast and forward.”

“Dave, thank you for setting my life on a course I never imagined. It’s been and will continue to be a fun and wild ride. I appreciate your having been my mentor, motivator, ‘big brother’ and friend.”

“Impact is sitting in Dave’s office listening to him talk about LRW’s history and future and wanting to be part of something great.”

“Change is important. Change is possible. Some people say this, but Dave makes it happen.

“Dave encourages us to set ourselves up for success, by giving ourselves the time and space to do focused work.” 

“A couple of years ago, Dave approached me to be part of a team to do a crazy VR study. We hadn’t done anything in this realm before. And we were going to do it fast and with little money. We hit our deadline, learned a lot along the way, and now we have a company called AppliedVR. From that, I learned: Try something that will push and challenge you. Approach it with the belief that you will succeed. It will be hard, and you may not succeed. But, you may just surprise yourself with what you do accomplish.”

“Dave, you taught me to be a more persuasive and cogent communicator so that my ideas might more often be heard and acted upon. Thank you, Dave.”

“Dave taught me to believe in myself. I’d still be a mid-level manager (or unemployed) if he (and Arnie) hadn’t taken a chance on me.”

“Dave inspired me to do more than I ever thought possible. Best mentor/coach/boss I’ve ever had. Bar none.”

“Dave helped me see how big dreams, big goals, and a big heart can all work together to create meaning —in life and work.”

“Dave’s energy and passion have a huge impact on me. He’s a strong leader, a visionary, and someone who wants to change the world. Hoohah.”

“Dave’s exceptional leadership and mentoring have made me the entrepreneur I am today. He has positively impacted my life and career in so many ways. He coached me on how to take risks, be confident and, most importantly, be true to myself. His strong family values and beliefs are in perfect sync with my own. Dave’s passion for success isn’t just defined in dollars, but rather the perfect combination of humanity and dignity. Thank you, Dave, for 19 personal years of mentoring and congratulations on your 30 years at LRW!”

“Dave has helped me see the value of visualizing your dream and working hard and staying the course to achieve it.”

“Dave always told me to dream big. Sure you can set goals, but if you dream big, you’ll blow right by them. He was right. Thanks, Dave.”

“Dave has taught me that authenticity and vulnerability are extremely important in leadership – that when you open yourself up to others, they return the favor. This has not only helped me in client situations throughout the years, but more importantly in how I lead my business unit and approach difficult situations with my peers.”

“Dave has provided me with authentic, unabashed, and meaningful feedback over the years that has been essential to my own success. He modeled for me a style of leadership that encourages deep introspection (about one’s strengths, weaknesses, motivations, hopes, dreams, shortcomings, and sense of purpose) and transparency about that introspection, to inspire others to become allies in a shared mission. That style of leadership will be something I take with me down whatever roads I’ve left to travel. Thank you, Dave.”

“I have found Dave to be a great leader and a great model for resilience, perseverance and inspiring others to want to help you accomplish things you could never do alone.”

“I think what I always appreciate about Dave is that he always shows appreciation.”

Happy anniversary, Dave! Thank you for 30 years of impact.

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