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The 160 members of Monongahela Valley (MVH) Hospital’s leadership team were pleasantly surprised when former Pittsburgh Steeler Robin Cole was the guest speaker at their recent Leadership Development session.

Robin Cole addresses Monongahela Valley Hospital’s leaders.

Mr. Cole, who was a first-round draft pick for the Steelers and a member of the famed Steel Curtain, is the founder and president of the Obediah Cole Foundation. The Foundation was established to save lives by educating people about prostate cancer. He is a prostate cancer survivor.

During his MVH presentation, Mr. Cole shared life lessons as they relate to a successful leader — many which were learned on the football field during his 12-year career as a Steelers linebacker and defensive end.

“Life can be rewarding when we are tough on ourselves,” said the veteran of two Super Bowls. “To be a successful leader, a person should practice the three ‘Vs’ — visualize, verify and verbalize.”

Mr. Cole went on to relate a story about his frustration playing football during his high school years in Compton, CA. After his parents bought expensive football shoes for him, he wanted to quit the sport to play baseball. The veteran of the 1984 Pro Bowl said that he took his grandmother’s advice about switching sports.

“My grandmother said, ‘Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly until you learn to do it well.’”

He told the audience that you are basically the same person today that you were five years ago and that you will be five years from now except for two things — the books you read and the people with which you associate.

Mr. Cole left the group with a final thought on leadership. “Share your vision. Believe in people that they can do something. Give them ownership.”

Monongahela Valley Hospital conducts development sessions throughout the year for its leaders so they can gain greater insight and skills to motivate employees to provide the highest level of patient care and excellent customer service.

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