Today would have been Hans Dahll's 87th birthday. Hans was founding CEO of Laerdal Medical, Americas. Here is an article that was published in the Journal of Emergency Medical Services when Hans died in March 2006.
To Sir With Love
Hans H. Dahll: A Personal Reflection
When I think of a model for exemplary leadership, I think of
my friend and mentor, Hans H. Dahll. I met Hans in the early 1980s through
James O. Page, another great mentor of mine. I was working for Jim at the
Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation in Basking Ridge, N.J., when he
introduced me at an ACT Foundation Board of Directors meeting. In time, I
became a consultant to the Laerdal Medical Corporation, where Hans served as president.
Over the years I was privileged to work with Hans and others on the creation of
the Citizen CPR Foundation, the Emergency Cardiac Care Update, Currents in
Emergency Cardiac Care, and many other
research and education initiatives.
To me, Hans personified everything that matters in a leader. He was brilliant and visionary, but one of his greatest strengths was the way he treated everyone he met with the utmost respect. It did not matter is you were a vice president, a cafeteria chef, a factory worker, or even a competitor. Hans truly care about you and how your contributions fit into the larger picture. He also cared about you personally—and your family and home life.
Another great strength was Hans’ profound humility and his penchant for helping people grow in their professional lives. He would skillfully advance an idea, watch as it was picked up, and chuckle quietly to himself, as others expanded on it and claimed it for their own. He did not need or want the limelight. Rather, he delighted when his colleagues and protégés succeeded in their goals and aspirations.
When Hans’ beloved wife Dorothy died suddenly at home from cardiac arrest—despite his efforts to save her—a part of Hans died too. He told me it wasn’t fair—he was supposed to go first. It was then that his health began to deteriorate quickly.
A few of us tried to visit Hans during his last few months, hoping to show our support and convey our admiration and gratitude to him for all he meant to us. He was too ill for visitors, but he knew.
Hans called me a few weeks before he died to say goodbye. He said the chemo wasn’t working and he knew the end was soon. He said he just wanted to leave me with one thought: “Be good to yourself.”
But Hans left me with many thoughts. You will meet many people in your life, but only a select few will leave a profound, positive, lasting impact. You will meet many people in powerful positions, but only a few are true leaders who are there for the right reasons. You can be many things in your life, but if you do the right thing, remain true to your values, work collaboratively and celebrate the successes of others, you can truly make a difference.
I was very blessed to know and learn from Hans, and I will never forget it.
-Mary Newman
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