Patrick Perry, president of ERC, had local business professionals roaring like lions Tuesday at the Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon at LaMalfa.

He asked everyone in the room to close their eyes and imagine that they were in the first grade; he then asked them to roar like a lion.

After a weak grumble came from the large audience, he exclaimed that it was pathetic, and that had they truly been in the mindset of a first-grade student, they would not have felt awkward and would have roared with pride.

By the end of the meeting, and after his motivational speech about being the right kind of leader, the room let out a hefty roar.

He talked about business practices, and how to retain good employees by treating them right and eliminating rigid policies.

“We gotta be kids again if you want innovation in your organization. If you’re workers are inhibited and are following procedures and practices and so forth and are not taking risks, don’t expect much because you are getting exactly what you asked for,” he said.

He addressed a group of scholarship-winning high school students in the room, and told them to never lose their youth.

Remaining curious, taking risks and encouraging others to do the same is the path to a successful workplace, Perry said.

He also spoke about the recession, and how it was caused by a lack of action.

Afterward, he stated that he hoped that the CEO’s and the management in the room would go back to their offices and think about what they could do to change.

Caitlin Fertal
CFertal@News-Herald.com
@NHCaitlin