Proud Past Christ-Centered Mission Strategic Future - Wisconsin ...

FISHER: “What advice would you give someone on
being a leader”
MERTEN: “I wrote a paper, So You Think That You
Want to Be a University President It was about the
characteristics of a leader:
1. Be there.
2. Be approachable, friendly, and eager to listen.
3. The importance of the spouse.
4. Have a short, clean message.
5. Know when to act decisively and know when
to wait.
6. Expect frustration.
7. Be agile.
8. Surround yourself with smart, action-oriented
people.
9. Mind your business.
10. Make a good match.”
LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL’S IMPACT
FISHER: “You grew up in Milwaukee and attended the old
Lutheran High, graduating in the Wisconsin Synod class
of 1959. Describe the challenges of those days. What
are your best memories and highlights”
MERTEN: “My strongest memories are of the teachers that
I had, especially in science and math, and I remember
my classmates.
I was the last graduating class from the old building.
[laughs] I was one of the few kids who ever helped tear
down his old high school. It was a terrible building — it
was awful — but we got educated. It taught me about
the importance of facilities, which I’ve never forgotten.
Having survived Lutheran High, I was going to make sure
that I’d build better buildings. [laughs] Perhaps that helps
explain why I built 125 buildings at GMU.
Highlights at Lutheran High include getting elected to
the student council and later student body president, as
well as being selected for Badger Boys State. It was the
combination of student council and math and science
that were formative in my life.”
VISION, ATTITUDE, AND FAITH
FISHER: “From the time you assumed the presidency of GMU,
you had a clear vision of what you wanted it to become.
Describe that vision. How did you articulate that vision”
MERTEN: “When I was selected to be the president of George
Mason in January of 1996, I wrote a letter that was a page
and a half long. That’s all. I recently found it. The first
paragraph was: This is who you are. The second was:
This is who I am. The third part: This is what we can do
together. It wasn’t so much the vision of specific items
as the potential that we had and the way that I was going
to approach it. My approach was this: Have a vision.
Constantly repeat the vision. Hire the right people. Get out
of their way. Celebrate.”
FISHER: “You are known for being an optimist, ‘the glass is half
full’ kind of guy. How important is attitude in leadership and life”
MERTEN: “Attitude is extremely important. People don’t want
to work for people who have a crummy attitude. You have to
have a positive attitude but you need to be pragmatic, too.
I think that people appreciate the positive attitude that I have.
Come to me with a problem and I’ll fix it. Come to me to
whine and you don’t get much attention.”
FISHER: How has your Christian faith played a role in your life
MERTEN: “When I was in the Air Force, I was a military aide to
the president [of the United States]. I had a perforated ulcer
and I was rushed to Andrew’s Air Force base. I didn’t know if
I was going to live. It was pretty tough and my faith helped
me get through. That is also when I met my wife Sally,
who was an Air Force nurse at Andrews. After I recovered I
pursued her and we got married in 1967. The challenges and
growth of that relationship are where I learned to really realize
what being a Christian means.
I think that my faith played a major role when I talk about
stamina, passion, and a caring attitude. All three of those
emerge from my faith. Your body is a temple of God. Passion
comes from knowing who you are. [God wants us] to care
about people. These three things that have driven me
through life are all part of my faith.”
FISHER: “What would you tell the students at WLHS today
about how to take advantage of their high school years”
MERTEN: “I’d say, first of all, develop your communication
skills: writing, listening, reading, and speaking. No matter
what you’re going to do, you need to have incredible
communication skills. Secondly, seize leadership
opportunities no matter how trivial they may seem.
My sixth to eighth grade teacher at Jordan Ev. Lutheran
School gave me my first responsibility — managing the
milk money, fifteen or sixteen dollars a week. That’s
where I started. When I look at my $900 million dollara-year
budget [at GMU], I say ‘I’ve come a long way,
baby,’ but that teacher trusted me with that responsibility
for three years. Learn to be responsible.”
Also, learn to take risks. At WLHS, you’re in a
protective environment, failure won’t be terminal.
It is alright to fail.”
Merten has met with many dignitaries during his career;
here he is with his wife, Sally, and the former
Prime Minister of England, Margaret Thatcher.
8 CONTACT Fall 2012