Tom Heuerman

We all have significant events throughout our lives that shape our views of life and living. Some of our stories are of loss and disappointment and others are of achievement and happiness. The composite of our stories make us who we are and lead us to our next adventures or to the people we need to meet next. Here are a few of my stories.

My adult life began at age 19 with marriage to my high school sweetheart, the birth of the first of three children, and the pursuit of a college education at the University of Minnesota. My wife and I worked and paid our own way as I attended college. I graduated with my class in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology. I was elected as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

I spent the next three years as a special agent in the United States Secret Service. I worked a year in Minneapolis, Minnesota where I investigated counterfeiting cases, check forgery cases, and protected former Vice-President of the United States Hubert H. Humphrey. During that year I also worked in the White House and traveled around the world as part of President Richard M. Nixon's protective detail.

I transferred to Chicago, Illinois (1969) where, for two years, I investigated counterfeit cases and protected the president, vice president, and other dignitaries around the United States.

During that time my inner life was in turmoil. I felt afraid, anxious, guilty, and angry. I went to a doctor. He prescribed Valium—a quick fix. I thought a change in job and location would help me feel better—more quick fixes. I quit my job and moved my wife and two young daughters back to our hometown. I was running away from myself, and I took myself with me. I would soon learn that there are no quick fixes or shortcuts to learning how to live (or lead).

The next two years were spent in the abyss of alcoholism--still unrecognized by everyone around me. If there is a hell on earth, I was there. I started drinking seven years before, and I was now a lost soul. I felt life ebbing from me. I asked my father for help. He probably saved my life. At that very time he was learning about alcoholism and saw the symptoms in me. The next day I was in an alcohol treatment center where I spent the next 30 days (1974). My intentional journey of self-development began.

I began a new career at the Star Tribune newspaper in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1976). Eighteen years and nine promotions later, I was at the peak of my career in the newspaper industry. I did all I could to change an afflicted organization to be a more decent, honest, and productive place to work.

From 1990-94 I led a change effort that began in crisis and became an industry leading and nationally recognized success story fifteen months later (1990-94). This leadership experience opened my eyes to the unutilized human potential in organizations. Our dramatic success was more than a few senior executives could handle. I was threatened, scapegoated, and marginalized. The only way I could feel alive was to leave. I spent two years working on my personal vision, values, and purpose statement--a process I would follow for all major life changes in the future. When I left, the corporate CEO said I had changed the company forever.

In 1994, at age 47, I began to live a new vision for my life. I traveled to Africa for wildlife photography. I began to write. I hadn't written anything in 30 years, had never used a computer, and didn't know "its" from "it's." I hired a coach and went through the humiliations of the novice (and still do).

I returned to the academic world and, at age 50, completed my Ph.D. I studied change, leadership, and human development along with the new discoveries in quantum physics, chaos theory, and complexity theory along with new ideas in biology and ecology. I became a proponent of a new ecological worldview to replace the mechanical worldview I had lived by up to this time.

I began to consult with organizations. I met wonderful people and more than a few who want to change the workplace. I feel proud of the authentic and courageous leaders I have worked with. I am also frustrated with the lack of sustainable change in organizations. Today I seek only those clients who are sincere in their desire to do the hard work of change.

In the spring of 2000 I began to feel stirring for new change in my life. My wife and I had worked hard, we survived alcoholism, and we raised our three children together. We lived decent and responsible lives that more and more went in different directions. Divorced after 35 years of marriage, we transformed our relationship. Shortly after that my mother, a gracious and loving woman, died a difficult death (May 2000). Four months later my best friend and business colleague, Diane Olson, died after a brief illness. As I grieved these losses, a new vision for my life emerged.

After a long visioning process, I decided to move to Ouray, Colorado-a small part of Western history nestled in the beautiful San Juan Mountains (December 2000). In Ouray I wrote, explored, and photographed the West. I assisted others who want to learn and who seek to live life to the fullest.

Recently I relocated to Fargo, North Dakota to follow new adventures.

Articles written by Tom Heuerman for SelfhelpMagazine:

Farewell My Friend
Learning to Live
The New Leaders

Many more of Tom's articles can be found at Careers & Work section.

2/19/02