Case alum overcomes speech impediment to become nationally renowned motivational speaker
Millionaire, former Major League Baseball player Norbert Lewandowski to sign new book April 27 at university
April 26, 2004
Norbert "Nobby" Lewandowski's boom box blasts "Ba, ba, ba...ba, ba, ba Barbara Annnn."
 Audiences across the country laugh and applaud as they sing along to the 1960s Beach Boys' hit.
Just like Marilyn Monroe, James Earl Jones, Winston Churchill—and allegedly Moses, who wrote the Ten Commandments instead of speaking them for a reason—Lewandowski, a 1964 Case Western Reserve University M.B.A. graduate, has the speech impediment of stuttering.
Unlike his celebrity "soulmates," who use speaking techniques to overcome their stutters, Lewandowski unabashedly embraces his impediment as he blazes a trail across the country as a nationally recognized motivational speaker.
During his presentations, Lewandowski talks about leadership and engages his audience with "Barbara Ann"—his stuttering rock and roll theme song.
Speaking with insight
In the past year, Lewandowski has given 36 speeches at national conferences and annual association meetings. Each talk has ended with a standing ovation.
Word of his success on the public speaking circuit recently caught the attention of Insight Publishing.
Now Lewandowski's communication skills have resulted in Real World Leadership Strategies that Work, a book he co-authored with other motivational speakers. The speakers were selected by Insight Publishing to collectively pen one of eight books in the Power Learning Series. Case will sponsor a free, public book signing with the alum Tuesday, April 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Thwing Center Atrium, 11111 Euclid Avenue.
Lewandowski's charisma shines in person and in his book as he leaves audiences and readers alike with thought-provoking sayings such as "Age wrinkles our skin, but lack of enthusiasm wrinkles our souls."
Making millions
It's that kind of energy has carried Lewandowski from his native Slavic Village neighborhood on Cleveland's southeast side to Cleveland's Benedictine High School, where he received the school's top honor of "Mr. Benedictine" during his senior year in 1955.
That year, he turned down a Kent State University football scholarship after suffering three concussions in his senior year at Benedictine—but convinced KSU to give him a baseball scholarship instead.
For three years following graduation from KSU in 1959, Lewandowski juggled six months of the year in M.B.A. classes at Case with six months of pitching professional baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates' farm system.
Even though the right-handed hurler won 11 games in his first season in the farm system, pro athletes' salaries then were not the multi-million dollar deals they are now. So he left baseball after just three seasons for a job with the prestigious major accounting firm.
On April 6, 1965—after two and half years with the firm—he was fired for his "inability to communicate."
"People mistake the inability to speak fluently with the inability to communicate," Lewandowski says. "I can listen to some people for 15 minutes and still not know what they have said."
Checking off goals
For many that might have been a setback, but Lewandowski read a book about accomplishing goals by writing them down—a technique later supported by research from Harvard University's business school. So, he made a list of 66 things he wanted from life—everything from making a hole-in-one to starting his own accounting firm to becoming a millionaire.
Forty years later, he has accomplished 54.
"But my list keeps growing," he added.
While he holds no animosity towards his former accounting firm, he did send them a copy of his income tax forms from 1978 to show that he was a millionaire. The company responded with a congratulatory note.
Another item on his wish list was the desire to quit the accounting business he started and ran for 23 years, to become at the age of 55, a consultant, motivational public speaker-and writer. That's one more he can check off.
In addition to his current book, he is penning a chapter for a second from Insight Publishing, called Speaking Out.
Living with attitude
Lewandowski looks at his life as an example of "breaking down superficial barriers." And he says his secret to success has more to do with character than communication skills. He uses plenty of acronyms throughout his presentations, and one of them is ATTITUDE—"All the Time Integrity, Tenacity, Understanding, Determination and Enthusiasm."
Lewandowski takes that ATTITUDE to heart every day. The Medina, Ohio, father of three and grandfather of nine has no intentions of stopping at the age of 67.
He says: "Every day I wake up at 5:30 a.m., shave and can't wait to find out what exciting event will happen today."
About Case Western Reserve University
Case is among the nation's leading research institutions. Founded in 1826
and shaped by the unique merger of the Case Institute of Technology and Western
Reserve University, Case is distinguished by its strengths in education, research,
service, and experiential learning. Located in Cleveland, Case offers nationally
recognized programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dental Medicine, Engineering,
Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing, and Social Work. http://www.case.edu.
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