Mike Cotter is a former Marine Corps Infantry Officer who now works for Stryker Medical as a Senior Operations Manager. His specific focus is on their Mako Robotic Arm Assisted Surgical Device. The Mako Robotic device assists orthopedic surgeons in total knee and total hip replacement surgeries. In our latest podcast, Mike discusses his transition from Marine Corps Infantry to Robotic Assisted Surgery.
Mike is responsible for leading two teams. One team manufactures the Mako robots, and another team analyzes the CT scan of a patient to develop the plan for the robot to guide the surgeon’s hand during joint replacement surgery.
How is a Marine Corps Infantry Officer with a Liberal Arts undergraduate degree qualified for such a role? Mike explains that the military taught him how to lead, ingraining in him an attitude of “refusal to fail” and the importance of adding value wherever he can. These attributes have helped him to succeed in his career.
I also asked Mike what he recommends to other officers in establishing their careers. His advice includes:
- Go deep to learn
- Be self-aware
- Know what you don’t know
- Let your guard down
Additionally, Mike recommends the following books, Radical Candor and The Gold Mine: A Novel of Lean Turnaround.
Enjoy.
Joel Junker
