Leadership in its Purest Form

I had the great fortune to serve as the very first Battalion Commander of my Naval Junior ROTC program back in high school. Years later, I was invited to speak before one of the graduating classes. I couldn’t attend the actual ceremony, so I sent along a speech in text that my father delivered on my behalf - he serving in leadership with the local American Legion.

After a paragraph introducing myself, here was the text:

"Let me begin simply with congratulations to the young men and women assembled here this evening, both you soon to graduate and you soon to advance another year on your way to graduation. While I couldn’t be personally present, it’s my distinct pleasure to share briefly what it meant to me over the last thirty years to have served as the Battalion’s first Midshipman Commander.

Each of you, as I did, will take away fond memories of your time in high school and look back after many years appreciating what you learned in the classroom, on the athletic fields and indeed the parade grounds. Some of you will have developed an appetite for success and doing your best.?Others of you will have sharpened your sense of responsibility to yourself, your family, your friends, and your peers. Some of you will better appreciate the vital role our military plays in global security and the preservation of our democracy. Still others of you will have honed your social skills as evidenced if only by your participation this evening. While all of these are possible, the one emerging skill I took most from my experience 30 years ago was developing an understanding of how to 1) set lofty goals, for example win a state championship, graduate near the top of your class, be the best NJROTC Unit of the West Coast or even others, 2) secure the commitment of others to help in achieving that goal, and ultimately, 3) assuring that everyone is empowered and resourced to contribute to the mission and its success. In management teachings today – this ability or skill is called aspirational leadership. You have practiced it without necessarily realizing it but practiced it none the less. It is your participation in NJROTC that has afforded you that opportunity as it did me. It is a skill that our society highly respects. And if you continue to develop it, that same society will reward you for it.

So in summary, think about the times you inspired others to achieve their potential, and possibly more, [to set lofty goals], gained their commitment to those goals and then energized then into execution. When you have, you have practiced leadership in its purest form. During my high school years it was serving in the NJROTC that provided me that opportunity. I am hopeful it has provided you the same.?

So again, congratulations and best of luck."

#leadershipinsights #leadershipqualities #leadership