Parents’ Military Weekend – Key Note Speech by CWO-4 M. E. (Buck) Watkins USMCR (Ret.)
Good afternoon parents, guests, faculty and cadets. I am privileged to have the opportunity to speak to you today and consider it an honor to do so. I was asked to share with you some of my thoughts on leadership. Leadership is a subject of which I can speak with some authority and unfortunately for you, at considerable length. However, as a young man, I stood many formations as well as many parades. I used think to myself as you are doing now, “when is this guy going to say something useful and let us get on with it?” So knowing this, I will make this presentation optimistically meaningful and definitely short.
As cadets at Fishburne Military School, you have a unique opportunity to experience a structured environment that serves to maximize your exposure to experienced and successful leaders. You have the possibility of serving in cadet leadership positions that gives you a significant edge on your public and non-military private school counterparts.
While the subject of leadership has many elements, I will speak briefly about three that will apply to your lives regardless of what career path you choose.
The first one is: To be a good leader, you have to know how to be a good follower. A good follower, while anticipating his chance to lead, will be honing his observation skills while accomplishing the mission of the leadership. In the years that follow, you may experience leaders that you don’t agree with. You may experience circumstances that could have been handled better. This is where being a good observer pays off. The leader you become will be based on the leaders you have experienced personally and through the study of history. Learn to find and emulate the best examples and discard those who don’t inspire performance.
Secondly: Concentrate on the contribution you can make. It’s very tempting and easy to look outside, or externally at an issue that may be an internal one. When something goes wrong, consider “what piece of this mess is mine?” “How might I have influenced a better outcome?” If you concentrate on the contributions or the perceived deficiencies of others, you will not be able to give a full measure of your ability to your effort. You may miss opportunities and worse, fail your leaders as a result.
Third and last: Leaders set the example. The newest private in this corps has leadership responsibility. You have the duty to represent this school to the best of your ability. Wherever you find yourself working or serving, be the most “squared away.” Attention to detail regarding small things like uniforms and room inspections will someday translate to attention to detail when it comes to accepting greater responsibility.
To summarize, be a good follower and observer, concentration of the contribution you can make, set the example and pay attention to detail.
Thank you for attention. I wish for you health, happiness and continued success. God bless your journey. Stay motivated.
Semper Fidelis
