They can conceive and articulate goals that lift people out of their petty preoccupations, and unite them in the pursuit of objectives worthy of their best efforts. So you are to be congratulated for being here today. Second, and more important, you have seen something within yourselves. That you've committed to an 8-month leadership program, tells me you recognize the awesome responsibility that comes with leadership. After a lot of reflection, I concluded I could give you everything I know in a single word.
Faith begins with trust.
You have to trust in people. Believe that if given the responsibility, the authority, people will choose the right course of action. Let me give you a minor example from my personal experience. When I became president of Texas Eastman, there was a 35-year commitment of one hundred percent United Way participation. The first thing I did was to throw out that rule.