Weber State University
Commencement Speech
College of Business
May 5, 2006
Delivered by Alan E. Hall
Greetings
President Millner, Trustees Chapman, Lindquist, Dean Gale, distinguished faculty, students, parents and family.
I greet you warmly on this beautiful spring morning. I am thrilled and honored to be with you.
Congratulations
May I congratulate each of you for completing the requirements for graduation?
This is a red letter day for you. A day of celebration. A day of excitement and accomplishment. A day to remember.
You’ve reached the summit and achieved your long awaited goal to obtain a college degree. I salute you for your hard work and perseverance.
May I also recognize and honor those who have supported you in this endeavor –the faculty, parents, spouse, children, and family.
Comments about Weber State
I have a very high regard for Weber State University.
I graduated from here 37 years ago. Here is where I met my beautiful and beloved wife.
My parents attended Weber, my six children and their spouses will all graduated from Weber State. We have a tradition of being Wildcats.
For a number of years, I served as the University’s alumni director.
And, I have chosen to stay connected to help the University in any way I can. I am pleased to be associated with this great institution of higher learning.
Words of Advice
Even though I graduated from the University in psychology in 1969, I have spent my adult life in business.
In preparing my remarks, I looked back over my employment experiences and the many jobs that I have had;
I remember with fondness my first job; I was sixteen. I worked for a relative one summer building a home. It was a time to learn a lesson in effective communications. One evening before the sun set, my uncle had asked me to mix some mud for a project we were completing. I dutifully filled a wheelbarrow full of dirt and mixed in water from a hose. I was quite proud of my work. Once the uncle saw the mixture he mentioned to me that it appeared to have a strange color and proclaimed it odd looking mud. When I explained my source of materials he began to laugh and explained that “mud” is a slang term used in the construction business for cement. Still chuckling, he apologized for not clearly communicating this fact to me earlier.
Since that short lived job, I have had 12 other employment positions. They range from working in a lumber yard, driving a forklift to now being a venture capitalist.
In between, I’ve worked for the government, higher education, a not for profit, several start up companies, and a global marketing firm.
My goal, following graduate school, was to have many experiences in many organizations vs. a career with one company in one industry.
Each job seemed to be a stepping stone to the next opportunity. In each assignment, I learned new skills, gained more knowledge and had invaluable experiences.
I have worked for as low as 11 cents an hour as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Brazil.
Over the years, I recognized that I’m an entrepreneur and have started 5 businesses; four lasted a short while and one remains today that is in its 18th year.
In 45 years of working, I have seen everything that business has to offer, the good, bad and sometimes the ugly.
Along the way, I have also learned what makes people successful in life and in a given career.
Today I would like to share with you two of the key characteristics of what I believe makes people successful.
The first one is Successful People have Character.
In today’s world, more than ever people in business need to have values; in fact our society as a whole needs men and women who are willing to do the right things.
I’m talking about people being honest, telling the truth, having integrity, keeping their commitments, encouraging fair play, being selfless not selfish, being team players, and showing respect for all.
I’m talking about people in business being responsible for their actions and accepting accountability.
All too often, we see in the news, the stories of business men and women who choose a sordid behavior that ruins them and the reputations of their businesses.
Think of Enron and WorldCom and countless other scandals that have rocked the business world.
May I suggest to you that we be a people of character in every aspect of our lives, especially in the business environment?
I promise, we will succeed if we tell the truth, and keep our word, I promise you, we will be promoted because others will trust us and trust leads to opportunities.
In like manner if we find ourselves in an environment where there are no values we should not be afraid to stand up for what is right.
We should not be afraid to challenge bad behavior.
We don’t need to do this with a heavy hand or in an offensive way, but we should be persuasive.
Abraham Lincoln, in one of his most significant speeches took a stand as he spoke about slavery.
Said he: “Neither let us be slandered from our duty by false accusations against us, nor frightened from it by menaces of destruction to the government nor of dungeons to ourselves. Let us have faith that right makes might and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.” (1)
Lastly, character centers on being responsible and being accountable for one’s actions.
We should not make excuses for our poor behavior. Let’s admit our mistakes when made, make corrections as needed and then move on.
Let us not be like many who blame others for their performance:
For example, the sales manager of a dog food company asked his sales people why the company was not doing well.
He began by asking how they liked the company’s new advertising program.
Great, best in the business, the sales people responded. How do you like our new label and packaging? Wonderful. Best ever they chimed.
How do you like our sales force? He asked. Hey we are the sales force, they said. So how are you doing, he implored. We’re great, they said.
So we’ve got the best label, the best packaging, and the best advertising program being sold by the best sales force in the business.
Then tell me please, why are we in 17th place in the dog food business?
There was a long moment of silence until one of the sales people spoke and said. I think it’s those lousy dogs. They won’t eat our dog food. (2)
In sum, be a person of Character, not a Character.
The second significant key to success is –Successful People are Service Oriented.
Again, I promise you, we will succeed and prosper in a business setting if we always thinking of ourselves providing service to others.
This approach requires that we set our egos aside. That we view others as more important than ourselves.
Thus we have an understanding that we can accomplish almost anything if we don’t worry about who gets the credit.
Think of ourselves serving our boss, our peers, our subordinates and our clients, literally everyone around us, as our main objective.
Think. How can we today do a better job of taking care of those who depend on us?
What can we do to make their jobs easier, lighter, more enjoyable, and successful?
For example, If someone on our teams is working late and needs help, let’s stay with them and work together.
If someone is perplexed by a software application, one we know, let’s lend a hand.
We shouldn’t be afraid to volunteer, especially if we can contribute.
Believe me, by operating in this manner, all stakeholders will see our value and reward our efforts.
A person, who comes to work each day with service to others on his or her mind, will find themselves with more opportunities, more promotions plus enhanced wages.
In Sum, Service to others is a key to success.
So there you have it. Two great time tested principles for success in life as well as in business.
May you find them useful throughout your life.
Good Luck
As I close my remarks, I want you to know I have very high expectations for each of you.
You are a cut above the rest. You are remarkable people.
My hope for you is that you will distinguish yourselves in every way by doing extra ordinary things.
Again I congratulate you and wish you well in your endeavors.
Thank you.
Sources:
(1) Quoted in Lincoln On Leadership, 149.
(2) Developing the Leader within You, John C. Maxwell, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers)
