Filed under: Etc., GM
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Universities are right now trotting out Grade-A commencement speakers to motivate this year’s graduating class of collegiates to change the world, or at least vacate their parents’ property before the age of 30. Some of the most inspiring commencement speeches of all time include the one Steve Jobs gave at Stanford in 2005, and this year’s address du jour is one given by the late David Foster Wallace at Kenyon College in 2008 (watch them both below).
Automaker executives are often invited to the podium to speak as well. Former General Motors CEO Rick Wagonerspoke in 2011 at Virginia Commonwealth University, and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne just recently addressed graduates at Walsh College. Over the weekend, current GM CEO Dan Akerson took to the podium to inspire students embarking from the Mendoza School of Business at Notre Dame.
Did Akerson, who graduated from Annapolis in 1970, motivate the next Jobs, Musk or Gates to lead us all into a bright and promising future? We’ll let you read the transcript below and judge for yourself. His message had to do with what constitutes a good leader, those qualities being the ability to define reality by setting priorities, allocating capital and resources to meet those priorities, a willingness to serve and leading by example.
Speaking to a room full of business school graduates, Akerson also remarked, “If all you intend to do with this knowledge and influence is see how many points you can score on your personal wealth scorecard… then something is terribly wrong.” An interesting, if convenient, revelation from someone whose salary topped $11 million in 2012.Continue reading Graduates! The CEO of GM has some wisdom to share
Graduates! The CEO of GM has some wisdom to share originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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