Marine Corps Base Quantico -- “Nothing is more important than good character,” said Dr. J. Phillip “Jack” London, executive chairman and chairman of the board of CACI International, Inc.
On March 31, London spoke to Marine Corps War College, School of Advanced Warfighting, Command and Staff College, Expeditionary Warfare School, and Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy students, faculty and staff as part of the Gen. Graves B. Erskine Distinguished Lecture Series.
Sponsored by Marine Corps University and the Marine Corps University Foundation, the series was established in February 1984. As detailed in the event program, Erskine, the namesake of the series, “was instrumental in the development of modern Marine Corps professional military education.” Erskine was an ardent proponent of education for Marines, both those on active duty and those transitioning to civilian life.
London, a former Naval officer and author of “Character: The Ultimate Success Factor,” spoke about the value and importance of character. After some introductory remarks about his career and book, London emphasized the importance of good character. He followed this by citing numerous incidents that demonstrated bad character, including the actions of the Lehman brothers and Bernie Madoff; General Motors’ failure to recall flawed vehicles, which resulted in many deaths; and the recent nuclear qualification exam cheating scandal within the Navy. He also addressed the failure of the Veterans Affairs hospitals to provide adequate medical care to veterans over the last several years.
These examples led into a discussion of how businesses and the military can get back on track in terms of building good character.
London said the keys to accomplishing this are trust, accountability and commitment. People must take responsibility for their own actions, he said, and leaders must demonstrate determination, empathy and empowerment for their employees.
Citing the results of recent studies, London stated that the best-performing organizations, which demonstrate high integrity and good character, enjoy improved internal communications, better strategic alignment and productivity gains. Companies also enjoyed better shareholder returns, indicating that instilling good character can have tangible financial benefits as well.
In closing, London stated that no one is perfect, that having a good character does not equal being perfect. People and organizations can and do make mistakes he said, but we should also strive to do the right thing as a lifetime pursuit.
Reflecting on London’s presentation days later, Capt. John Bush, a student at EWS, said, “He did a good job of defining and giving context to a difficult subject that is a keystone in both military and corporate operations.” Bush felt the lecture was a valuable addition to his EWS education.
— Writer: ebaker@quanticosentryonline.com