This past Sunday, the Corps attended a mandatory briefing on discipline, or as our speaker Lt Col Emerson likes to put it, "Big 'D' Discipline"; emphasizing the positive aspects of discipline rather than discipline as strictly a form of punishment. It would be convenient to say that A&M and the Corps provide a "safe environment" for young people to make mistakes and learn from them, but it is increasingly clear that this is not the case, nor should it be given the expectations that society places on tomorrow's leaders in both the public and private sectors.
When I was a fish, discipline briefings were essentially just reminders to not haze each other and if you were going to, cover it up so a CTO (Cadet Training Officer or "Bull"- member of the commandant's staff) doesn't ever know about it. This is certainly not the message nor the situation that we find ourselves in today. Not only are cadets expected to not participate in incidents of hazing, sexual harassment, or underage drinking, but to also hold those around them accountable to the same standard. It is in this condition where leadership is truly tested.
I spoke to the freshman during outfit meeting about an ethical paradigm I recently heard:
"An organization that is doing things right will demand your integrity, an organization that is not doing things right will demand your loyalty."
I challenged them to consider what type of organization the Corps is, what type of organization A-Company is. As members of this outfit, what kind of culture do we promote? How do we conduct ourselves, and what kind of conduct do we condone?
Ultimately, it is impossible to be perfect, but it is possible to handle any deviations we might have through the proper venues. I'll end with Governor Coke's advice to the first class to enter A&M:
"To the Students: Let your watchword be duty, and know no other talisman of success than labor. Let honor be your guiding star in your dealings with you superiors, your fellows, with all. Be as true to a trust reposed as the needle to the pole, stand by the right even to the sacrifice of life itself, and learn that death is preferable to dishonor."
When I was a fish, discipline briefings were essentially just reminders to not haze each other and if you were going to, cover it up so a CTO (Cadet Training Officer or "Bull"- member of the commandant's staff) doesn't ever know about it. This is certainly not the message nor the situation that we find ourselves in today. Not only are cadets expected to not participate in incidents of hazing, sexual harassment, or underage drinking, but to also hold those around them accountable to the same standard. It is in this condition where leadership is truly tested.
I spoke to the freshman during outfit meeting about an ethical paradigm I recently heard:
"An organization that is doing things right will demand your integrity, an organization that is not doing things right will demand your loyalty."
I challenged them to consider what type of organization the Corps is, what type of organization A-Company is. As members of this outfit, what kind of culture do we promote? How do we conduct ourselves, and what kind of conduct do we condone?
Ultimately, it is impossible to be perfect, but it is possible to handle any deviations we might have through the proper venues. I'll end with Governor Coke's advice to the first class to enter A&M:
"To the Students: Let your watchword be duty, and know no other talisman of success than labor. Let honor be your guiding star in your dealings with you superiors, your fellows, with all. Be as true to a trust reposed as the needle to the pole, stand by the right even to the sacrifice of life itself, and learn that death is preferable to dishonor."
No comments:
Post a Comment