Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives J. Dennis Hastert came and spoke at Wheaton College on Tuesday, January 31 as part of Jim Carr’s Management class. Faculty, staff, and students were given the opportunity to hear someone who has held one of the highest political positions of power in our land come and talk about “Power and Politics.” Speaker Hastert acknowledged that power can be acquired by threats and leverage but this type of power does not last long. Conversely, power built on trust, developed over time, is what lasts. Although counter-intuitive, power also comes from giving it away to others. If one wants to have true power, it is achieved by helping those under your authority achieve to their maximum abilities. This idea was shaped by Speaker Hastert’s days as a coach, where one’s success comes from making individuals successful so they can make the team successful. This was eloquently summarized when Hastert said, “If the team is in the headlines every week, things are going well. If the coach is in the headlines every week, things are not going well.” This sense of humility and service was evident in the way Speaker Hastert conducted his visit. He graciously took time to shake hands and introduce himself to many of the members of the audience, after his presentation he took 30 more minutes to answer questions and then still stayed and spoke to many individuals who had questions after the session had concluded.
We are grateful to Speaker Hastert for taking the time to enable our students to become better leaders in the future.
