Yesterday, I had the pleasure of addressing members of the Federal Executive Institute at the Marshall Foundation in Lexington, Virginia. The subject of my presentation was “Leading in an Era of Exponential Change: The Example of General George C. Marshall.” As readers know, I believe Marshall is the epitome of an “exponential executive,” and it is why I wrote an entire book on his extraordinary leadership skills: Soldier, Statesman, Peacemaker: The Leadership Lessons of General George C. Marshall.
After my presentation, I had the pleasure of tagging along with the class as it received a tour of the Washington & Lee Chapel where Robert E. Lee is buried. As I listened to the lecture, I learned that the Lee family (and now the Washington & Lee University) coat of arms bears the Latin motto: Non In Cautus Futuri. It translates to: “Not Unmindful of the Future.”
It is a wonderful phrase and it is a principle I strive everyday, as a professional futurist, to abide by.
