Here is a speech given by John Engler, Governor of Michigan, at a commencement ceremony in Stephen F. Austin State University. In his speech Mr. Engler touches upon the topic of leadership¹ and talks about the four marks of leadership1 by referring to S. F. Austin known as the Father of Texas. What are the four marks of leadership then?

    When I first received the invitation to speak at your commencement（毕业典礼）ceremony, I thought back to my own graduation many, many years ago and — you know what? I can remember neither the speaker nor what he or she said. The only thing I remember is that we all wanted it to be short. So I will try to keep my message short, recalling from my own days at Michigan State University that the person who lectures is sometimes the one who talks in other people’s sleep.
     What I’d like to do this morning is to say a few words about leadership. Here’s why. Each one of you, by choosing to come to college and sticking it out and earning a degree, is saying something important to society. You are saying that you want to lead. ²
     You want to be leaders in the workforce, in your profession, and in your communities.
     An admirable goal. But — how does one learn to lead? The Greek philosopher Aristotle told us that we learn to lead by leading, by practicing the skills that are required to move men and women in concert toward a common goal.³ The ancient historian（历史学家）Plutarch taught us that we also learn to lead by reading — reading about great leaders from the past, as he showed in his Parallel Lives.
     As I was preparing these remarks and thinking about the topic, an obvious leader came to mind — the namesake（同名）of this school, a great American hero — Stephen Fuller Austin. To my delight, I discovered that Professor Gregg Cantrell at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene has just finished a superb biography（传记）of the Father of Texas.⁴ Titled Stephen F. Austin: Empresario of Texas, it will be released this October by Yale University Press. I had the opportunity to see the page proofs.
     Central to the author’s thesis（论题）are Austin’s great qualities as a leader. The Father of Texas had four qualities that enabled him to turn a bunch of rugged individualists（粗野的人）on the frontier into a cohesive（有凝聚力的）community.⁵ This morning, I want to share those qualities with you. I recommend them because they are in accord with what I’ve experienced in my three decades of public service. These qualities are timeless, and if you embrace them, you will become better leaders.
     First is vision. Have a vision. Austin certainly had a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve. In a letter written in 1829, he said, “My ambition has been to succeed in redeeming（挽回）Texas from its wilderness state by… spreading over it... enterprise and intelligence. In doing this I hope to make the fortune of thousands and my own amongst the rest.” His vision was of a prosperous, progressive Texas, and he stayed absolutely true to his goal. He never wavered — and look at Texas today! You Texans are blessed more than ever with prosperity and progress.
     Second, know how to tell others about your vision. Austin is a great example of how to communicate vision with great force and clarity（清楚）. He knew how to enlist others in his great mission in the wilderness. He wrote and spoke every chance he had — even learned Spanish so that he could communicate with the many Tejanos here, as well as with the government in Mexico City.⁶ By sharing his vision in powerful, compelling language, Austin helped unite rugged individualists into a colony where people from different backgrounds joined together for a greater cause. As we enter the 21st century, the idea of cooperating for the sake of a greater cause is surely as necessary today.
     The third leadership quality Austin had was an unshakable confidence in himself, and in the rightness of what he was doing. According to Professor Cantrell, he never even considered the possibility of failure. He learned to recognize his strengths and compensate（弥补）for his weaknesses. Criticism bounced off.⁷ Austin viewed mistakes simply as an opportunity for learning.
     If you are bold in leadership, accept that you will make mistakes. I can tell you from personal experience: Sometimes mistakes are excellent tutors. So learn from your mistakes, keep a clear conscience, and go forward — always forward — confident of achieving your dreams.
     Fourth, lead by example — be men and women of character. By his own character and integrity（正直）, Austin knew how to gain the people’s trust. Texans knew from the way he lived his life that he was an honorable person, true to his word and to the people around him. He always put the interests of Texas above his own.
     My friends, America in the 21st century will need that kind of leadership. Much of it may come from you, the class of ‘99!
     It is because of these four qualities of leadership — vision, the ability to communicate that vision, confidence, and integrity — that Stephen F. Austin accomplished so much in the seedtime（初期）of Texas history. He is justly called the Father of Texas. There are many valuable lessons to be drawn from his life and his example. That’s why you can forever be proud to be a graduate of the fine university that bears his name.
     So to the last class of the 20th century, to the leaders of the 21st century I offer congratulations, and wish you Godspeed（成功）.

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