Wow! That's a fantastic speech. It's clear why he has been so successful. The entire speech is worth reading, so many good nuggets, but for the sake of this thread I'd highlight the following (which is what we call "first principles" in planning):
"Probably the most critical tool that you have to manage complexity is the ethical principles that you've learned over the past four years in the Corps. When things get tough, you have a set of principles you can rely on to help guide you and inform your decisions. One of the beautiful things that sets A&M apart is how we use traditions to help reinforce and emphasize those key principles.
The tradition of the 12th Man is manifested by standing during football games, but the principle that it emphasizes is readiness and teamwork. Muster is manifested by lighting a candle and saying "Here," but the principle that it emphasizes is respect and community and remembrance. We Aggies revere our traditions because we have strong principles, but we can sometimes get the tradition part mixed up with the principle part. Traditions are there to emphasize the principle, not for the sake of tradition. Remember that when something that was "Ol' Army" for you gets challenged. One of my closest friends and mentors from A&M is in the audience, Bill Carter, Class of '69. What was "Ol' Army" for Bill and his Class of '69 is different than what "Ol' Army" is for my Class of '96, and it's different than what "Ol' Army" is for you. The way traditions manifest themselves may change over time, but we continue to celebrate and reinforce the same principles. It also doesn't mean that change for the sake of change is always a good idea. When it's time for you to change, or you are leading change, or change is brought to you, ask yourself if the change is still in line with your key principles. Those principles got Bill through tough times in his career, they helped keep me straight when I faced challenges, and they will be a bedrock for you as well if you rely on them in times of complexity."
We keep you alive to serve this ship.
Row well, and live!