Executive Chairman, Fluor
Search every verified David B.sc. interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a 2022 podcast, David Seaton discussed his career and personal philosophy. He said that being a good leader requires being a good follower, and that empathy is a key characteristic. Seaton stated that he wished he had paid more attention to his classroom performance earlier in life Mend. He also described his work in philanthropy, noting that he had raised $1.375 billion, including $1 billion for the University of South Carolina. Seaton attributed his career advancement to working harder than others and demonstrating sustainable performance. In a 2016 commencement speech at the University of South Carolina, Seaton spoke about leadership and followership. He said that leadership is not a selfish attribute and that successful leaders put their sphere first. Seaton described his decision to move his family to Saudi Arabia in 1996, an assignment he said few people wanted, and noted that the experience provided a global perspective. He also referenced the 2015 Charleston church shooting, stating that the response from local leaders exhibited grace and class. Seaton urged graduates to apply lessons of optimism and confidence in their future endeavors.
“The engineering construction business is unique in that it's the only business I know of where you hurry up to work yourself out of a job. There's a cadence to the things you get to do that's probably a little quicker than in a lot of different businesses.”
“I think to be a good leader you got to be a good follower and that whole empathy EQ kind of characteristic is really key. It's hard to lead unless you've actually been in the shoes of the other people that you're trying to lead.”
“When people see that you're willing to go and do, they're willing to do. They're not just putting them out there; you're part of that organization, part of that team.”
“One of the statistics that got me involved with the Boys and Girls Clubs was that 80% of the people incarcerated in America read less than the third grade level. If we can affect half of those kids to where they're reading on grade, look at the money that's going to be available from the federal government to do the th...”
Join the guys of The Gentleman's Journey for Episode 9, featuring David Seaton, B '83!
David Seaton, a Carolina alumnus who serves as chairman and CEO of Fluor, one of the world's leading and largest engineering, ...
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