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...”
“I've done a lot of fundraising—1.375 billion dollars in fundraising, a billion of it was at the university. When you really get involved with philanthropy, you see how to make a difference.”
“When you're in a position of leadership, much is expected in terms of the outside world and particularly the philanthropy world.”
“Work harder than anybody else. Every door that opens you got to walk through and perform, and you got to be there long enough to show that performance is sustainable, then the next door opens and you do it all over again.”
“Telling people what they need to know is not being a yes man. Separating the wheat from the chaff is what separates the leaders from the folks that just are getting along in life.”
“I took three blond-headed daughters and my wife to Saudi Arabia to live. Twenty days after they got there was when the Al Qobar bomb went off and killed 17 U.S. servicemen and 200 other people. Working through that took some challenge and skill to do well there.”
“I think the one thing I wish I had really paid a little more attention to was performance in the classroom and maybe been a little better citizen earlier in life.”
“I had recently been named CEO of Fluor Corporation and a lot of people were counting on my leadership to launch the second century of our company, and it had been 30 years since I've been active at this university.”
“Getting to yes sometimes means you've got to take risk, but a yes can be profoundly powerful, an exciting word, and I'm really glad I said yes.”
“In 1996, the company asked me and my family to move to Saudi Arabia. We took the assignment that not too many people were lining up for, and it was full of unknowns for us and quite frankly the anxiety was high, but we embraced a new culture, developed lasting friendships, and gained a global perspective that continues...”
“Leadership is not a selfish skill or attribute; it's really the opposite. The most successful leaders that I know put their sphere first and themselves second. Their passion was progress, identifiable and measurable, and their purpose was to achieve it with others by setting the example and justification for followersh...”
“The funding had to come expressly from private donors. I had to stop and think for a minute as we were in the throes of a global recession, but Dr. Paz Dedes is persistent and effective, and I said yes to the capital campaign to raise a billion forty-three million dollars.”
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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