Former Navy Seal Encourages PestWorld Attendees to Navigate 'Frontlines' of Leadership

ORLANDO — The second day of PestWorld 2014 was opened Wednesday morning with a general session featuring Keynote Speaker Eric Greitens, a former Navy Seal and author of “The Heart and the Fist.” Sponsored by Dow, and introduced by Dow’s Paul Simons, Greitens discussed the missions of a leader in relation to his Navy Seal training, combat experience, service as a commander, and founding of the national nonprofit organization, The Mission Continues, which challenges veterans to serve in communities across America. 

Eric Greitens, today's keynote speaker, discussed missions of a leader in relation to his Navy Seal experiences.

“Everyone has a ‘frontline’ in their life,” Greitens said. And it is how you navigate that pain, suffering or hardship that determines whether or not you move on to a purposeful life. Greitens likened this navigation to following a compass. You can set a compass and follow a rigid course and you will come out in one particular place. But if you make even a slight one- or two-degree change of course, at the end of the day, you will come out at a completely different place.

It is the challenge to make this slight shift to which Greitens challenges returning veterans – and business leaders. “Reflect on your front line,” he said. Then make a one- or two-degree change and walk it until you get to a place of making a difference and serving others. “It’s easy to say, but it’s difficult to do.”

In his presentation, Greitens discussed a number of the challenges set before Navy Seal trainees. Facing a series of physical, mental and/or emotional challenges each day, Greitens noted that it was the mental that felled more people than the physical. But taking each challenge step by step, persevering through each, having a strong support team around you, and having the incentive to continue on are all key in navigating one’s own front lines and challenges in life and evolving to the point that you are of service and leadership to those around you. “The courage it takes is no dramatic moment; it is the courage of perseverance.” You need to just be willing to do the next hard thing in front of you.

Prior to the introduction of Greitens, the opening session also included the official ceremonial passing of the NPMA presidential gavel by Action Pest Control’s Kevin Pass to Pest Management Systems’ Billy Tesh. Tesh then spoke on the philanthropy mission of the industry and the association’s new program, NPMA Gives, through which participants commit to donating one percent of their annual net profit to charitable causes. He then introduced QualityPro chairman Chris Gorecki, who discussed the tenth anniversary of QualityPro and the importance of certification. Gorecki’s presentation closed with a performance of “Celebration” by Disney’s a capella vocal group.