It's the Most. Wonderful. Time. Of the Year!

I'm talking about Commencement of course. 


This is the time of year that fantastic commencement speeches get posted all over the internets. 


I give thanks to live in a time where I can listen to the guest speaker at  Penn or Swarthmore in the comfort of my bathrobe.  While washing dishes. 


Favorites from years past include J.K. Rowling's address at Harvard, and Neil Gaiman's address at University of the Arts. 


Earlier this week I read the speech Vice President Biden gave at Yale just last month, where he shares how he's worked with those with whom he has opposite opinions or ideas.  The how came through an early experience in which he assumed something, and shared his assumption with a colleague. 

He then went on to say, Joe, it’s always appropriate to question another man’s judgment, but never appropriate to question his motives because you simply don’t know his motives...

From that moment on, I tried to look past the caricatures of my colleagues and try to see the whole person.  Never once have I questioned another man’s or woman’s motive.  And something started to change...

Because when you question a man’s motive, when you say they’re acting out of greed, they’re in the pocket of an interest group, et cetera, it’s awful hard to reach consensus.  It’s awful hard having to reach across the table and shake hands.  No matter how bitterly you disagree, though, it is always possible if you question judgment and not motive. 

Resist the temptation to ascribe motive, because you really don’t know — and it gets in the way of being able to reach a consensus on things that matter to you and to many other people. 

 Other gems in there, such as:

I’ve worked with eight presidents, hundreds of senators.  I’ve met every major world leader literally in the last 40 years.  And I’ve had scores of talented people work for me.  And here’s what I’ve observed:  Regardless of their academic or social backgrounds, those who had the most success and who were most respected and therefore able to get the most done were the ones who never confused academic credentials and societal sophistication with gravitas and judgment.

Don’t forget about what doesn’t come from this prestigious diploma — the heart to know what’s meaningful and what’s ephemeral; and   the head to know the difference between knowledge and judgment.

 All this in Biden's straight up style.  For full wordage, clickity click.