Veterans Day speaker emphasizes the power of empathy in leadership

Cummings was among the first wave of strikes against the Taliban in the weeks following September 11. On October 21, 2001, Cummings dropped a pair of laser-guided bombs on targets in northern Afghanistan.

After his six-hour mission, Cummings said he was overcome with a wave of relief, fatigue, exhaustion and reflection.

"It was the mission of my career," Cummings said. "It opened my eyes to who and what I'm really serving - my family, those who lost loved ones on Sept. 11, the American people and our way of life.

"That moment transformed my life as a leader to recognize the power of thinking of others, not the other way around," he added. "It transformed me as a naval officer to focus on treating people like human beings, not just as managed resources."

Once Cummings became captain of his own ship, one of his biggest leadership lessons involved a 45-minute walk throughout the vessel. He said the walks helped him engage with his sailors on a more personal level.

At one point, Cummings said he even grabbed a tray in the sailors' mess deck and joined the enlisted men for a meal.

"I found a seat, sat down and freaked everybody out," Cummings said. "But I was there to learn and to listen to what they had to say.

"It was also an opportunity to share the humanity of being at sea for long stretches, being away from family and loved ones."