How Leadership Opportunities Fueled This Delt’s Career

Q: What made Delta Tau Delta stand out from other fraternities on campus?
A: To be honest, when you’re 18 years old, what stands out is the quality of the guys, the place, and the parties. However, the rush process allowed me to have some perspective. What stood out was the quality of genuine camaraderie and friendship among the actives. They had a genuine commitment to service.

Q: Do you still keep in touch with any of your fraternity brothers?  If so, who?  How do you keep in touch?  How often?
A: I stay in touch with a close circle of guys. We communicate through social media, text messaging, and phone calls almost every day. We also get together for a round of golf every few years, which is never enough.

Q: How did your involvement with Greek life help prepare you for your career opportunities?
A: Leadership. I will never forget taking over the Vice President position in the house. As a 20-year-old, I gained an understanding of the voice I now had in the house operations. I helped manage budgets, events, and community and school relationships. The experience was priceless.

Teamwork also played a big role. I learned the crucial lesson of collaborative learning.

Q: You’ve held many leadership positions in your professional career. What advice can you give other Delta Tau Delta brothers who are looking to gain more leadership experience?
A: GO FOR IT. At an early age, if you think you are ready, just go for it. You learn from every experience, every failure, and every success.

Look for mentors that are ahead of you, identify them, work your tail off, and learn every day.

Q: You spent a significant amount of time with the Washington Redskins. Tell us about your experiences and success with this organization.
A: A willingness to work hard, an ability to lead, and an ability to collaboratively build a business led me to the opportunity to join the NFL. My tenure at The Washington Redskins was priceless. As the Senior Vice President, every day presented an opportunity to re-think the way that ‘business was done.’ I began to understand the responsibility of leadership during this time. I had the opportunity to interact with Fortune 100 CEOs, cabinet members, senators, and small business owners.

The responsibility of leadership means that you have an obligation to deliver on expectations that the community sets.

Q: Why are you proud to be a member of Delta Tau Delta?
A: I am proud of my Delt membership because of the fraternity’s commitment to service and leadership development.

Q: If you could thank Delta Tau Delta for anything, what would it be?
A: Friendship, leadership, and memories.

To connect with David, follow him on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/davedolton/) or Twitter (@DaveDolton).