Leadership Lessons From George Washington

Today marks President’s Day, also known as George Washington’s birthday. While you may be enjoying a day off courtesy of our first president, you can actually gain a great deal from his legacy — namely, some important leadership lessons.

Being a leader, especially in your first go-round, is no easy feat. You’ll always have critics. You may have someone who thinks they can do it better than you. It’s hard to know if you’re ever good enough. However, like Washington, if you strive to do good, stick to your principles, and work really hard to be a great leader, good results will be bound to come your way.

In honor of President’s Day, here are some leadership lessons any professional can learn from George Washington:

Overcome adversity

While Washington had a privileged upbringing, he still faced adversity. Many of his siblings passed away before he reached adulthood and his father died when he was only 11. Despite these tragedies, Washington sought the help of surviving family members and friends to eventually began his career as an Officer Surveyor. This later enabled him to purchase land and meet powerful connections, some of whom shaped the leader he would become.

Lesson: No matter what roadblocks you face, you can always overcome a challenge if you show initiative and put the work in. Use your resources, whether this means talking to a mentor, using your leadership skills, or pulling out lessons from your education to overcome challenges.

Think outside of the box

The American Revolutionary War was a tough time for the United States. Despite a string of losses and a dwindling army, Washington led the U.S. to victory after thinking outside of the box. Ultimately, Washington knew he had to use his leadership skills to come up with a great plan. The solution? Crossing the Delaware River. While the plan may have been seen as outlandish at the time — it was the middle of the winter — it proved effective multiple times. Washington surprised Hessian and later British troops, allowing the U.S. to take back New Jersey.

Lesson: To achieve career wins, you have to stand out from your competition. While you may never have to cross a frozen river to surprise your enemies, you’ll probably have to overcome your critics at some point. Be smart and think of new and innovative tactics to cement your place as a leader.

Take on larger-than-life challenges

George Washington wasn’t a politician. He was a member of the military. But his leadership and contribution to the birth of America wasn’t going to be overlooked. In 1789, he was unanimously voted as the first president, despite retiring years earlier. Delegates even designed the presidency with him in mind, which clearly reflects the impact he had.

While some reports indicate he was reluctant to take on the presidency, and even more reluctant to take on a second term, he still accepted this larger-than-life challenge. And it was a good thing he did: During his presidency, Washington laid down the groundwork for our country, including the cabinet system, the inaugural address, and even the tradition of calling our leader “Mr. President.”

Lesson: Sometimes, an insane challenge is presented to you, one which you may not feel up to. But any challenge can be tackled if you map out a plan, pick a great team, and use all the tools in your toolbox. Most of the time, your boss or your client won’t give you a task you can’t address. It may just take a little courage to get started.

While not everyone will be president, you will likely be placed in a leadership role at some point in your career. No matter if you’re scared or ready for the challenge, use the leadership skills of George Washington as your roadmap to success.

What do you think? What are some other leadership skills and lessons you can learn from George Washington

Image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons