President’s day is upon us. So what can we learn from the great men who have led our country?
1. George Washington: be a team player to earn loyalty and lead by example. On a winter morning during the American Revolutionary War, General George Washington rode out of his encampment and noticed a group of soldiers trying to put a log on the top of a wall they were building. Washington asked the corporal why he didn’t lend a hand. “Don’t you see that I’m a corporal?” he answered. “I do,” Washington said. The general then dismounted and helped the infantrymen put the timber in place. After completing the job, this commander and chief told the men that if they needed any help again, just send for him.
2. Abraham Lincoln: assemble a team of rivals. Lincoln’s novel strategy was to creating a team composed of his most able rivals, people who are unafraid to take issue with him and are confident of their own leadership abilities. Although at times it was trying, many historians attribute some of Lincoln’s success to this team of rivals. For more, consider adding Team of Rivals to your Kindle.
3. A bonus from Abraham Lincoln: carefully consider your critiques and insults. Lincoln insulted a political rival publically and in a newspaper. This rival then challenged a young Lincoln to a duel on a sandbar in the Mississippi River. The year was 1842. Two mutual friends stopped the duel at the last minute. Lincoln vowed to never speak (or write) such inflammatory words again. For more, see Dave Carnegie’s classic How to Win Friends and Influence People.
4. John F. Kennedy: shoot for the moon. In 1962, Kennedy made his famous moonshot speech, casting a vision for America to travel to the moon and back. This goal was accomplished even faster than he envisioned. Setting a goal and articulating it with conviction is powerful. For more, check out Kennedy’s speech on YouTube
5. Bill Clinton: get some sleep. Clinton once remarked that He said, “Every important mistake I’ve made in my life, I’ve made because I was too tired.”
Cheers,
Blair
