He was born on February 22nd 1732.
He did not attend college.
He dreamed of joining the Royal Navy.
He was the first president of the United States.
His name was George Washington.
(Source: Mount Vernon )
Those are some interesting facts about George Washington, but there’s nothing more intriguing than trying to better understand historical leaders as people from a psychological standpoint. What qualities made him want to join the Royal Navy or lead a new country? Those aren’t small ambitions, but George Washington wasn’t about small steps. At his core, he strove to make leaps and bounds toward achieving greatness. In celebration of his birthday which is just days away, Center for Work Life has researched to discover some of George Washington’s leadership qualities.
Leadership Qualities of George Washington:
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Powers of persuasion
His achievements as a government official point to his skills of persuasion. But additionally, one story shared by Harvard Business Review depicts Washington emotionally appealing to his troops. He said “I have already grown gray in the service of my country, and now I am going blind.” This persuasive tactic and strong emotional intelligence swayed his troops and they abandoned a rebellion as he asked of them.
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Ability to unify
George Washington probably could have brought a lion and a lamb together on a mission with his leadership skills in negotiation. “He hated it when people divided into hostile groups, and he tried to avoid taking sides during political disputes. As president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, he contributed almost nothing to the heated debates that took place. Instead, he used his considerable prestige to calm people down and get them back to their main job: creating a new form of government for the United States” (Constitutional Rights Foundation). Successful leaders like Washington set aside differences and resolve disputes by staying focused on goals.
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Empowering others
As discussed in The Hobbit in the Office, Gandalf was a great leader, because he empowered Bilbo, Frodo and many others to do great things. Similarly, Harry Potter became a hero, because Dumbledore led him to greatness. He encouraged him and allowed him to grow when opportunities presented themselves. In this same way, George Washington was known for giving minimal direction to commanders so they could make their own strategic decisions (Harvard Business Review). It’s a fine line to give just enough direction, but not become smothering or stifling. And Washington walked that line with ease.
Every person has leadership qualities lurking within them, and yet not everyone manages to truly utilize those strengths. Anyone can be remembered for their ability persuade or their leadership by becoming emotionally intelligent, which enables growth of one’s own strengths.
Related Reads:
Mary Barra’s Leadership
Warren Buffet’s Leadership Qualities
Leadership Qualities of Jeff Bezos
This Blog has been featured by the West Orange Chamber of Commerce. Sources such as HLN have also been home to publications by Dr. Farnaz Namin-Hedayati and she has been cited by the Orlando Business Journal.
Center for Work Life of Orlando, Florida is an award-winning executive development firm providing leadership and management training to executives and organizations. Our main services include executive coaching, leadership development, executive succession planning, emotional intelligence training, career planning, staff development, and communication in the workplace.
