Leadership Lessons from George Washington

There are millions upon millions of quarters circulating throughout our nation’s economy. That's a lot of exposure for the person whose face appears on the “heads side!" Wouldn’t it be nice, even gratifying, if our portrait was on a quarter, a personal, 25-cent symbol of immortality?

George Washington has held that place of honor since 1932. Today, his name is almost a cliché to most Americans. We are so accustomed to his generic description, “Father of Our Country,” that we sometimes forget what the man did during his lifetime. Since Presidents' Day is this month, George Washington seems like a good source of inspiration for tire dealers. But why?

First, he lived during a crisis period. Second, he helped tame that crisis, setting the foundation for the United States. And finally, he possessed the fortitude and resilience to overcome complacency, when complacency was - and is - the easiest and most risk-free answer to a crisis. All three of these ingredients are applicable to tire dealerships.

Imagine George Washington lives today and owns a franchised tire dealership. He has eight employees. One morning when he opens up his store, only five employees show up for work. On the same day, he learns that a major national competitor is building a tire store directly across the street. Making things worse, George finds out that his store manager is going to work for this new competitor.

A week later, three of his missing employees come back to work. He must accept them back because good help is hard to find. Luckily, George's dealership is busy. But he's lost business in the interim. George decides to promote an employee to a manager role, but it turns out this person does not like to work and spends all day looking at his cell phone.

Compounding George's troubles, the franchise home office wants to pull his franchise rights. They want to give his franchise to one of his ex-employees. Finally, George's bank will not extend his credit so he can replace his worn-out alignment, mounting and balancing machines. 

Pretend you're George Washington, sitting in your office late one night, reviewing the present crisis. What would you think?  What would you do? The natural inclination would be to think, “This is hopeless!” Would you put a “for sale” sign in front of your shop? Would you start looking for somebody to buy you out?

George Washington also faced a major crisis going into the winter of 1776. Yet he took the crisis and turned it into a win, setting the stage for an eventual 50-store powerhouse: the United States. Washington’s Army around New York numbered roughly 20,000 soldiers during the summer of 1776. By Christmas, his force was just over a couple thousand. He had limited or no supplies and few supporters within Congress. His British foe outnumbered him more than three-to-one. The situation was desperate.

Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River was more than the subject of a quaint painting. It was one of the the defining moments in American history and a turning point in the birth of the U.S. George Washington saved the American Revolution. This is not a gross simplification or exaggeration. It is fact.

Many people would quit when faced with seemingly insurmountable odds. Not George. He had a vision for America - a dream he held more dearly than money or his life. He was not about to mortgage that dream cheaply. But George needed more than just vision to lead through his crisis. As a leader and person, Washington was: 

Determined and driven. Washington lived a quest of excellence throughout his entire life. He was self-conscious about his lack of education, so he took it upon himself to improve. He wrote his own etiquette book when he was only 14 years old. He wanted to become a person of substance and gravitas. He never went after a goal or problem with anything less than his full effort. He was a man of action more than words and show.

He consulted his team for ideas. Washington knew he did not possess infinite wisdom. He knew he had a team with varying - and sometimes greater - experience than he possessed. Sometimes his instincts could be wildly off-base. Knowing this, George would consult with his trusted colleagues and subordinates before major decisions. He listened without prejudice or judgment, following the most rational course recommended.

He never lost sight of his vision. In his own words, George was a realist. When the situation was bad, it affected him and it showed in his private letters. He could become downhearted, but he never showed it to his team and rallied quickly with solutions. His resilience allowed him to bounce before he permanently broke under stress. He experienced stress, but it never diminished the total grasp of his vision. He also had a bad temper, but except on a few rare occasions, he fought to keep it in check.

He was a tremendous judge of character and a strong team builder. Washington had an almost uncanny ability to follow his instincts and judge the strength and quality of a person. Early in the war, he was still honing this skill and made a couple poor calls, based on these people’s greater experience. (For historians, this would be Charles Lee and Horatio Gates.) But once he became comfortable in his own abilities, he also gained the ability to to discern the producers from the “wannabes.” This allowed him to surround himself with a team he could trust to provide results and constructive advice.

He never quit. Washington was not a great tactical thinker and he didn't win every battle. His strength was more long-range and strategic. His battlefield plans were often too complex, with too many chances for poor coordination. But he did not give up. He knew his team’s strengths and would try again later.

He was a tremendous communicator. By his nature, Washington was a man of few words and few felt they knew the person behind the mask. That did not prevent him from communicating effectively. He constantly wrote, giving detailed directions and information so that his team and his bosses knew exactly what was happening, what he needed and expected and what they should expect. Because he regulated his personality so that his concern, anger and frustration were hidden, when he did show passion, it left an impression on his team and inspired them.

He was a servant leader. Washington used his leadership position to get his team what they needed, always with an eye toward what was best for them. He served his team and as a result, the team served him, often when they the situation was not great. They knew he had their best interest foremost in his mind - not fame, fortune, glory or power.

He was not afraid to take risks. Leading a revolution was the definition of risk. Washington knew he had few advantages and success demanded that he exploit his competition’s weaknesses. Risk was his only route to success and he embraced it - not fool-hardy risk, but well-thought-out risk. He also encouraged his subordinates to likewise take calculated risks.

Does this like the qualities of a good boss? Washington's people thought so and rewarded him with their loyalty, even to the death. Washington was not a strong leader when he took command of the Continental Army. He became a strong leader.

The final ingredient in George Washington's recipe for success was his willingness to lead when others defered. Washington was a wealthy man - a self-made businessman. He could easily have sat out the American Revolution and kept his portfolio safe. But his vision allowed no room for complacency or half-measures. He gambled his property and his life by leading the American army.

Had the revolution failed, Washington and dozens of patriots would have suffered lethal consequences. Complacency was the easy avenue, viewing the risk versus reward equation. But for George Washington, there was never a question.

Rarified people like Washington exist today. They exist within your dealership. And certainly the qualities that Washington exhibited exist - or can be developed - within you.

A crisis - even a business crisis -  usually means suffering and sacrifice. But when it ends, we all earn a share of glory once we emerge on the other side.