3 Leadership lessons from the US Founding Fathers

The American revolution was over two hundred and thirty years ago. Many of the leadership qualities the country’s Founding Fathers possessed are just as relevant today as they were back then.

Be patient: Though independence was not declared until 1776, fighting began as early as 1775. The war of independence didn’t end until 1783. That’s 8 years of conflict and uncertainty. But the Founding Fathers knew the value of being patient. In fact, Benjamin Franklin is often quoted as having said ‘He that can have patience can have what he will.’

Persevere: George Washington faced enormous hurdles as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army. He was endlessly faced with lack of supplies, financing and the constant threat of his unpaid soldiers abandoning him. Perhaps even more discouraging was the string of military defeats Washington endured. Evan Thomas, Professor at Princeton University explains: “George Washington lost battle after battle but he never lost the war. He always lived to fight again another day.”

Be confident: Not everyone was in support of the American Revolution. Even Benjamin Franklin’s son, William Franklin, remained a ‘loyalist’. The exact amount of support for the revolution remains a point of historic debate. Nevertheless, the founding of a new nation required an enormous amount of confidence from those who founded it.

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Author: Donald Armbrecht writes for Agenda.

Image: A statue of the first president of the United States George Washington stands silhouetted on the steps of Federal Hall, across Wall Street from the New York Stock Exchange. REUTERS/Mike Segar