Richard Brookhiser focuses his writing prowess in a new book on the qualities that made George Washington one of the nation?s first great leaders.
The same man who asked ?What would the founders do?? tells us what this founder actually did, focusing on items such as Washington?s penchant for exhorting his troops, his political colleagues, and his countrymen to put forward their best efforts.
In the Newburgh crisis of 1783, Washington headed off an officers? rebellion by urging his men to consider the proper course of conduct:
Washington throws the burden of action on others, and tells them that they can and will pick it up. This turn is a characteristic of Washington?s leadership, as unmistakable as a fingerprint, as persistent as a frog call. The man who was a master at holding people?s attention and at acquiring power turns the attention back on his audience, to show them their power, and their responsibility. It is a mixture of praise and exhortation, and it happens again and again. In the ?Circular to the States,? issued three months after the Newburgh crisis, he told Americans, after a long description of their opportunities, that if they ?should not be completely free and happy the fault will be entirely their own.? Get to work; it?s up to you.
Speaking of leadership, people attending today?s Shaftesbury Society meeting will hear Karen Palasek discuss the E.A. Morris Fellowship for Emerging Leaders.
