Review of George Washington on Leadership (Basic Books, 2008) by Richard Brookhiser
He was America’s wealthiest man, its most famous general, and the man they call, “The Father of His Country.” In George Washington on Leadership, historian and National Review columnist Richard Brookhiser points out that Washington was responsible running two successful start-ups – the U.S. Army and the Presidency – and he chaired the Constitutional Convention, the most important committee meeting in history.
No wonder his face is carved into Mount Rushmore.
In George Washington on Leadership, Brookhiser, a noted Washington scholar, combs through the famous Virginian’s life to offer anecdotal nuggets of leadership wisdom. The result is an immensely enjoyable read. I discovered it at the recommendation of Steve Forbes, the publishing magnate and former Republican presidential candidate. It turns out Steve knows a thing or two about books as well as tax policy.
I admit I didn’t know much more than the most basic facts about Washington’s life before reading Brookhiser’s book. One book does not an expert make, but after turning the last page, I understand why many historians rank the first president as one of the best ever. Washington’s leadership skills – and perhaps, most importantly, his humility – probably preserved the United States as it struggled to survive in infancy.
Brookhiser paints a picture of Washington as a physically imposing warrior. He was more than six-feet tall, which was rare in the 18th century; Frances Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, declared of Washington, “Had he lived in the days of idolatry, he had been worshipped as a god.” Washington also was very strong and an excellent horseman, an important trait for a man who did much of his leading while in the saddle.
But Brookhiser says Washington’s most important characteristics were his bravery and his amiable personality. Washington’s fellow officers in the French and Indian War called him, “the man we knew and loved.” Washington also displayed his bravery during that conflict; after his first battle, Brookhiser says the young soldier wrote a letter to one of his brothers, stating, “I heard bullets whistle and believe me there was something charming in the sound.”
Washington later ditched the bravado, but he retained his courage. No matter what the hardships were – humbling defeats at the hands of the British, Valley Forge, and no paychecks for his men for months on end – Washington faced them all with courage, always triumphing in the end. At the end of his life, Washington even had the courage to free his slaves, a very unpopular move, especially among the heirs to his estate.
Washington wasn’t perfect, of course; in chapter 20, “Avoiding Weaknesses,” Brookhiser notes that Washington was neither a good public speaker nor an accomplished writer. In the late 1700s, both of these traits were considered even more important than they are today. Washington also could be obstinate, and he had a bit of a temper. He learned to control both flaws, however, and built on his strengths – something not all of the founding fathers were able to do.
Upon reaching the end of George Washington on Leadership, you may find yourself wishing we had another Washington in American politics today. Sadly, it appears we do not. In the meantime, you can always relive the past with Brookhiser, transporting yourself back to a day when better men ran the country.