Leading Like Washington

Power is easy to grab. The harder move is refusing it, and that’s where George Washington still teaches modern leaders the most. With America on the eve of its 250th anniversary, we take a close look at why Washington became the unanimous choice to lead the Continental Army and later serve as the first President of the United States, then translate those qualities into practical leadership lessons for managers and supervisors today.

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Transcript

Why Washington Matters Now

John Broer 0:10

A warm welcome to all of our good friends out there in The Bosshole Transformation Nation on this the eve of our 250th anniversary here in the United States of a remarkable country with a really amazing history. And we're going to be talking about one of those individuals specifically today. And the leadership qualities demonstrated that transcend time and history and serve as a great example of leadership traits we should embody today. So let's jump in.

Announcer 1:09

Enjoy today's episode.

John Broer 1:13

We have spent a considerable amount of time talking about leadership qualities on The Bosshole Chronicles. Obviously we have, because in order to help managers and supervisors stay out of the bosshole zone, they need to adopt and embrace really effective leadership traits and qualities. And we've tried to share those with our audience. And today, on June 30th, 2026, I want to talk specifically about the leadership traits of a very important individual in all of American history, and that is the father of our nation, George Washington. Now we are on the eve of our nation's 250th anniversary. Now the very founding of our country was miraculous, and it is a momentous occasion to be able to celebrate this event. And I only thought it fitting to talk more about George Washington and truly his remarkable character, his characteristics, and why he was unanimously the choice to lead the Continental Army. And then, years later, after declaring our independence, almost a decade later, that the members of the Constitutional Convention saw fit to appoint George Washington as our first president. And so I wanted to talk about that today in anticipation of this really, really special occasion.

A Quick History Surprise

John Broer 2:45

So I always thought the United States was the oldest surviving republic in human history. And I was actually wrong. I learned this preparing for this episode. The Republic of San Marino, which is actually a microstate completely surrounded by Italy, was founded in 301 AD by Saint Marinus, who is a Christian stonemason fleeing Robin persecution. I never knew that. However, the U.S. is the oldest major constitutional republic. So I was kind of right. Hats off to San Marino for having that kind of legacy, but we are still the oldest major constitutional republic. And what happened in 1776 was truly, truly remarkable. If you think about what happened leading up to July 4th, go back and read what happened in June of 1776 leading up to July 4th. And the stories are absolutely fascinating. They really are. When you think about the original draft of the Declaration of Independence and what the South wanted omitted and what compromises had to be made in order for the signing and the ratification of the Declaration of Independence. But go back one

From Lexington To Yorktown

John Broer 4:05

year, a little over one year in April of 1775, and that is when the British, who were occupying the colonies, decided that the colonists were getting too boisterous and rebellious, and they marched on Lexington and Concord. And that was the beginning of the Revolutionary War. That's when we hear about the shot heard round the world. And the British, who by all accounts should have overrun the colonists. So from the spring of 1775 until the Continental Army secured victory at Yorktown in 1781, we were at war with Great Britain, this ragtag, undisciplined, untrained Continental Army led by George Washington. But I wanted to go back and I really wanted to learn more about his leadership skills and why he was such an obvious choice. I mean, the Second Continental Congress clearly saw him as the obvious choice to lead the Continental Army. And then when the Constitutional Convention gathered after almost a decade of just of using the Articles of Confederation, which just was an absolute mess between securing victory at Yorktown and then the new 13 states realizing this is crazy, we need to come together and create unifying laws for our republic. So maintaining the sovereignty of our states, yet having a strong union of those states. So he was the obvious choice by the Second Continental Congress to become the leader of the army, and then he attended the Constitutional Convention, and at that time was elevated at the ratification of the Constitution, George Washington became the first president of the United States. And again, universally there was agreement that he was the absolute perfect individual for that. Now, why was that the case? What were George Washington's leadership qualities that made him that obvious choice? But in his lifetime, he had developed this reputation for some really critical characteristics, and I think they serve as a wonderful template for all leaders. And so let's talk about what are those traits that George Washington embodied and everybody saw making him the most obvious choice for our first

The Five Traits People Trusted

John Broer 6:48

president. Number one was integrity and moral character. Washington was known for earning a deep trust from those around him through consistent honesty, ethical conduct. He was very self-disciplined. We'll talk about that in just a second. But he was a person of strong integrity, and his word was his bond. So that stands out as number one. Number two, humility and reluctance for power. I think this one is most interesting. And when you see Washington portrayed in movies or documentaries, uh, he was very reluctant. You know, after the British surrendered in Yorktown and the colonists won the war, he retired to Mount Vernon. I mean, he just wanted to go back and do farming and let Congress figure out, you know, how to run this brand new country. And when he was called upon, he was very reluctant to take on any additional role. So he he was ready to step away from power and setting the precedent against additional monarchies and dictatorships. Now, contrast that to today's politicians who are hungry for power and for control. I mean, he realized what how corruptible that could be, but he was very reluctant to it, which again, I think is a remarkable and amazing characteristic in a person. So the third one would be his courage and his determination. Now there's a movie coming out, I think it's on the Fourth of July this Saturday, about Washington, and I think Angel Studios has produced it, and it's called Washington, I think that's the title. And he was known for his bravery uh during the French and Indian War. I mean, literally riding across the front of battle. I mean, his had horses shot out from underneath him, bullet holes in his uniform, and yet not a bullet touched him. He also was known for showing great judgment. His ability to see the big picture, he did get input from other experts and people around him, but these decisions he made were very calculated rather than rash and from the hip. And that prudence that he demonstrated, I believe, was very unique as he stepped into the role of president, because at the time France was entering into their own revolution, and there was debate about what we should do since Lafayette was here and the French helped us in the revolution. He demonstrated prudence and realized that entanglements into this foreign affair would be detrimental to this brand new nation. That was, I mean, in its adolescence, it was just trying to figure out what to do. And the other one I would say, the fifth one that really stands out, just based on the research I've done, is how he led by example and his self-sacrifice. You know, he is famously known for enduring the same hardships as his troops, invested his own resources into the cause of war and freedom and liberty, and he really emphasized duty and service. So again, integrity, moral character, humility, that reluctance for power, courage and bravery, good judgment and prudence, and then just leading by example. Now, that is a template for being an effective leader. And it happened to be the father of our country, George Washington. And I was thinking, well, where did that come from? It had to come from somewhere. And this was a part, even though even with all my reading, this was a part I never

The Rules Of Civility

John Broer 10:35

knew. So George Washington had a, I don't know if he published it, but it was The Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation. And it is a collection of 110 maxims and and rules, if you will, that he had copied by hand as a schoolboy around the age of 14. And I believe these were found at Mount Vernon, and it's clearly something that was part of his education as a young boy. And what I learned in my study is that those rules actually originated from late 16th century French Jesuits who compiled these maxims and precepts for young people. They were translated into English, but I guess historians believe that this was something that George Washington actually copied as part of his study as a young man, probably for penmanship or something. Nobody studies penmanship, nobody teaches penmanship anymore, I don't think so. But this is where they come from. And there was a real theme to these about etiquette, hygiene, conversation, moral behavior, things like that. I actually asked Grok to sift through and pull out some of those notable examples of these. So let's let's hit a couple of these rules because once again, these were formative for George Washington. So number one, every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those that are present. I mean, at the heart of that is civility. I love that. Another one was number four, rule number four. I thought this was kind of amusing. In the presence of others, sing not to yourself with a humming noise, nor drum with your fingers or feet. I just thought that was kind of interesting. If you cough, sneeze, or sigh or yawn, do it not loud, but privately, and speak not in your yawning, but put your handkerchief or hand before your face and turn aside. I think number one, I think number one is still my favorite so far. There was another one, Rule 40, advice on not arguing strenuously with superiors. And the last one was labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience. Isn't that cool? I mean, again, it was just part of what he was being taught as a probably, you know, a teenager, young teenager, and yet these maxims, these rules, can become evident as we hear about or learn about Washington later in his life from his own writings, but also historians and people that were around him. Just an absolutely remarkable individual. Actually, for a full list of those rules, you can go to the Mount Vernon website, which apparently you can browse them, or transcripts from the Library of Congress papers of George Washington. Um that's where you'll find it. Again, really cool.

Lessons For Leaders Today

John Broer 13:48

And so I am reminded of how blessed we are as a as a nation, as a people, as American people, with a great example of our first president and how he represents such a perfect example of leadership, I mean, in the in this case for a new and fledgling nation, but in in general. Integrity, humility, even the reluctance to lead and not being hungry for power, that's also reflected in the fact that he resigned the presidency after two terms. If he wanted to serve for a longer period of time, a longer period of time, he could have done that. He was that well loved by his country. And as we start to think about the turmoil that was the Revolutionary War and these remarkable people that came together to draft this document declaring that we were a separate and unique nation, and then finding the person, that individual, who was the embodiment of leadership that we needed at that particular time. I mean, quite frankly, and the Declaration of Independence claims divine providence for specific times. Yeah, I think we're talking divine providence and how blessed we are to have that kind of history. So I would encourage you to learn more about it. But I'll close with this. And

Farewell Address Warnings

John Broer 15:13

I think this is telling when you think about Washington's farewell address. This makes me think of Hamilton, teach them how to say goodbye. Great, I mean, great number out of the musical, and and Hamilton, based on the book of by uh, is it Ronald Chernow, I believe. But we were talking about a a person, the father of our nation, that embodied self-sacrifice, decorum, integrity, and restraint. Man, that is a recipe for effective leadership today. And so in his farewell address, Washington reflected on his service as president, and he said this I have contributed towards the organization and administration of the government, the best exertions of which a very fallible judgment was capable. He also urged Americans to cherish the Union, uphold the Constitution, avoid excessive foreign entanglements, and guard against factions. Those are words that absolutely resonate today, as they did 250 years ago. So, happy birthday, America. What a wonderful and blessed nation we have, and what a great example of leadership was given to us from the very beginning. Have a wonderful and memorable Fourth of July as we celebrate our nation's 250th birthday, and we will see you next time on the Bosshole Chronicles.

Share Your Boss Hole Story

Announcer 16:48

Thanks very much for checking out this episode of the Bosshole Chronicles. It was so good to have you here. And if you have your own Boss Hole story that you want to share with the Bosshole Transformation Nation, just reach out.

John Broer 17:00

You can email us at mystory at the Bosshole Chronicles.com. Again, mystory at the Bosshole Chronicles.com. We'll see you next time.