Written by: Mitch Arbelaez on November 8, 2013

I have had the privilege this week to be on vacation with my family in our nation’s capital.  The days are filled with trips to the Smithsonian museums, the national monuments, and of course a drive through the beautiful changing leaves to visit Mount Vernon, the home of President George Washington.  Upon arriving on the premises there is an opportunity to view a short film on the life of our first president of these United States.  The film is very well made giving life to the historical character through the compilation of letters, journals, and historical records.  There, on the big movie screen, George Washington comes to life.  Through Hollywood magic and gifted actors we were transported back to the winter of 1776 and the camp site of the American army at Valley Forge.  In the midst of the cold and dreary conditions of these American soldiers you learn the resolve and character of the man whose face adorns every one dollar bill printed.

The story goes that the Americans had camped on one side of the river while the British were on the other side.  The conditions were not good for the soldiers under Washington’s command. Starvation, disease, and exposure had taken its toll on the fledgling American army.  The temperatures were at freezing levels. Close to some 1,700 men were too ill or wounded to even get out of their cots.  Food rations were low as was morale having had several defeats prior to this wintering at Valley Forge.

Yet, it was in these conditions, yes, even in spite of these conditions,  that Washington, the Commander of the American forces, laid out his bold plan of attack to cross the Delaware river the night of December 25, 1776 and attack the British army encamped at Trenton, New Jersey the next day.  He was faced with opposition from his own generals as they considered the astronomical conditions.  Washington’s words to them were blunt but powerful, “It is victory or death for all who will cross. There is no other option, gentlemen. This must be done.”

It was this man’s leadership that prevailed and motivated his men even in the face of such conditions.  Both the crossing and the attack on Trenton were successful.  The victory lead to a continual routing of the British and eventually to an American victory.  And as they say, the rest is history.

What did George Washington have that made him such a great leader?  Could this quality have been found in one of the multitudes of leadership journals that Mary Ann Glynn and Rich DeJordy surveyed in their attempt to understand the current theories of leadership. Within their findings of the current organizational behavior literature they noted that, “the leader’s personal and behavioral styles are theorized to be more supple and situationally adaptive, and, when leadership is appropriate to the contingencies of the situation, effectiveness and intended change are more likely to result.  Without an ability to read and adapt to changing business conditions, personality and skill are but temporal strengths.”[1]  Washington lead through the conditions that were constantly changing about him as he exhibited the ability to both read and adapt to the situation at hand.

Washington’s fellow leaders contend with his bold plan, stating that it appeared both folly and inconsistent with standard historical protocol of an Army taking quarters for the winter.  Yet this erratic behavior has been noted as a quality of leadership even from the science of psychology.  This was brought out in the chapter entitled, Psychological Perspectives on Leadership, “The very behavioral flexibility that is critical for leading across diverse situations can be perceived instead as behavioral inconsistency, unreliability, or even labeled as erratic by followers.”[2]

We could also look at the rationale behind irrationality that was brought up in the chapter, “A Clinical Approach to The Dynamics of Leadership” by Manfred Kitts de Vries and Elisabet Engellau.  They discussed the inner theater that contributes to our unique personality style. These “core conflictual relationship themes” (CCRT) translate  into consistent patterns by which we relate to others.  There are fundamental desires, our CCRT’s, that color and shape our lives. Whether it is the desire to be loved, to be understood, to be noticed, or to be free from conflict, guide us on a daily bases.[3]  What were Washington’s CCRT’s?  With his relinquishing of power after the victory over the British and again after his first term as president, we can, with certainty, say that it was not the desire for power that drove this man.  Perhaps it was his CCRTs for independence, freedom, and justice.  Washington’s desire to live in peace with all men propelled him to fight for and to establish a new society that would reflect these virtues.

Regardless of how we try to define, analyze, quantify, or codify Washington’s leadership, we can honestly say that he was a great leader. I believe it was Julie committing on John’s post last week where she made the statement that there should be ones who are “relevant to [a] world that seems to be in a spin.”  If indeed our world is in a spin and life seems to be out of control at times, there needs to be those who can and will rise up and address the spinning with an attempt to assist those who are in the spin.  It is leaders, great leaders like George Washington, that are needed today.  Yes, Julie, let us be the ones who are relevant to this spinning world and lead with courage across all of life’s difficult crossings.

About the Author

Mitch Arbelaez

International Mission Mobilizers with Go To Nations Living and traveling the world from Jacksonville Florida

• Link
• Facebook
• Twitter