LEADERSHIP, Really?

Leadership, really?

My son is doing his senior thesis on the character of George Washington. This has led us through many a long conversations about his research, what biographers say about the first president, and about my son’s opinion that he has developed during his studies of what is perhaps the greatest leader America ever had. It seems that our conversations always drift to the comparison of the current leadership. It occurs to me that very few people on either side of politics would be worthy to even get a glimpse of Washington riding by on a horse. The current occupant of the Oval Office could sure learn a few things about leadership if he read my son’s thesis. Maybe we all could use a refresher course.

One of the first things is Washington’s demeanor in public. Washington did not have the education of a Virginia country squire, yet he understood manors and how to behave. He embraced “Rules of Civility, and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation” written by Jesuits in 1595. They were a set of rules on how to conduct yourself such as “Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect to those who are present” and “let your conversation be without malice or envy, for ‘is a sign of tractable and commendable nature: and in all causes of passion admit reason to govern.” Washington’s countenance was described as grave, composed and sensible.

Public decency and humility were also traits Washington was careful to portray. When he was elected to Commander in Chief of the Continental Army he accepted with humility and said he would serve without pay. He said, “But lest some unlucky event should happen unfavorable to my reputation, I beg it may be remembered by every gentleman in the room, that I this day declare with the utmost sincerity, I do not think myself equal to the Command I am honored with.” There are many, many ways that Washington proved his leadership and the qualities and characteristics of leadership. He was fiercely brave in battle, compassionate to his fellow soldiers, and meant what he said–a man of his word.

Fast forward to today. We have a “president” who appears to have usurped the office. He has taken more golf outings than any other president, logged more vacation days at taxpayer expense, especially given the state of the economy and soldiers at war. He crows about his accomplishment in getting 2.2% of the US population to sign up for a mandatory law (by the way, kudos to Americans who don’t sign up for socialized healthcare–it shows that an unjust law is no law at all). He taunts his Republican colleagues at every opportunity. Leadership, really? Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.” Believe me, there is more to come.