Product Description

From James Rees, Executive Director of Mount Vernon, comes anenlightening guide to the leadership wisdom of America's first great leader. George Washington was more than just an inspiring battlefield commander; he was critical to the founding and success of the United States ofAmerica. His leadership, his vision, and his courage united a war-torncountry and set the United States on the path to greatness. Washington's historic contribution to this nation--his leadership and his character--are as relevant and valuable today as they have ever been.

This book reveals Washington's character, his leadership, his vision, and most surprising of all, his business skills and acumen. Most people aren't awarethat Washington, while all of the above, was also a successful businessman and visionary entrepreneur.

Exhibiting qualities sorely lacking in so many of our political and business leaders today, Washington remained steadfastly honest and ethical,following guiding principles that would benefit leaders around the world. George Washington's Leadership Lessons reveals a man of true character,worthy of emulation not just in the realm of politics and war, but in allleadership positions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #214448 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 214 pages

From the Inside Flap
George Washington has long been a role model for Americans. Legends of his honesty and virtue are part of America's cultural heritage. But Washington's legacy is much greater than the apocryphal story of the cherry tree. George Washington's Leadership Lessons offers a unique perspective on America's first president—not as a caricature of model behavior, but as an effective, visionary, and inspiring leader of men.

Far more than just an able military strategist, Washington was a charismatic leader who inspired confidence in others whether he was leading troops, leading the nation, or leading a business venture. Now, James Rees, Executive Director of Mount Vernon, plumbs the historical record to reveal how Washington developed his leadership skills and built a reputation as an honest, effective, and ethical leader.

Rees breaks down Washington's leadership skills into fifteen lessons that encapsulate great leadership and reveal why Washington was so effective. Using stories from Washington's life, as well as his own writings, Rees shows how these leadership skills aided him not only on the battlefield but also in business. In addition to the fifteen leadership lessons, Rees includes the Rules of Civility that helped Washington initially develop the qualities of a great leader and a comprehensive look at one of the lesser-known sides of George Washington: the entrepreneur.

Few Americans realize that Washington's estate at Mount Vernon was far more than a beautiful plantation—it was also the site of the nation's largest whiskey distillery, a very sophisticated milling operation, and a remarkable fishery that netted 1.5 million herring in a seven-week season. And who would have imagined that the founder of our country introduced the hard-working mule to hundreds of American farmers?

George Washington's Leadership Lessons presents a compelling and complex vision of Washington as a modern role model for every American, especially those who lead others. Offering true insight into the unexamined leadership skills of a great American, this unique and insightful book reveals true qualities of leadership that every American should take to heart.

From the Back Cover
From James Rees, Executive Director of Mount Vernon, comes anenlightening guide to the leadership wisdom of America's first great leader. George Washington was more than just an inspiring battlefield commander; he was critical to the founding and success of the United States ofAmerica. His leadership, his vision, and his courage united a war-torncountry and set the United States on the path to greatness. Washington's historic contribution to this nation—his leadership and his character—are as relevant and valuable today as they have ever been.

This book reveals Washington's character, his leadership, his vision, and most surprising of all, his business skills and acumen. Most people aren't awarethat Washington, while all of the above, was also a successful businessman and visionary entrepreneur.

Exhibiting qualities sorely lacking in so many of our political and business leaders today, Washington remained steadfastly honest and ethical,following guiding principles that would benefit leaders around the world. George Washington's Leadership Lessons reveals a man of true character,worthy of emulation not just in the realm of politics and war, but in allleadership positions.

About the Author
James C. Rees has been the Executive Director of Mount Ver-non for the past thirteen years. He is also a former president of the Virginia Association of Museums and a past board member of the National Parks and History Foun-dation. He has previously worked at the National Trust for Historic Preservation and at the College of William & Mary.

Stephen Spignesi is the author of thirty-six nonfiction books and one acclaimed novel.

Customer Reviews

Should be required reading for every grammar school
For anyone who has mused "what is missing from Americans" today, this book is it. It is a small portrait of the common sense and value sensed lifestyle of our colonial betters. Other reviews muse this to be a simple book but that is the issue. For all the advanced thought of complex philosophical theory of man's "wisdom", the world is a mess because none of our great "geniuses" agree on anything.

A meaningful life is not so complex few people CAN understand it,
it is so straightforward few WILL understand it.
Leave the philosophers in closed rooms where they can do the least damage.

Washington's leadership precepts are so valuable to instill at an early age as to be required reading for every American grammar school.

See for yourself

debbie
A very good overview of quality leadership traits and of the outstanding leadership (seemingly forgotten in today's world) of George Washington.

Great book on Washington as a leader

This is a terrific book that serves an important purpose: to teach by example. In the first part of this 3-part book, the authors break down the art of leadership into 15 traits and virtues that leaders must manifest, and then, in a very unique way, they cite incidents, quotations, and anecdotes from the life of George Washington (sourced in most cases from Washington's own writings) to illustrate how the Father of America employed each character trait.

The second part of the book is a look at Washington's "Rules of Civility," along with annotation for select rules illustrating how it was employed - or ignored - in modern times.

The third part of the book will really be an eye-opener for lots of people: it is a lengthy, meticulously researched look at George Washington as an entrepreneur. Many people are not aware that Washington had an enormous fishing enterprise at Mount Vernon, or that he was a distiller, or an aggressive real estate investor, or that he routinely experimented with crops to improve productivity.

There's no denying George Washington was a leader. He was, after all, the United States' first President. But now, with GEORGE WASHINGTON'S LEADERSHIP LESSONS, we are given a comprehensive look at just how he exercised his leadership, and how we can learn from his efforts. Recommended.