The first President of our nation, commander of the Continental Army, and Founding Father, George Washington may have been one of the greatest leaders in history. Using strategical tactics combined with skill and knowledge, Washington led the men of his time to an ultimate victory in the war. The war, mainly the Revolutionary War, was caused due to taxes without representation. The colonies felt they had no say in the British parliament as well as the idea of being able to govern themselves had grown increasingly each day. It was not only the Revolutionary War, but also the French and Indian War and even the Whiskey Rebellion. Washington was victorious through many of his battles but not all. From his defeats, he was able to learn to be a better leader. Of the many leadership styles mentioned in Leadership: Theory and Practice, Washington’s style was most like transformational and servant leadership. Washington is “attentive to the needs and motives of followers and tries to help followers reach their fullest potential” (Northouse 162); as well as embodying the “conscious choice that brings one to aspire to lead” (Northouse 226). As a leader, he achieved many positive outcomes for his nation, such as developing the fundamentals for the strongest country in the world. But how did he accomplish such a feat? Through vigorous dedication, commitment to the cause, and fighting for what he believed in, he was a true patriot. Washington effectively utilized his transformational and servant leadership style to shape the nation having a powerful governing system crafted from his very own practices. Through experience he developed operative traits that were key in his mission.

George Washington’s desired outcome of his leadership efforts was to attain American victory in the war whilst developing a new nation. His main style reflects servant leadership in many of the characteristics such as putting followers first. For example, when it came down to the envy and possible threats from his men and being called His Excellency, went against his ideals of not having a monarchial system. He knew they admired his strengths and his greatness. Instead of lashing out and standing up to them he took it all in and remained silent to preserve the stability and harmony of the follower and leader relationship. Washington “placed the followers’ interests and success ahead of those of his own” (Northouse 234). How did he place the interests of his followers ahead of his own? By prioritizing the needs of the country and his men. He understood by acting negatively he could jeopardize the operation entirely. In consideration for his men, he acted professionally and endured everything that came his way.
Leaders like George Washington are usually praised for their moral compass and integrity. His leadership style had incorporated good ethics like honor and commitment. Washington embodied behaving ethically in a few ways. One example is by demonstrating integrity. “Though not without faults, he established a precedent of selfless service and moral integrity in the American armed forces, a legacy that lives on in the nation he helped create” (Orlikoff). This quote reflects Washington’s dedication and commitment to the cause. Orlikoff praises Washington’s moral integrity and ethical behavior relating to the military. Another reason could be towards the end of his life he “freed his slaves, providing at the same time for the old and infirm among them, and setting aside large sums for the founding of a university and of a free school for poor children” (Schmidt 141). This example can be difficult to argue with as having slaves was wrong. But as time had progressed Washington’s view on slaves had changed, which may be the reason he decided to emancipate them.
“Leaders are responsible for modeling behavior based on the values they communicate” (Kouzes and Posner). George Washington is a prime example of leading by example. For instance, becoming the commander-in-chief of the continental army. Taking on this role came with many responsibilities and challenges. Washington implemented “Leaders go first” by leading in the front and taking the challenges head on. Challenges that often-required traits like commitment, discipline, honor etc. “Washington fully recognized that by accepting the appointment as commander in chief he was making a personal pledge before anyone else. And if he failed in the high-stakes gamble, his Mount Vernon estate would be confiscated, his name would become a slur throughout the land, and his own neck would almost surely be stretched” (Ellis 30). This quote highlights Washington’s commitment to the nation in taking his military role and upholding his duties because he is dedicated to the cause.

Our first hero George Washington upheld his duties as the leader of the Continental Army leading his men into battle. It took many sacrifices, challenges, and triumphs to get to his ranking. His experiences attained on his journey sufficed for his leadership, which allowed him and the country to end up victorious. Asking the mere question “How did George Washington exercise leadership to achieve positive outcomes?” may seem difficult to answer without understanding the essential information that provides a broader view. The Revolutionary War allowed America to have the chance to gain independence from Great Britain. The thought of freedom and democracy had inspired many as it does today. Washington’s sole belief in his country drove his determination in serving for this war. He even declined a salary, because serving in the war as the leader of the Continental Army was enough for him. Washington set standards for those who would serve for the sake of their country, rather than a personal and financial gain. A true patriot with a commitment to his nation in the hope of achieving independence. Washington’s influence shaped the fundamentals of our country, giving us our first constitution, which has developed into forming our current government. A constitution which is still used as the supreme law of our country. George Washington and his fellow founding fathers created the Constitution with such brilliance that it has been used since 1789 (United States Senate). For more than 200 years, one document has served as the fundamental base of laws in the United States. The pioneering collection of men crafted a masterpiece that is still used in our day and age. The document’s everlasting effect emphasizes the importance and necessity of it. This was all due to Washington’s leadership, a leadership that is viewed as one of the greatest in our time. But what was so “great” about his leadership? How did his leadership become the ultimate factor in determining whether our nation could thrive and prosper? What made Washington’s leadership beneficial to the world? These questions can be answered in many ways, but a simple answer can just be he was simply an exceptional leader. His strategical balance combined with his dedication and commitment to the United States served as the base for strengthening our nation. It is important to understand why and how George Washington’s leadership changed the world as his leadership can still be viewed in the modern world. By understanding the past, we can learn from it and not repeat the same mistakes we once made. Achieving independence from another nation was difficult back then and required many lives, but in our current day and age those casualties can be prevented although sometimes it cannot always be like that. From those mistakes we are given an opportunity to learn from our past leaders, and in so become better leaders using their styles and adapting to it, benefiting our followers and cause. Studying important historical figures benefits our ability to take on modern challenges. This is because challenges in any period would require leadership. The guidance and assistance from another figure with the capabilities and competencies to help navigate through the given circumstances certainly provide an advantage rather than not having one. And by having a leader like George Washington with many commemorative accolades, one can surely be victorious in accomplishing their goal. The leader and follower dynamic is crucial when facing any uncertainty. Leaders must be working closely with their followers to create an efficient workforce that is adaptive and able to combat such challenges. Washington was certainly capable of having a relationship with his followers or fellow soldiers that would appear in either a transformational or servant leadership style. These leadership styles work towards benefiting the followers mainly as in transformational leadership, the leader and follower are working towards a common goal and while trying to achieve said goal, the leader and follower is growing and improving on themselves. As for servant leadership, which closely resembled Washington’s style, it often displayed a leader who wanted to serve others for the sake of prioritizing the well-being of their followers. The reason why this is relevant to Washington was because of his integrity and commitment to the cause. To summarize, everything that came forth from the war can be credited back from Washington’s leadership. A leadership regarded as one of the greatest of many responsible for how our nation had been developed. The true American patriot, and one of the greatest leaders of time who utilized their knowledge, skills, and talents to positively benefit others in our world.

Work Cited

Ellis, Joseph J. His Excellency : George Washington. Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.
Kouzes, James M., and Barry Z. Posner. The Truth about Leadership: The No-Fads, Heart-ofThe-Matter Facts You Need to Know. Jossey-Bass, 2010.
Northouse, Peter. Leadership: Theory and Practice. 8th ed., Sage Publications, 2019.
Orlikoff, A. J. “National Museum of the United States Army.” Www.thenmusa.org,
www.thenmusa.org/biographies/george-washington/. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
Schmidt, Ferdinand. “George Washington.”
Https://Www.gutenberg.org/Files/60236/60236-h/60236-H.htm, 4 Sept. 2019,
www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/60236/pg60236-images.html. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.
United States Senate. “Constitution of the United States.” Senate.gov, 9 June 2023,
www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/senate-and-constitution/constitution.htm.
Accessed 19 Dec. 2023.

This entry is licensed under a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication license.