Lessons from Presidential Biographies: The Cherry Tree and Teeth Aren't Important at All!

Some of the best journeys are inadvertent. I have always been a history buff and my reading has reflected that. I will willingly admit that I generally have little interest in history after 1900, and I also have a slight predilection towards US history (although that may be because it seems more finite that European history).

In the past few years, I started picking up biographies of US presidents to read. John Adams was my first. I read that way back in high school and that was spurred on by my interest in the musical "1776." It was the David McCullough bio and it was quite good. Then, I didn't really read another until I picked up "Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin in 2011. Not a bio in the traditional sense, but I count it because it does examine the man (Abraham Lincoln) quite well. A few years ago I picked up American Lion, about Andrew Jackson. 

And then until about a two years ago, I didn't read another, but the musical "Hamilton" led me to Ron Chernow's bio of the first Secretary of the Treasury and that led me to his book on Washington and from there I read his Grant bio, and then I hopped to John Meacham's Jefferson book and around then I realized I was doing something—just not in order.

The new undertaking was to read a biography of every President and to do it in order. The only allowance I gave myself was that if I had read the bio recently, I could skip that president. 

Then eventually, people started asking me why I am doing it. That answer was easy. I like history, I like reading, and I like planning. Inevitably they would follow that question with, "What have you learned?" That one would always stump me. I have been an avid consumer of history books for years and since it was for pleasure, I never thought to consciously process what I was learning. I usually would think for a second and give a random answer that fit... until now that is.

My goal after each book is to reflect on three things I learned from each biography and try to take any strings of ideas and apply them to today. That will be what these posts are about: what we can learn today from old white dudes who were the most popular guy in the count (according to other old white dudes, at least in the beginning) starting in 1789.

Where better to start than at the beginning? As I mentioned I read Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow. Did anything surprise me about George Washington? Not particularly. We glorify him pretty well, and a lot of it seems based on some semblance of fact. No, there was no cherry tree. But all around, he seems a pretty good guy (minus the slavery thing, but that's a common thing for all the guys at the beginning). If there were three takeaways from our first President they would be:

1. If you have ambition, being humble is your best path.

Washington was known for being calm and measured. He even wrote a book on civility that gives maxims for habits down to whether or not you should cross your legs in public. But he was also incredibly humble. He never seemed to promote himself, and oftentimes seemed to do the opposite, labeling himself not up to the task. A lot of that was required posturing for the period, but not everyone adhered to that kind of style (looking at you John Adams). 

The one job he wanted and received was leading the continental army, and that was because as a delegate to Congress, he was the only one in the room who showed up in uniform. If there was ever a time that the idea of dressing for the job you want working, that was the time.

Because Washington was so humble, he rose to the top of any group of people. Everyone liked him and his personality never grated on others (again, paging Mr. Adams). He rose from a Virginia planter to Founding Father by being humble. By never seeming to want the job, never saying he was up to the task, but then taking the job and knocking it out of the park. Underpromise and overdeliver was one of the rules he left out of his book, but it was pretty much how he lived his life.

2. Be persistent for success.

Washington had a history of losing. We all generally know that the Continental Army spent most of its time on the ropes when going up against the British. The few successes were surprises that defied normal warfare. After the Battle of New York, Washington learned that a slow bleed was the only way to win. He knew wars were expensive and his bet was that the Brits would get tired of spending all that money to beat America, and he was right. Having the French show up didn't hurt either.

His first command was during the French and Indian War. You could actually say that he was part of the first battle (more a screw-up) that started the war and he consistently lost during those battles. He wanted to be an officer in the British army and he didn't get that either. Nothing like Congress selecting a guy to lead the army who only lost battles and the British didn't think was good enough to be an officer. But there was one thing he had that no one could count on: persistence. 

When Washington wanted something, he usually got it. Not through sparring and quick wins, but through the trudge of persistence. His goals never seemed to be short-term; his victory came from the long game. When the time came to lead, he was a commanding presence. 

Even though he lost those battles during the French and Indian War, his Virginia militia always remembered how he carried himself. He was invariably on the frontlines of a battle and at six feet (without the horse) he would have made an easy target. Bullets just seemed to miss him, nor did he seem to care about them as the flew around him. Bravery or stupidity? Really it came down to leadership. Did he know that his actions in battle in the 1750s would help him become a leader in the 1770s and his actions then would lead to more leadership in the 1780s? I am not sure, but because he was persistent, they did. Looking at the timeline, Washington wasn't about tomorrow but more worried about the next decade—or posterity—and that is why we know him today.

3. Listening = leadership

We all know Washington had wooden teeth and that is why his jaw was clenched and he rarely talked. Except that's all wrong. He had some nice fake teeth for back in the day. They aren't as good as today's dentures, but I bet in a few hundred years our ancestors will look at our false teeth and wonder how we ever survived.

Washington, in general, closed his mouth. He was a good listener. His cabinet meetings are legendary for the fact that everyone had input that went into his decisions. Collaboration was high (cooperation, not so much). Whenever a decision needed to be made, Washington put it to his cabinet and they debated the idea and the most persuasive argument usually won. He made the ultimate decision, but he listened to the brightest minds in his government. 

His leadership as a general often worked the same way. There were war councils, everyone put forward their plan, Washington decided which action was the best. This kind of leadership works well because there is buy-in from everyone you work with. A dictatorial leader can only control so much, but a leader who allows their juniors to have a say and provide their views will have a more fervent and willing following. Of course, once the muskets started firing Washington was in command, but his plans worked so well because his subordinates, all the way down to the privates, trusted him and his leadership. That isn't something that just happens, Washington built that esteem.

He wasn't particularly charismatic or boisterous, he wasn't overly outgoing or proud. His humble, persistent, and listening nature was what won people over to him and he eventually had his head put on the side of a mountain for it.

My fourth thing would be that ice cream has always been important. Washington loved ice cream, and I found that surprising. Not that he would love ice cream, because let's be real, who doesn't? It was more so that it was something that was around and consumed back in the 1700s. I don't think of tricorn hats and Ben and Jerry's. But it was there and there are even recipes. 

It looks like the steps for starting your own country are: show up to the meeting in uniform, only fight battles you can win, get the best advice you can, and always enjoy some peach ice cream at the end of the day.