George Washington Strengths And Weaknesses

George Washington was the leader of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, led the Continental Congress in the development of the United States Constitution and served as the first United States President. His enduring contributions were far reaching and greatly impacted the course of American and world history. While Washington is the epitome of a strategic leader, he was not without his weaknesses. As a military commander, Washington made serious mistakes, however, his most significant strength was his ability to survive his mistakes and learn from them. Setbacks early in life, coupled with disappointment at the start of his military career set the foundation for Washington to emerge as America’s most iconic strategic

and visionary leader.
Washington’s greatness and coronation as America’s Founding Father developed from the vexing challenges that he faced while in command of the Continental Army, and ultimately set the stage for his presidency. His genius is captured in his unrelenting commitment to embrace personal growth and learn from failure. Washington’s unsurpassed character marked by a deep sense of self-awareness posited him as an indispensable and relevant strategic leader because he possessed the essential attributes required to lead at the strategic level during a remarkable period in American history. In this paper, I will evaluate Washington’s emergence as a strategic leader by examining how his leadership evolved, describing the tumultuous interaction he experienced with his strategic environment, and highlighting the significant contributions he made during the American Revolution.
Washington emerged into a strategic leader because of his keen understanding that “the most important ability and skill needed by a strategic leader is self-awareness.” Washington's self-awareness allowed him to expand his leadership through three critical dimensions that developed his character: learning and personal growth, lack of knowledge and expertise, and learning from failure. Critical events early in Washington’s life shaped his character and provided him key traits that molded his leadership. At age 11, the death of Washington’s father forced him to pursue his self-education. As a teenager, after mastering the surveyor trade, Washington secured a job through family connections and later purchased and farmed much of the land he surveyed. These successes revealed his perseverance, ambition, and business acumen, critical aspects to his emergence as a strategic leader. Conversely, after two years of service in the Virginia Regiment, a position he obtained through his influence, Washington was forced to resign due to his lack of experience. Washington also failed in his attempt to secure a regular commission in the British Army. Washington’s marriage into wealth and his pension to use his influence to obtain positions more suitable for those with more knowledge and experience suggested he was self-absorbed. These failures and character flaws would later translate into success and the development of his character as a result of his self-awareness.
Washington realized that his failure to obtain a commission in the British Army was due to his lack of military knowledge during the French and Indian War. In 1755, after he humbly accepted command of a new Virginian regiment, Washington assumed the responsibility for all aspects of military operations, including recruiting, training, and logistics. By addressing his lack of knowledge and expertise, Washington demonstrated the recognition that “the strategic leader needs to understand all the functions of the organization, including those that are unfamiliar.” This self-assessment was evidence of Washington’s unrelenting commitment, drive, and motivation to lead. More importantly, his self-assessment is an indication that Washington knew himself, was comfortable with his strengths and was not crippled by his shortcomings.
Washington’s development as a strategic leader was further enforced in June, 1775 after his appointment to lead the Continental Army, where he immediately encountered complex challenges that would result in significant battlefield losses at the onset of the American Revolutionary War. Colonial soldiers viewed themselves as a disparate force representing 13 colonies, not a unified army fighting for American independence. Additionally, the army was composed of soldiers that had short term enlistments, deserters, and was poorly trained and equipped. When the Continental Army suffered devastating defeats during the early stages of the war, Washington was blamed for its poor performance and labeled as incompetent by the civilian leadership. Washington’s army was in disarray, “militia soldiers proved virtually worthless – unwilling to face British regulars in the open field, unreliable when in fortifications, and apt to come and go unpredictably.” These events represent the significant challenges strategic leaders must confront in order to emerge as relevant within their organizations.
Undaunted by the significant challenges that confronted him as a strategic leader, Washington reversed the fortunes of the Continental Army during the winter of 1776. While simultaneously staving off calls by the Continental Congress for his relief, Washington surprised the British with an ambush during the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. Washington’s aggressive initiative galvanized his army and unified the American people. With these victories, Washington “realized that his army – not any individual city or state – was the key to victory, and he now appreciated the unique strengths of his soldiers.” Washington used the winter to rebuild his army by seeking longer term enlistments, focusing training on manual of drill, integrating militia, and accepting foreign engineers to assist in building fortifications. The adjustments Washington made to his army are examples of how he persevered through defeat and failure and established his competence as a strategic leader. These events also illustrate Washington’s tenacity to succeed as a strategic leader, and earned the trust of his army and the American people, and in turn, changed the course of the war.
Washington’s emergence from the Battles of Trenton and Princeton revealed that he understood his role as a strategic leader was “to be the interface between the turbulent environment and the organization.” Washington operated in a strategic environment marked by complexity and uncertainty. He led his poorly clad army through an eight year protracted campaign buttressed by an inadequate governing body. Throughout the war, the Continental Congress lacked the ability to raise taxes in order to feed, clothe, and pay the army and even directed Washington to pillage civilians. Washington practiced strong ethical leadership by refusing to burden the American people and risk losing their support for the overall cause. In 1777, despite reverence towards the American cause, Washington’s support waned because of his refusal to commit his depleted army to hold territory unless he knew the army could win. In spite of calls for Washington’s resignation, the army’s fighting spirit fueled the patriotic cause in support of their benevolent leader. Washington’s perseverance and ability to remain focused on his strategic vision of unification translated into victory in 1778 when France entered the war as an American ally.
A strategic leader that practices emotional intelligence needs self-awareness to manage their emotions, block distressing emotions, and remain positive.

Following the Battle of Yorktown, Washington’s strategic leadership would prove vital. The shortcomings of the Continental Congress caused Washington to become frustrated and tested his patience as he struggled to keep his army intact during a two year stalemate for peace negotiations. An illustration of the depth of Washington’s conviction toward his army was captured in a letter to the custodian of his Mount Vernon home, where Washington expressed deep anguish when learning that British soldiers were fed in exchange for sparing his home from being burned down. This is just one example of his authentic leadership, which endeared him to his army. With his army desperate for provisions, his officers called for Washington to overtake the Continental Congress. He refused on the basis that he was obligated to subordinate the military to civilian leadership. To do otherwise would result in serious repercussions for the country. This represented Washington’s was keen awareness that the Continental Congress represented the will of the people and he could not breach that trust as a strategic

leader.
Washington’s significant contributions during the American Revolution paved the road for his role in the creation of the Constitution of the United States and shaped his presidency. From the onset of the American Revolution, Washington maintained the strategic vision of unification of the country. His strategic leadership also allowed his army to focus on the British instead of their government. Washington was profoundly aware of the significance of the military remaining subordinate to civil authority, despite the many frustrating encounters he had with the Continental Congress. While he suffered numerous tactical defeats, he prevailed strategically because he figured out how to pursue his major objectives with limited resources, leveraging skills he acquired early in life. By keeping unification as his vision, Washington fostered a patriotic spirit which took root during the revolution and is an unparalleled example of “what an enormous contribution the heart and temper of a nation can make to the sum total of its politics, war potential, and fighting strength.”
George Washington was a strategic leader because he consciously nurtured the development of his character and he possessed the resolve to become relevant. In tune with the strategic environment, Washington was not encumbered by his tactical failures, because “he was a strategist of genius, who understood very well what kind of war he was fighting and how to win it.” Clearly, Washington’s astute self-awareness allowed him to reflect and gain perspective which led to his emergence as a strategic and iconic leader. Washington persevered, and in doing so demonstrated that “it is the steadfastness that will earn the admiration of the world and of posterity.” By evaluating a strategic leader, an individual can gain insight into the commitment that is required to become a strategic leader. Leaders aspiring to become strategic leaders can also gain a better appreciation for the complex and wicked problems that confront strategic leaders, and learn how those leaders navigated their strategic environment.