George Washington

William Thackeray’s historical novel, The Virginians, poignantly describes George Washington’s stamina as a leader as he captained his beaten down and malnourished troops during the darkest days of the American Revolution. “Through all of the doubt and darkness, the danger and long tempest of the war, it was only the American leader’s indomitable soul that remained entirely steady,” Thackeray wrote.

Washington faced life and death decisions daily as the Commander of a ragtag bunch of citizen soldiers. Likewise, entrepreneurs - big and small - need to reach down to draw upon their inner strength, and show resolve and fortitude in making critical decisions on a daily basis. They need to be calm in the face of an uncertain economy, not only for the benefit of their employees, but also for their clients and customers. They need to see through the fog of today’s uncertain economical environment and project an aura of confidence and an optimistic vision.

There are five characteristics of a great entrepreneurial leader:

1. Humility. In any uncertain environment, it is important to recognize that no one has all of the answers. A leader needs to be open-minded and look for ideas from those around him or her, and his or her mentors and advisors. A leader should never communicate that he or she knows what to do at all times. However, a leader should galvanize around him or her, through collaboration, those who will be responsible with the tactical implementation of the leader’s decisions.

2. Resolve. “I am not going to allow this to happen on my watch!” Drive and focus are critical when things are crazy. Keeping focus on the important stuff is critical. If a leader begins to second guess his or her decisions, it may lead to a downward spiral of self-doubt and a self-inflicted mindset in a vortex of defeat.

3. Keep the End in Mind. It is too easy to get distracted by the day to day minutia and lose sight of the end objective. Washington always had to keep in mind the purpose of the Revolution. Entrepreneurial leaders need to keep the end game in the forefront – why am I in this business and what do I need to do to enhance the probability of getting across the finish line? This line of reasoning will force tough decisions to be made with the end in mind. These decisions become easier to make and are less likely to be delayed. Indecision can be fatal.

4. View the World as a Puzzle. If problems appear insurmountable, it can be difficult to stay motivated, let alone inspire those around you. When a leader sees challenges as a giant puzzle, he or she is more likely to think outside of the box and energize those around him or her, driving innovative solutions. Recently I read about Steven Heydt, president of Elite Island Resorts. Faced with cancellations and declining bookings at his resorts, his team offered customers an opportunity to trade certain stocks, most of which had fallen off the cliff, for credit at July 1, 2008 value for future bookings. Talk about thinking creatively.

5. It Is Not All About You. The world is a dynamic and evolving environment where entrepreneurial leaders will take their share of lumps. An entrepreneurial leader’s primary role is to facilitate the success of those around him or her; if a leader can manage this – success is guaranteed.

Being able to find inner strength is a core leadership trait of a successful entrepreneurial leader. How you do it is not set in stone, but as George Washington did in the darkest days at Valley Forge - he led by example and projected confidence to those around him, motivating those on the brink to look to the hope of the future – the result, the United States of America.