📜 3 Leadership Lessons From This Book That Changed My Life

PROGRESSION: 2025, Volume 13

I first read 1776 by David McCullough in May 2008. I had just graduated college and my perspective on reading shifted. I was no longer forced to read certain books. I could read whatever I wanted. 1776 left an imprint on my soul. This book created a love of American history that has only grown over the years. I’ve gained a deep appreciation for the great men and women who founded this great nation.

I’ve found that you can learn more about leadership from reading biographies than you can from leadership books. As someone who’s written a leadership book, I probably shouldn’t say that, but it’s true. Here are three leadership lessons I’ve learned from 1776.

Lesson 1: Leadership requires sacrifice.

Shortly after taking command of the continental army in 1775, George Washington said: “Could I have foreseen what I have and am like to experience, no consideration upon earth should have induced me to accept this command.”

A few months later he told a friend: “Had I known what I was getting into, I never would have accepted the command.”

The reality is that Washington’s challenges were just beginning. Trusted leaders would betray and abandon him. He struggled to find soldiers and ammunition. The harsh winter of Valley Forge was still two years away. The war was just beginning, and the fighting would continue for another eight years.

And yet, Washington didn’t quit. He showed up, endured setbacks, and grew into the role.

That’s the leadership journey for many of us. We step into new roles full of optimism, only to find out they're far more difficult than we imagined. But difficulty doesn’t mean we’re on the wrong path—it often means we’re becoming the leader the role requires.

Like Washington, we grow not because the job is easy, but because we stay in the fight.

Lesson 2: Leadership can be lonely.

I’ve read at least one biography of each founding father. I find John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton particularly fascinating. You see their distinct strengths on display, but you also see their faults. You see their petty squabbles as they jockey for power. You see them open up to one another about the challenges of uniting the colonies and fighting the British. They’re all so vulnerable.

Except for George Washington. I walked away from Washington’s bio feeling that I knew more about him but that I didn’t really really know him. I respected him. I admired him. But he seemed distant. Almost inaccessible.

It’s been almost a decade since I last studied the life of Washington and my perspective has changed. As I look at his life through the lens of being an exec coach, it all makes sense. When you’re the person at the top, you can’t be 100% vulnerable. If you’re in his position and feel like you’re in over your head—which Washington certainly felt—you can’t share everything you’re thinking and feeling. Your team needs you to be strong. This is the burden of leadership. It’s lonely at the top.

Lesson 3: The impact of strong leadership is immeasurable.

I believe that Washington stepping aside from the presidency after two terms (eight years) is one of the greatest miracles of this nation. He set the precedent that we don’t have forever presidents. He set the precedent that peace transfers orderly and peacefully. What might have been the fate of the country had a weaker, power-hungry leader become the first president?

Washington overcame self-doubt and myriad challenges, proving to be an effective leader through the revolutionary war and beyond. As I re-read 1776, I felt a debt of gratitude for his service and a newfound appreciation for his leadership style.

What I’m Learning

• Molly Graham’s Leavers vs Stayers piece struck a chord with me. Graham was an early Facebook exec and a startup advisor who created the influential "Give Away Your Legos" framework. Here’s how Graham defines Leavers and Stayers:

  • Leavers walk away. When they’ve done what they came to do, when misalignment creeps in, when the mission no longer feels like theirs, they go. It can look impulsive. Sometimes reckless. But for most leavers I know, it’s rooted in something deeper: a fierce internal clarity. This isn’t mine anymore. Questions to consider if you’re a Leaver:

    • Am I running from something, or toward something?

    • Have I truly done what I came to do, or just hit friction?

    • What might I learn if I stayed through this next phase?

  • Stayers endure. They weather bad managers, strategy shifts, reorgs, and leadership changes. They dig in when things get hard. Sometimes too long. Sometimes just long enough to shape what comes next.

    • If I were offered this job today, would I take it?

    • Am I still learning, or just looping?

    • Is this commitment or is it fear dressed up as loyalty?

  • Are you a Leaver or Stayer? Knowing that, what do you need to do? Click here for the full article.

• I’m almost done reading The Alter Ego Effect: The Power of Secret Identities to Transform Your Life by Todd Herman.

  • I didn’t know this book existed when I was writing The Unconquerable Leader. It essentially takes my chapter 3—Leverage the Power of Character Creation—and turns it into a full book.

  • Herman works with top athletes and this book shares a key tool he uses to unlock peak performance. If you found the concept of Character Creation interesting, this book is a great way to go deeper.

Gratitudes

I’ve found power in regularly expressing gratitude so I’ll continue the habit. I’m grateful for the founding fathers and for the United States. In a few days we’ll celebrate this country’s independence and I’m grateful I’ll be able to celebrate with family, food, and fireworks.

If I can do anything to help you, please reach out. As always, thank you for reading.

All the best,

Nathan

Read my book, The Unconquerable Leader | Learn about coaching

If this was forwarded to you and you'd like to sign up, click here