Driving Results

5Leadership: Lesson #1

“People buy into the leader before they buy into the vision.”

– John Maxwell

ESTIMATES ARE THAT in the Battle of New York in 1776, the American revolutionary army's makeshift fighting force consisted of roughly 10,000 men. There may have been more of these devoted men, but many were ill from disease, didn't have weapons or ammunition, or even boots or sufficient clothing. The revolutionaries had some limited cannons, but no naval presence to impact the course of the battle, and lower New York is surrounded and intertwined by navigable waters.

The British, the greatest military and naval power in the world at the time, had as much as three times the number of men, and they were well‐trained, well‐armed, and battle tested. They also were supported by some 70 ships, including ships of the line and frigates, that filled the bay and rivers. Moreover, a large part of the New York population was loyal to the Crown and wanted no part of the effort to separate from Britain. To say the odds were overwhelming is a vast understatement.

In addition to the remarkably brave men who were serving in the Continental Army, the Americans had one other thing on their side: a small but extraordinary group of leaders. Most of them had little military experience, but several had studied war tactics and were fiercely determined to advance the cause. Of course, the man at the top of this group was George Washington himself, and he had surrounded himself with smart and capable ...