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Leadership Lessons From the Life of Thomas Jefferson
- One
Leader's Perspective
By Greg L. Thomas
The greatest
complement I have ever read was directed toward Thomas Jefferson. President
John F. Kennedy was speaking at a White House dinner given to honor Nobel Prize
winners throughout the Western Hemisphere. Kennedy looked out over the
distinguished guests and stated that they were “the most extraordinary
collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together
at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined
alone.”
Thomas
Jefferson was an original American patriot. His personal views on individual
freedom and religious liberty has greatly inspired many political leaders
around the world for over 200 years. We typically think of Jefferson as a man
who achieved many outstanding accomplishments in his lifetime. Indeed, he is
known as the 3rd President of the United States and author of the American
Declaration of Independence. Less known are his other lifetime achievements, including Virginia State Governor, American Vice
President, Secretary of State, Ambassador, architect, inventor, philosopher and
founder of the University of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson demonstrated a lifetime
of vast achievement and leadership,
yet few know his life was also filled with great personal challenges. All of us face obstacles and difficulties on
almost a daily basis. But very few people realize the adversity Jefferson faced during the prime of his life. Yet, some
of his most significant personal and public achievements were accomplished during
these times of great personal sorrow! In briefly examining his life we can
better appreciate his leadership qualities. His personal endurance can provide
a few valuable lessons for us today.
As is true of
all great leaders, Jefferson was not a perfect man. Like all human beings, he
had a number of individual flaws and weaknesses. Recent DNA testing has
established the strong possibility that he may have secretly fathered children
through a slave named Sally Hemings. However, one cannot read about his life
without appreciating how much he shaped the civil freedoms and religious
liberties we cherish in our modern western world. Throughout history men of
great governmental leadership have been rare. Jefferson was not born to lead.
Most who met him described him as shy and one who attempted to avoid a
prominent role. He often remarked how his only desire was to be left alone to
farm at his beloved home called Monticello. However, historical destiny would
provide other opportunities for him. As we will see, he developed leadership by
first experiencing and learning followership. Before he became an effective
leader, he first became a practical follower!
Thomas Jefferson was born in 1743. He was the son of a Welsh farmer who
owned a large plantation in the British American colony of Virginia. Thomas was
blessed to receive a good education and strong moral teachings from loving
parents. From his father and his rural surroundings he acquired a lasting
interest in the sciences and in education. He also developed a love for Greek
and Latin at a young age. As a young adult, he attended the College of William
and Mary in the early 1760’s. Jefferson eventually received his law degree in
1767. After he began his law practice, an interest in politics led him to be
selected as a delegate to the Virginia House of Burgesses. The House of
Burgesses was a colonial legislative assembly under the authority of the
British appointed governor. Three years later, at age 29, he married a wealthy
widow named Martha Wayles Skelton.
Jefferson was a reserved person by nature
and spoke in a very soft voice. He was never considered eloquent in speech and
gave few public speeches in his career. By today’s definition we would not say
he had charismatic leadership. But those who spent time with him found
his conversations and personality engaging. One of his earliest recognized
talents was skillful writing and
prose. In his lifetime, Jefferson wrote over 18,000 letters. This talent would
serve him well throughout his lifetime. By the 1770’s the American colonies
felt unfairly dominated by Great Britain. Delegates from these colonies
assembled as a Congress to discuss their grievances and future relationship
with Great Britain and its king. Jefferson was chosen to represent Virginia at
the 2nd Continental Congress in 1775. By the time of the 2nd Continental
Congress, his previously published writings on the "rights of people from
tyranny" had already caught the attention of many other delegates to the
Congress.
At the young age
of 33 years old Jefferson was asked to be the junior member of a committee
whose task it was to draft the American Declaration of Independence. He served
with two notable individuals whose senior status and outspoken manner
made them prominent leaders in the Congress. They were John Adams and Benjamin
Franklin. Being a junior member of the committee, Jefferson resisted writing
the draft and suggested that Adams create it. Reputedly it was John Adams who
convinced the younger Jefferson to construct the document. He told Jefferson
there were three reasons why he should write the document. Reason one
was that Jefferson was a Virginian and Adams thought a representative from a
southern colony like Virginia should “appear at the head of this business.”
Reason two, Adams continued is that “I am obnoxious, suspected and unpopular.
You are very much other wise.” Reason three Adams opined is “You can write ten
times better than I can.”
Jefferson completed his draft in late
June of 1776. He was about to learn a valuable lesson in followership. Being a
talented young man and gifted in writing, he was naturally proud of his draft
document. First his original draft was amended when both Adams and Franklin
made alterations with their own handwriting on Jefferson’s draft. The committee
presented it to Congress on June 28th of 1776. The debate on the
Declaration began on July 1st and lasted three days. Jefferson sat
and watched the Congress considerably alter his document as presented by the
committee. The Congress cut about a quarter of the text, polished some of the
wording, and made some substantive changes. Jefferson later wrote how painful
and humbling it was to experience this debate. He felt his original document
was “mangled” by the Congress. This was a powerful lesson in followership for
Jefferson. Oftentimes the best efforts of followers may not be what are most
needed or expedient for a given situation. Wise followers accept this fact and
continue to make significant contributions to the organization because they
want what is best for the organization rather than their own ego! Through this
painful experience Jefferson learned about the difficulty of working with other
powerful or dogmatic personalities. He learned about the value of building
consensus and accepting rejection. Today Jefferson is rightly credited as the
author of the Declaration of Independence, yet few people comprehend how he
learned to be a follower within the Congress.
The American Colonies revolted and went
to war. Jefferson was a legislator and Governor of the state of Virginia. In
1782, Jefferson became a member of the newly formed Congress of the United
States, and in 1784 he was named the American ambassador to France. This decade of his life was one of tremendous
accomplishment. As a legislator he had instituted many social reforms to
protect individual rights and the use of private property. As a member of
Congress he played a pivotal role in the establishment
of a new nation. He was influential in guaranteeing that no one church would
become the official state religion of the United States or receive state
financing. He risked his personal life and wealth for the principles he
believed in. His leadership accomplishments are impressive. However, they are
all the more astounding when we realize what else was going on in his life!
This same
decade of his life would also bring about a number of personal tragedies. In 1773 his father-in-law died. Shortly
afterward his best childhood friend died suddenly leaving a wife and six children.
The next year his first daughter Jane was born, but she would die 18 months
later when Jefferson was 31 years old. In 1776, his mother died unexpectedly at
age 57. One year later Jefferson’s first son was born and died within a few
hours of birth. In 1781 a series of
personal trials occurred. First, the British army invaded Virginia and captured
his beloved Monticello. Jefferson barely escaped capture by the army. He broke
his left wrist while being thrown from a horse. Also during this year, his
reputation was damaged when his political enemies convinced the Virginia State
Assembly to investigate his conduct as governor of Virginia. The very next
year, his wife Martha died just a few months after giving birth to their
daughter Lucy Elizabeth. On her deathbed she made him promise never to marry
again. Jefferson was now only 39 years old and he kept his promise to Martha.
Though he would live another 43
years, he never did marry again.
Most of us would certainly agree that
Thomas Jefferson experienced many distressing personal trials during this 10-12
year period. But, sad to say, that was not all! At age 41, he witnessed the
death of his daughter Lucy Elizabeth, who died of “whooping cough”. One year
later, he stumbled while walking and broke his right wrist. It was not set
properly and he suffered pain in this wrist for the rest of his life. During
various times of his life he also suffered from prolonged migraine headaches
that almost incapacitated him. Another worry he experienced was mounting debt
problems for allowing his farm to deteriorate while he served his country in
various roles. Remember, all these events were happening while Jefferson was
involved in the leadership of founding and managing a fragile new nation.
History has recorded all of his many achievements during theses very years when
these personal trials were occurring in his life. Few understand what was going
on in his private life. He suffered more distressing personal trials than many
of us have. However, Jefferson is not
remembered for his trials, but for his accomplishments
as a powerful and effective leader.
Jefferson had
a great leadership quality that set him apart from many others. He did not
allow the difficult circumstances of life to crush his inner spirit or
his desire to serve others who called upon him for help. Yes, like all of us he
could become very discouraged. Upon the death of his wife he remarked to others
that he even wanted to end his life. He certainly hurt, mourned, and
experienced depression and sadness like most of us. Yet he was able to reach
deep inside, shake off these natural emotions and go forward. Jefferson was a
lot like another great political figure that arose in the 20th
century. Winston Churchill shared this same quality with Jefferson. It is
Churchill who roared…”Never give in, never give in, never, never, never,
never – in nothing great or small, large or petty – never give in except to
convictions of honour and good sense.”
Thomas Jefferson was able to endure great
personal hardship in life because he was a man of purpose. He viewed life as an opportunity to explore the universe
and gain knowledge about the wonderful world around him. He wrote the following statement in 1786 that
revealed his zest for life even with all of its trials and obstacles. “Hence
the inestimable value of intellectual pleasures...Ever in our power, always
leading us to something new, never cloying, we ride, serene and sublime, above
the concerns of this mortal world, contemplating truth and nature, matter and
motion, the laws which bind up their existence, and the Eternal being who made
and bound them up by these laws. Let this be our employ.” It is obvious from
his many writings and he had an enthusiasm
for life, knowledge and exploration. Another positive leadership quality he
possessed was an interest in many diverse subjects and ideas. He was not
obsessed with a single narrow interest, but had many individual interests.
Those who met him were astounded at his interest and knowledge in all the
sciences and humanities. Some of his numerous hobbies included gardening and
practical household inventions. These hobbies helped to refresh his mind and
add spice to his life. What a contrast to many leaders today who are so narrow
minded or heavily focused on a single issue they leave their followers
remarking that they “need a life”!
A reason Jefferson may have been able to
overcome personal tragedy and hardship was his rather unique religious beliefs.
He was not an eager supporter of the organized religion of his day. Yet it was
Jefferson who refers to God three times in the American Declaration of
Independence. Some have labeled him a “deist” and some of his political enemies
even claimed he was irreligious. The truth is that Jefferson was a deeply
religious man in a nontraditional way. He was a firm believer in religious
freedom and rejected the traditional views and doctrines of most churches that
existed during his time. Feeling that some had distorted the original teachings
of Jesus Christ, Jefferson assembled only the words of Christ out of the four
gospels and created a book now known as the Jefferson
Bible. This was the book he took to bed with him to end his day. In a
letter he wrote to John Adams, he stated that he read this book for “an hour or
a half’s...reading of something moral whereon to ruminate in the intervals of
sleep.” Jefferson is not alone among great leaders who drew upon their
religious principles or values during times of turmoil and instability.
Thomas
Jefferson died on July 4th, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the
Declaration of Independence. His final letters to fellow patriot John Adams and
many other friends reveal a man who had mellowed and changed through a lifetime
of experiences and personal suffering. Even his final years offer us a valuable
lesson in leadership. Near the end of his life Jefferson renewed his friendship
with the elder John Adams. For many years they had not been friends. After the
revolution and founding of the United States both had become bitter political
adversaries. On many issues they were on opposite ends. They grew apart and for
many years never communicated directly. However, both leaders deeply understood
an important leadership principle. Don’t make political or organizational
differences personal! People are more important than programs. Friendship
should transcend policy. Both men made an effort to renew their past
association and truly became friends. In their later years it gave these two
sages an opportunity to discuss their views and differences on political theory
and philosophy in a 15 year long letter writing campaign.
Examining the life of Jefferson is a
study of the qualities of great leadership. From the writing of the Declaration
of Independence to the purchase of Louisiana territory, he was willing to
undertake personal risk and responsibility. In accepting the many poorly paid
political offices he served, Jefferson sacrificed many years of productive
farming and his wealth. He envisioned America as potentially greater than it
was and did what he could to make the promise of America a reality. He
dedicated his entire adult life to the pursuit of reason that government should
serve its citizens and not be their master.
Thank you Mr.
Jefferson!
Comments
to: gthomas@leadingtoday.org
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About
the author:
Greg has over 25 years
of sales and marketing experience within the electrical manufacturing industry.
Some of his positions have included being a National Sales Manager, National
Marketing Manager and Regional Sales Manager.
He also has an extensive 35 years experience in public speaking and has
written articles for various publications. Greg has a Master of Arts degree in
Leadership from Bellevue University, where he has served as an adjunct
professor. He is the founder of weLEAD Incorporated, a nonprofit organization chartered
to promote personal and organizational leadership. Greg's personal site is located at http://www.greglthomas.info
References:
Brodie,
Fawn, (1974) Thomas Jefferson – An Intimate History. New York: Bantam
Books
Cunningham,
Noble, (1987) In Pursuit of Reason – The Life of Thomas Jefferson. Baton
Rouge, Louisiana:
Louisiana
State University Press
Ellis,
Joseph, (1997) American Sphinx – The Character of Thomas Jefferson. New
York: Alfred A. Knoft (Random House)