July 4th is upon us. What does this holiday mean for you, besides family and fun?
Congress passed a law on June 28, 1870, making Independence Day a federal holiday. Back then it meant a lot, but how about now?
Discover seven business lessons that you can learn from the 4th of July. Click To Tweet
Here are 7 business lessons you can still learn from the War of Independence:
1. Take Bold Actions
Our rag tag patriot army was bold in its pursuits and won not due to firepower but due to wanting something more than the other guys a.k.a. the Generals and King.
“Nothing important happened today.”—Diary entry by King George III on July 4, 1776
Are you making every day worthwhile? Always keep a bold and virtuous agenda in front of your people.
2. Build Self-Esteem
We stood up to the King for the sake of wanting independence and “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. You can argue back then that our patriots didn’t represent everyone in the Americas, but in today’s world everyone can embrace these objectives. Pursuing and achieving honorable objectives builds confidence and self-esteem.
Are you bolstering your employees’ self-esteem? It’s contagious!
3. Esprit de Corp
In hindsight, you may think we were one big band of brothers and sisters taking on the English Crown. In reality, we were a disparate group of clans and regions that communicated and found ways to pull together. Not everyone got on board, but enough did that we were able to pull out the win.
Do your people work together as one large team to achieve the win? Creating an esprit de corp makes work more fulfilling.
4. Celebrate Resiliency
We had many setbacks if you read the stories (I recommend the book 1776 by David McCullough). Don’t punish your team for making mistakes, build a learning environment where your team is constantly bouncing back and making constant improvements.
Have you embraced a learning mindset? It will become your competitive advantage.
5. Sacrifice is an Honor
To win a battle takes sacrifice. Be it the families who stay behind, or the warriors who lead from the front. In your business, show your front line that your leaders are at their side.
Have you found ways to honor your teams’ families with attention, acknowledgment, and just rewards? Winning starts at home.
6. Legacy of Integrity
The Declaration of Independence seems like the right thing do in hindsight, but back in the day it was a big and risky decision to put your name to this document. It was crafted with much debate and became a legacy for generations to come.
Are you making the difficult decisions, and making integrity the legacy in your company?
7. Professionalism is a Choice
The fighting patriots, without proper boots on their feet, survived cold winter to win over their enemies. They had no choice. But these days we do have a choice. So, when you suit up for work, ask your teams to do the same and set a professional bar that you want your team to achieve.
Our biggest enemy is not the competition (nor the British), but it is our own mindsets, how we look at ourselves in the mirror, and how we see our trade as a true profession.
Are you showing your teams what it means to be a green industry professional?
Closing Thought:
I would like to honor the veterans in our towns, and the employees who work so valiantly in your businesses.
Happy Independence Day!
