Mr. Craig Fehrman notes in his book “Author in Chief,” Founding Father John Adams demonstrated during a perilous transatlantic voyage years before he became president the qualities that define a true leader. In 1778, the Continental Congress asked Adams to go to France to serve as a diplomat for our fledgling Republic.
John Quincy, his 10-year-old son, also accompanied him on the voyage — thus two future American presidents made the trip together. On Feb. 13, Adams and his son boarded the Boston, a 24-gun frigate, for a treacherous and frigid winter Atlantic crossing known for its storms and ice flows.
It was not uncommon then for ships to sink at sea with the loss of all hands. Mother Nature can be both beautiful and cruel to those who go down to the sea in ships and a crossing in the winter is especially treacherous. After weathering severe storms and outrunning a British Man of War, the Boston’s crew spotted another British ship.
After the ship’s captain asked Adams to go below, the Boston sped toward an armed British merchantman named the Martha. The Martha fired several shots with the cannonballs flying directly over Adam’s head. In the midst of this John Adams was seen brandishing a musket while preparing to engage the British.
“My dear sir,” the captain asked, “how came you here?” “I ought to do my share of fighting,” Adams promptly replied. Even though we do not expect our contemporary commanders-in-chief to do their “share of the fighting” it is refreshing to see the true qualities of a leader emerge under fire and out of the public’s eye rather than for a staged photo op for public consumption. Somehow, I cannot imagine some of our contemporary leaders (on either side of the aisle) responding in such a bold and direct manner when there would be no political leverage to be gained.
Webster’s dictionary defines integrity as: “1.) firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values; 2.) an unimpaired condition and 3.
) the quality or state of being complete or undivided.” In other words, integrity is an absolute quality not subject to negotiation. A leader either has it or not, there is no middle ground.
Although there is debate over the author of the quote “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching,” it still rings true. It is indeed a maxim that should govern the actions of our public officials who should be held to a higher standard of accountability and ethics. As we approach the acrimony and inherent divisiveness of the upcoming election cycle let’s hope those candidates running for public office can indeed demonstrate the two essential qualities of leadership — courage under fire and integrity even when no one is looking.
As John Adams taught, these essential qualities of a leader are as valid today (if not more so) than they were almost 250 years ago..
