As we head towards the Labor Day weekend I decided to do something a little different. In Post #39 (https://www.thefivecoatconsultinggroup.com/the-coronavirus-crisis/written-decisions ) I talked about Winston Churchill and his emphasis on written decisions. A friend liked the post, but challenged me by saying “Every leadership consultant uses Churchill. What about using a more obscure leader?” So I took on that challenge. Today’s post will discuss the life and leadership of President Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States. I am quite certain this is the only blog post you will read today about the leadership of “Rud” or “Ruddy” Hayes. And it would be great if this blog post could get more views and likes than the post on Churchill.

Rutherford B. Hayes was born in Delaware, Ohio (my hometown) in 1822. After attending Kenyon College and Harvard Law School, he married his wife Lucy. Together they raised 8 kids. Hayes was a staunch abolitionist and a hero in the Civil War — he fought from 1861 to 1865, led from the front, commanded a brigade, and was wounded three times. After the war he worked as an attorney, US Representative, and Governor of the State of Ohio for three terms. He was elected President in 1876 in one of the most contested races in history, agreeing to end Reconstruction in exchange for the victory in the Electoral College. Hayes served one term in office and is considered by most historians to be an average President. He passed away in Fremont, Ohio in 1893.

What was he like as a leader and a person? Rutherford Hayes epitomized the best middle-class, moderate standards of the United States America. He was a loyal, honest, decent, unpretentious, and kind person with strong principles and an incredible work ethic. Additionally, Hayes was an unflappable, consistent, and predictable leader.

How did Hayes demonstrate leadership in the White House? President Hayes’ goal during his term was to restore power to the executive branch, re-establish the balance the power between the three branches of government, and rehabilitate the office of the President. He did this by naming his own cabinet, refusing to appoint family members to public office, rejecting appropriation bills with legislative riders, and traveling extensively around the United States. His economic policies also brought the country out of a depression. When he left office in 1881, President Hayes had restored the nation’s confidence in presidential leadership. 

Finally here are five leadership quotes from Rutherford B. Hayes:

• The bold enterprises are the successful ones. Take counsel of hopes, rather than of fears, to win in this business.

• Personally I do not resort to force -- not even the force of law -- to advance moral reforms. I prefer education, argument, persuasion, and above all the influence of example.

• I have a talent for silence and brevity. I can keep silent when it seems best to do so, and when I speak I can, and do usually, quit when I am done. This talent, or these two talents, I have cultivated. Silence and concise, brief speaking have got me some laurels, and, I suspect, lost me some. No odds. Do what is natural to you, and you are sure to get all the recognition you are entitled to.

• Fighting battles is like courting girls: those who make the most pretensions and are boldest usually win.

• In avoiding the appearance of evil, I am not sure but I have sometimes unnecessarily deprived myself and others of innocent enjoyments.

If you want to learn more about the life and leadership of Rutherford B. Hayes, he has a wonderful estate and library, called Spiegel Grove in Freemont, Ohio. The excellent RB Hayes website is here — https://www.rbhayes.org/ . Have a great Labor Day weekend.