06.27.17
No Pulling Different Directions
On a cool, sunny day in Philadelphia, July 4, 1776, fifty-six men etched their name in history as they signed the Declaration of Independence. The outcome of the American Revolutionary War would be unknown for years until it formally ended September 3, of 1783. Many of the men signing the document in 1776 were men of means and had much to lose, possibly including their lives, by opposing Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence ends with these words,”…we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” John Hancock, a Massachusetts representative, stated “We must be unanimous; there must be no pulling different ways; we must hang together.”
Mr. Hancock knew that pulling different ways would lead to our fledgling nation’s defeat. Whether it is your company, your family, a volunteer or religious organization, people “pulling different ways” leads to failure. The founding fathers of our country had many disagreements and arguments as they crafted the words that would define the United States of America’s future yet the overwhelming common idea of freedom drove them to pull together on the main issues. As leaders, it is our responsibility to cut through the petty things of life and encourage people to pull the same way for the key goals of what we are trying to accomplish.
As you enjoy this upcoming July 4th, I hope you remember the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence; how much they risked and how their pulling together created a free nation that exceeded anything they could have possibly imagined.
Have a blessed and safe 4th!
Regards,
Brian
