Good morning, Team! It’s Friday!

Saturday is Independence Day and a milestone one to boot!

Like many Americans, I enjoy the traditions of the Fourth of July. Flags wave, grills fire up, and fireworks light the sky. But this year, I found myself thinking less about the celebration and more about the man at the center of our nation’s beginning.

George Washington.

History remembers him as a brilliant military commander and our first president. Both are true. Yet what may have made him indispensable to America’s founding was a trait we don’t often celebrate in leaders today.

He knew when to let go.

After leading the colonies to victory, Washington could have held onto power. In fact, some believed he should become king. Instead, he resigned his military commission and went home to Mount Vernon. Years later, after serving two terms as president, he did something equally extraordinary.

He stepped aside.

In doing so, Washington established a precedent that leadership is stewardship, not ownership. He demonstrated that the purpose of leadership isn’t to accumulate power, but to build something strong enough to endure beyond your tenure.

I find that lesson increasingly meaningful as I’ve moved through different seasons of leadership. Early in our careers, we’re often focused on proving ourselves—earning responsibility, building credibility, and creating impact. Over time, however, a different set of questions emerges.

Who are we developing?

What will remain after we’re gone?

Are we creating dependence on ourselves, or are we building people and systems that can thrive without us?

Perhaps the true measure of leadership isn’t how tightly we hold the reins but how intentionally we prepare to hand them over.

George Washington became the Father of His Country not simply because he led at pivotal moments, but because he repeatedly chose principle over position. He understood that his legacy would not be defined by the power he accumulated, but by the example he set.

As we celebrate our nation’s independence this weekend, I hope we also reflect on that quieter, timeless leadership lesson.

The strongest leaders are often the ones secure enough to walk away, knowing they have left something better behind.

Have a blessed holiday weekend! Enjoy some summer activities and reflect, if only for a moment, how incredibly fortunate we are to live where we do.

Eric