I read a bit of American history. Just finished Michael Kranish's "Flight from Monticello", about the Legislature's and Jefferson's undignified retreat from British forces during the 1781 invasion of Virginia.
Jefferson has been accused of cowardice, or at least of incompetence, in his resistance to the British (he was governor of Virginia at the time). When explored, the facts paint a more nuanced picture. Virginia had no significant preparations in place to repel the invaders; her only defense was short term
local militia, largely untrained and unequipped, with no serious tradition of service. Munitions (arms and ammunition) was stored in locations easy for the British to access (and the untrained, unarmed militia could not defend the stockpiles anyway). The government, and the governor, had little power to compel the militia's reporting for duty, nor cash or credit to purchase supplies. In a rural environment, teaming with horses, Virginia had little cavalry, because the government could neither purchase nor seize horses. So the British cavalry, unopposed, seized all the extra horses they needed. Finally, Jefferson (as he readily admitted) had no qualifications as a war leader, and wanted out.
So - no plan, no organization, no training, no culture of accomplishment - and the wrong leader. Sound like how some of us run our firms?
Also read, a few months back, David Hackett Fischer's "Paul Revere's Ride". Interesting social and organizational history intertwined with the fun stuff.
The Massachusetts militia turned out (trained, organized and equipped), because the New Englanders had been serious about local defense for 150 years. Even the "Minutemen" concept was well over 100 years old. Training happened regularly, especially in times of unrest (as in the mid 1770s). On April 19, by the end of the day, elements of some 50 regiments turned out, properly organized, armed and dangerous, heading for Lexington and Concord.
Similarly, the Patriot leadership had done it's planning. Ever wonder why the "one if by land and two if by sea" lanterns were hung in the church steeple, if Revere, knowing that the British were coming by water, was already being rowed across Boston Harbor to his horse? It was contingency planning. Revere was to leave from Charlestown, Dawes from Boston across the neck of land at the other end of town, just in case Revere was intercepted; the lanterns were to notify the folks in Charlestown, in case both Revere and Dawes were captured.
Further, it turns out that Revere was the ideal fellow to rouse the countryside. Today, he'd be called a "networker". Knew everybody. He didn't just warn the folks in Lexington and Concord, he stopped at every little hamlet along the route, and woke the local militia leader - and usually the parson as well. Those folks then sent out riders to villages on either side of Revere's route, and so on.
So - a long established culture of commitment, organization, training, proper equipment; and leaders who could plan, and worry about contingencies (the "what ifs"), and could select exactly the right man for the job.
We could learn something from them.
