3 Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Frederick Douglass About Leading In Challenging Times

This Black History Month, we tin study a batch astir really to move done challenging times by looking backmost astatine leaders who personification knowledgeable their adjacent banal of challenges, too. It takes bravery, stamina, courageousness and a imagination to move done acheronian eras and look victorious. As a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) consultant, I locomotion astir of my days helping companies ample and mini navigate challenges, and I often look to Black leaders for illustration Frederick Douglass arsenic examples of what resiliency looks like.

Here are 3 lessons that each entrepreneurs tin study erstwhile navigating trying situations successful their maestro and individual lives.

Choose nan measurement of self-development

In challenging times, sometimes our champion coach is ourselves. And nary 1 knows that amended than Frederick Douglass. Despite being calved into slavery, Frederick Douglass knew his summons to authorities was done education. At nan spot of 6, Douglass moved to nan Wye House plantation, wherever he was looked aft by Lucretia Auld, nan female of a precocious deceased enslaved overseer. Later, she sent him to work her family members, Hugh and Sophia Auld, successful Baltimore. When Douglass was astir 12 years old, Sophia Auld began schoolhouse him nan alphabet. However, her hubby Hugh powerfully disapproved arsenic he felt that literacy encouraged enslaved group to activity freedom.

In secret, Douglass would thatch himself to publication and represent and erstwhile said, "Knowledge is nan pathway from slavery to freedom." Douglass taught himself really to spell from Webster's pronunciation books and began to publication and represent pinch inspiration from posters connected cellar and barn doors. In his later years, he went connected to represent 3 bestselling biographies: Narrative of nan Life of Frederick Douglass, an enslaved American (1845), My Bondage and My Freedom (1855) and Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1881).

The instruction is this: When it's clip to germinate and change, return nan difficult measurement of self-development for semipermanent maturation and success. Whether it's getting an executive coach erstwhile you're emotion stuck, honing your fundraising skills, aliases implementing a caller DEI programme that stakeholders are skeptical about, do nan difficult constituent that you cognize will net disconnected later.

Related: The 3 C's That Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Can Teach Us Today To Advance Workplace Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Do and opportunity what's correct — moreover if nary one's listening

Douglass was known worldwide arsenic a vocal abolitionist. He spent 2 years successful Ireland and Great Britain, delivering lectures connected nan petition to destruct slavery successful nan United States. Sympathetic Europeans donated money to bargain his authorities from nan Auld family. When he returned to nan U.S. successful 1847, he started nan first abolitionist newspaper, nan North Star, wherever he advocated nan abolition of slavery successful writing.

Here's nan lesson: Say and do what you cognize is right. In business, we often recreation our competitors, transcript what they do, iterate connected it, and effort to outdo them. But immoderate of nan champion entrepreneurs I cognize level scheme their ain paths, often swimming upstream, innovating connected nan way, and doing point that nary 1 has ever done. In challenging times, these whitethorn consciousness for illustration risky moves to make. But, these entrepreneurs attraction connected their imagination for nan early and do what they deliberation is right, moreover if others aren't bought in.

Related: From Faith to Politics: How to Navigate Difficult Conversations successful nan Workplace

If you're emotion alone, build coalitions

When you're stuck successful a challenging business — whether fighting to support your business afloat aliases navigating an uncertain marketplace — you tin upwind nan ample upwind by building coalitions and partnerships pinch those astir you. Frederick Douglass did precisely that but pinch nan women's suffrage movement.

In 1848, Douglass was nan only Black personification successful nan room arsenic he attended nan Seneca Falls Convention, nan first women's authorities normal successful New York. When others couldn't spot nan narration betwixt women's suffrage and abolition, Douglass said firmly successful favour of a woman's correct to ballot and equated nan authorities of Black men pinch nan plight of women to vote. He often said that nan world would beryllium a amended spot if women had nan correct and powerfulness to participate successful politics. For this era, this benignant of business was revolutionary. Douglass wouldn't beryllium unrecorded to spot nan 19th Amendment passed, but his allyship and defense for civilian authorities and liberty for each will ne'er beryllium forgotten.

The instruction is this: Build partnerships. No 1 successful business tin past alone. If you haven't built arsenic galore partnerships, alliances, and relationships arsenic you'd like, now's nan time. Douglass understood that by leaning connected a statement of group who shared akin values and goals, he could elevate his root and create firm growth. When times get difficult successful business, it's nan spot of your partnerships that will spot you through.

Related: It's Black History Month. Here's How to Show Black Employees You Care.

Final thoughts

Sometimes, it's adjuvant to look backmost successful bid to move forward. Looking to leaders for illustration Frederick Douglass is not only an inspirational premier but a smart one. He was a man who struggled to navigate life successful nan era of slavery and roseate to nan juncture to thatch himself really to read, write, speak, and yet spell a vocal advocator for authorities and liberation. You can't thief but consciousness that Douglass would beryllium personification you'd scope retired to successful petition of connection if he were still alive. He's 1 of galore figures successful Black history who tin proviso america pinch a guiding ray successful times of uncertainty and turmoil and tin beryllium a exemplary for moving done challenges pinch fortitude, confidence, and hope.