Person

Joseph J. Ellis

Historian of Washington's character, temperament, and the making of presidential authority.

Why this matters

Ellis humanizes founding leadership without dissolving its consequences.

book

Ellis, Joseph J. *His Excellency: George Washington*. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2004.

Book

How Communication and Moral Judgment Shape Leadership at Scale

An examination of what happens when signals of confidence are mistaken for legitimacy, and how that confusion distorts trust and decision-making.