As a history major, I am intrigued by the origins of our great country. George Washington is a logical place to start.

This week, we celebrate his and Abraham Lincoln's birthday on Presidents Day.

But what do we really know about this Founding Father who led our country through the Revolutionary War?

In 2002, Stephen Kinzer wrote in The New York Times: "By comparing textbooks used in the 1960s with those of today, researchers at Mount Vernon, Washington's home in Virginia, have concluded that Washington now occupies just 10 percent of the space he had then."

This is a shame, because, besides many other reasons, some of the business lessons that Washington espoused are still relevant today. He was the definition of a pragmatist. He was very practical and had a straightforward, matter-of-fact approach. He was always focused on reaching a goal.

He was incredibly smart and shrewd. As commander in chief of the American forces, Washington refused a regular salary and worked for expenses only. When offered the U.S. presidency, he volunteered to work for expenses again -- but this time Congress insisted he have a fixed salary.

Among his writings was this advice to his nephew, Bushrod Washington, on Jan. 15, 1783: "Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation. Let your heart feel for the afflictions and distress of every one, and let your hand give in proportion to your purse, remembering ... that it is not everyone that asketh that deserveth charity; all, however, are worthy of the inquiry, or the deserving may suffer."

And to General William Woodford, he wrote: "... be strict in your discipline; that is, to require nothing unreasonable of your officers and men, but see that whatever is required be punctually complied with. Reward and punish every man according to his merit, without partiality or prejudice; hear his complaints, if well founded, redress them; if otherwise, discourage them, in order to prevent frivolous ones. Discourage vice in every shape, and impress upon the mind of every man, from the first to the lowest, the importance of the cause, and what it is they are contending for."

His leadership lessons are worth noting also.

One reason the U.S. Congress has two houses can be found in the following conversation attributed to Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson, who did not attend the Constitutional Convention, was not happy with the proposed bicameral system for the legislative branch of the new government. During a visit to Washington at his home, Jefferson argued for the French unicameral system, one legislative house.

After much discussion around the tea table, Washington turned sharply to Jefferson and said, "You, sir, have just demonstrated by your own hand the superior excellence of the bicameral system."

"How is that?" asked Jefferson.

"You just poured your tea from your cup into its saucer to cool. In the same manner, we want the bicameral system to cool things. A measure originates in one house, and in heat is passed. The other house will serve as a wonderful cooler, and by the time it is debated and modified by various amendments, it is much more likely to become an equitable law. No, we can't get along without the saucer in our system."

Two friends were walking down a busy street one evening when one paused and said, "Listen to those crickets chirping."

"What crickets?" said the other person. "I don't hear any crickets. Hey, you!" He waved down a woman passing by. "Do you hear crickets around here?"

"No," the woman said, and went on her way.

The first man closed his eyes for a moment, then walked to a mailbox on a nearby lawn, reached down, and picked a cricket up from the grass.

"That's amazing!" said his friend. "How did you hear that?"

"Watch," the first man said.

He dug into his pocket for a handful of change and tossed some coins onto the sidewalk. Immediately, the door of a house opened, a car stopped and two passersby stopped to look for the coins.

The first man shrugged. "It all depends on what you're listening for."

We are born with two ears, but only one mouth. Some people say that's because we should spend twice as much time listening as talking. Others claim it's because listening is twice as difficult as talking.

Whatever the reason, developing good listening skills is critical to success. There is a difference between hearing and listening. Pay attention! Your next job/account/paycheck may depend on it.

These statistics, which I've gathered over the years from sources including the International Listening Association website, really drive home the importance of listening. At the same time, they demonstrate how difficult listening can be:

-- 85 percent of our learning is derived from listening.

-- Listeners are distracted, forgetful and preoccupied 75 percent of the time.

-- Most listeners recall only 50 percent of what they have heard immediately after hearing someone say it.

-- People spend 45 percent of their waking time listening.

-- Most people remember only about 20 percent of what they hear over time.

-- People listen up to 450 words per minute, but think at about 1,000 to 3,000 words per minute.

-- There have been at least 35 business studies indicating listening as a top skill needed for success.

In addition, there are a number of behaviors to avoid if you want to be a really good listener: interrupting, avoiding eye contact, rushing the speaker and letting your attention wander. Don't rush ahead and finish the speaker's thoughts, because you might take them in the wrong direction. Arguing, as with a "yes, but" response, indicates that you were more interested in getting your own point across than listening to others. Trying to top the speaker's story doesn't win you any points either.

Listening can be hard work, and some people are more challenging to listen to than others, but when you find yourself tuning out what someone is saying you should ask yourself why.

If you want people to listen to what you're saying, make sure they feel like you have listened to them. When we feel we are being listened to, it makes us feel like we are being taken seriously and what we say really matters.

In his book, "The 8th Habit," management guru Stephen Covey tells a true story about the importance of asking other people their opinions.

Covey says J. W. "Bill" Marriott, executive chairman and chairman of the board of Marriott International, the world's largest hotel chain, described to him "the biggest lesson I have learned through the years."

It is, said Marriott, "to listen to your people. I find that if you have senior managers who really gather their people around them, get their ideas and listen to their input ... you make a lot better decisions."

Marriott said he learned this lesson from an encounter with President Dwight Eisenhower when Marriott was a young ensign in the Navy.

"I ... had been in the Navy for six months and had come home from the Supply Corps School for Christmas. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson came down to our farm with General Eisenhower."

Marriott said it was extremely cold outside, but that his father had put up targets outside for shooting. He asked the president if he wanted to go outside and shoot or stay by the fire.

"He just turned to me," said Marriott, "and asked, 'What do you think, ensign?'"

Marriott said he told the president it was too cold outside for shooting and to stay inside by the fire, which he did.

Marriott said that lesson, asking and listening to someone else's opinion, has stayed with him and has been a big asset in his business.

Mackay's Moral: It's amazing what you'll hear if you just listen.

Do you remember the TV show "MacGyver"? The titular hero was the epitome of resourcefulness. He would get trapped, usually in a building that contained a ticking time bomb, but he was able to free himself by being resourceful and using what was available to him, like duct tape or chewing gum. I was always intrigued -- and impressed.

I value resourcefulness highly in my employees. Resourceful people can figure things out on their own and find a way to make things work. They are able to use resources at their disposal to help them solve problems or overcome obstacles.

Resourcefulness seems to come naturally to some people. They aren't about to give up just because the odds are stacked heavily against them, even when it doesn't involve ticking bombs.

Consider what happened during the construction of the world-famous Brooklyn Bridge. In 1863, a creative engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea for this spectacular bridge. But bridge-building experts throughout the world told him to forget it. They said it could not be done.

Roebling convinced his son, Washington, also an engineer, that the bridge could be built. The two of them developed the concepts of how it could be accomplished. Remember, this occurred more than 150 years ago, without benefit of modern technology.

The project was only a few months into construction when an accident on the site resulted in the death of John Roebling. Shortly thereafter, Washington contracted the bends during underwater construction of the bridge's pillars and was partially paralyzed. Everyone assumed that the project would have to be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built.

Even though Washington was incapacitated, his mind was as sharp as ever, and he was determined to complete the bridge. As he lay in his bed, he taught his wife how to instruct the engineers who were building the bridge. For 13 years, Washington painstakingly oversaw construction from afar -- until the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge was finally completed. It still stands today, carrying more than 150,000 cars and pedestrians every day.

Resourceful people can see the upside of down times. They are not willing to give up just because things get complicated. And here's a news flash: They are not all geniuses. They just don't accept defeat easily.

This story should inspire you for the times when you are out of duct tape and chewing gum.

Once upon a time, a young donkey asked his grandpa, "How do I grow up to be just like you?"

"Oh, that's simple," the elder donkey said. "All you have to do is remember to shake it off and step up."

"What does that mean?" asked the youngster.

The grandfather replied, "Let me tell you a story: Once, when I was your age, I was out walking. I wasn't paying attention and fell deep into an old abandoned well. I started braying and braying. Finally, an old farmer came by and saw me. I was scared to death. But then he left. I stayed in that well all night.

"The next morning, he came back with a whole group of people, and they looked down at me. Then the old farmer said, 'The well is abandoned and that donkey isn't worth saving, so let's get to work.' And believe it or not, they started to shovel dirt into the well. I was going to be buried alive!

"After the first shovels of dirt came down on me, I realized something. Every time dirt landed on my back, I could shake it off and use it to step up a bit higher! They kept shoveling, and I kept shaking the dirt off and stepping up.

"'Shake it off and step up ... shake it off and step up ...' I kept repeating to myself for encouragement. And it wasn't long before I stepped out of the well, exhausted but triumphant."

So no matter how difficult the situation, no matter how bad things get, no matter how much dirt gets dumped on you, just remember -- shake it off and step up. You'll be all right.

Mackay's Moral: When you're out of resources, it's time to get resourceful.