President's Day is celebrated on the third Monday in February every year to mark the birthday of George Washington, who served as the first president of the U.S. from 1789 to 1797.

Washington's birthday actually falls on Feb. 22, but Congress legislated a change in 1968, making way for the American people to enjoy a three-day weekend by providing "uniform annual observances of certain legal public holidays on Mondays." The law, dubbed the "Monday Holiday Act," changed the observance of Washington's birthday from Feb. 22 to the third Monday in February.

Washington, whose golden tales of bravery — including serving as the commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution — went down in history, positioning him as a much-revered political figure. His contribution to society also led to the creation of a federal holiday in celebration of his birthday. However, it wasn't until the late 1870s that pressure mounted to make the official declaration, and the idea only materialized when then-President Rutherford B. Hayes signed the proposal into law in 1879.

Now, let us take a look at some inspiring quotes about leadership, which you can share on social media or just think about during President's Day. (Courtesy: Forbes and Leaders)

  • "A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves." – Lao Tzu
  • "Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality." – Warren G. Bennis
  • "Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes." – Peter Drucker
  • "You don't lead by pointing and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case." – Ken Kesey
  • The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority. – Kenneth Blanchard
  • "A boss has the title, the leader has the people." – Simon Sinek
  • "If you think you are leading and turn around to see no one following you, then you are just taking a walk." – John C. Maxwell
  • "Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself. It is precisely that simple and it is also that difficult." – Warren G. Bennis
  • "Real leadership is leaders recognizing that they serve the people that they lead." –Pete Hoekstra
Mount_Rushmore_National_Memorial
Mount Rushmore was carved between 1927 and 1941 by sculptor Gutzon Borglum to depict some of the Founding Fathers of the United States -- George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. Wikimedia Commons
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