It is Better to Be Alone than to be in Bad Company-George Washington
“It is better to be alone, than to be in bad company.” – George Washington
Although this quote is attributed to George Washington, it is actually one of 110 Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation that George Washington copied by hand at the age of fourteen. (This link will take you to an article with all 110 rules listed.) Although many people attribute the 110 rules to Washington, because the rules were found written by his hand, Scholars today believe that the rules were likely copied by Washington as a penmanship exercise.
The actual quote is #56 of 110 rules and reads…
Associate yourself with Men of good Quality if you Esteem your own Reputation; for ‘is better to be alone than in bad Company.
The 110 rules are based on a set of rules composed by French Jesuits in 1595, and they were first translated into English in 1640. The folks at Mount Vernon created a list of the 110 tips and have each listed on their website. Visitors can vote for their favorite tip.
Other Great Leadership Tips
- The Five Characteristics of High Effective Teams Check the list to see how your team ranks against this simple checklist.
- Constructive vs Destructive Criticism Examples Great leaders build confidence in their team members without criticizing. Wondering how they do it? The answers are right here!
- How to Influence and Persuade 7 Ways to influence people and become more persuasive.
- Team Building Resources Our resource center to help you organize more fun and interactive meetings.
- Charity Team Building Activities: Great leaders organize great meetings. Add one of these fun activities to your next meeting to increase your credibility as a team leader.
