Did This President Become Famous Because He Failed To Listen? Impressions Happen Quickly.

“It’s cold and raining. Just wear a coat, Mr. President-elect,” likely said by someone on William Henry Harrison’s inauguration team. The weather was cold and wet in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of the ninth president of the U.S. on March 4, 1841.

Harrison, a decorated military general, was a political professional. He served as a Congressman, a U.S. Senator, a Territorial Governor, and Ambassador to Colombia before running for president in 1836.

At age 68, Mr. Harrison, who ran for president twice against the wishes of his wife, was the oldest U.S. president on Inauguration Day. He held that title for 140 years until Ronald Reagan became president.

His wife thought he was too old to run for president in 1836. So what did he do after losing? He rebranded his campaign and won the office four years later. His age is a memorable title of his presidency. The other two trophies are length-related, too.

On that cold and wet Inaugural Day, Harrison chose to be celebrated without wearing a coat, hat or gloves. This day was all about Harrison, as it should have been, and he was playing his part to show that the old guy could still compete.

A beautiful carriage was built to bring Harrison to the Capitol, but he turned it down and rode a horse in the cold rain. According to John Quincy Adams, the crowd was the largest since 1789. The former president wrote about the parade in his personal journal.

“He was on a mean looking white horse, in the center of seven others, in a plain frock coat or surtout, indistinguishable from any of those before, behind, or around him.” John Quincy Adams

After the long ride and the “awkward and ungainly” painted banners, according to Adams, the party was just beginning. If age was the first trophy of this historic day, then the second trophy aged the crowd sitting in the cold rain.

Harrison gave the longest speech in Inauguration Day history. At 8,445 words—edited by Daniel Webster after Harrison submitted the original—he spoke for nearly two hours. Imagine the endless audio and video soundbites if modern technology had been available in 1841.

If you’re new to this story, your conspiracy theory thoughts are churning and you know what’s coming next. After riding a horse in the winter weather with nothing but a light overcoat, talking outside for nearly two hours, then going to the parties without changing his clothes, the president got sick.

Thirty-two days after his inauguration, William Henry Harrison died from complications of pneumonia and claimed the title for the shortest term as president of the United States.

I think of Harrison nearly every President’s Day since my high school history class days. For more than a century and a half, historians attributed his death to his decision not to properly protect himself from the winter weather elements. However, he didn’t complain of an illness to his personal physician until three weeks after his big party.

In recent years, physicians have attributed his death to enteric fever, a gastrointestinal disease caused by contaminated food or water. You can read more about the medical theories in this blog from the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

Listening to others’ input and opinions has always been the most obvious leadership takeaway from Harrison’s presidency. Leaders are expected to, well, lead and make decisions because of their titles and positions.

However, the greatest threat to our leadership responsibilities is the belief that we’re smarter the day we receive a new title. We know a carriage was built for his ride to the Capitol, but he wanted to ride his horse. I’m certain someone on his staff suggested he protect himself with warmer clothing.

Who knows. Unfortunately, Harrison didn’t get to share the story of his Inaugural Day decisions. His record of military and political achievements indicated he knew how to make game-time adjustments.

More recent theories about the cause of his death have moved my conclusions from why he didn’t listen and observe, to how a thirty-two-day leadership responsibility is remembered.

Harrison won three trophies: Oldest President. Longest Speech. Shortest Term. I’m certain he didn’t want those to be his presidential legacy. If he had known he was serving only for thirty-two days, would he have signed more Executive Orders or asked Congress to change the legislation? Very likely.

Brands have moments to make an impression. Websites, social media channels, commercials and digital ads have a few seconds to make us want to pursue the content and the story.

Radio, streams, and podcasts have a narrower space to create an impression. Does the audience know your mission based on one song? Do slogans reinforce the purpose? Do presenters, announcers and DJs make an emotional or meaningful connection with one break?

William Henry Harrison got thirty-two days. Most brands get about thirty-two seconds to advance to the next step with the audience.

Happy President’s Day! Leaders, listen to your team before you make decisions. Lead with urgency.