Abraham Lincoln, A Visionary And Ethical Leader

I start this project on Lincoln’s leadership very reluctantly. I am a history buff and have always viewed his leadership through the eyes of jaded historians. They have portrayed him as a dictator, incompetent, and a buffoon at some points. After reading the Donald T. Phillips book Lincoln on Leadership, my mindset was totally changed. This book broke down four key areas that produced an effective leader in Lincoln. These areas are character, people, endeavor, and communication. I will be sharing a principal from each key area that I found important and then conclude with an overall thought.

Abraham Lincoln is by far our most revered president in the history of the United States. He had a strong moral vision of where his country must go to preserve and enlarge the rights of all her people, but he was also a good man with a strong sense of character and a great discipline in the art of law; and he sought to continue the great and mighty legacy of the Constitution. He believed that the Founding Fathers had drawn up the Constitution without the mention of slavery because they felt that it would later die of a natural death. He would soon learn that that would not be the case.

Abraham Lincoln is a modern day hero because he is compassionate for abolishing slavery, freeing slaves from harsh environments in the confederacy, and his speech to prove equality among caucasians and african americans. His name was Abraham Lincoln, he was born on february 12, 1809. Abraham was born near hodgenville, kentucky. He is a husband to Mary Ann Todd Lincoln and a father to Edward, Wille, Thomas, and Robert. One of Abraham's accomplishments was successfully passing the 13th amendment, helping the union win the civil war, and influenced the north and south together. Abraham is an absolute hero because of the inspiration he is too many people.

Abraham Lincoln is one of the most influential American Presidents known for his leadership in a revolutionary movement that officially outlawed slavery in the U.S. Eric Foner, the American historian examined the path of Lincoln that eventually led him to a historical achievement. The Fiery Trial by Eric Foner shows that Lincoln unlimited capacity for growth allowed him to adapt to the changing political environment as the issue of slavery progressed in the 19th century. The book is a biography of Lincoln that takes a look at how Lincoln’s upbringing and early political environment had shaped his opinions regarding slavery. By putting Lincoln’s actions into the background in which they have occurred, Foner not only makes sense of the inconsistency in Lincoln’s political behavior, but also shows how a radical idea that seemed ridiculous at the time could be gradually implemented by the changing public sentiment.

Across time, political leaders have often been remembered for their greatness by how they faced challenges than with what particular skills or abilities they had during their time in office. This statement is known to be true as political leaders are often expected to solve certain issues or challenges when in office and if their contributions benefit the state or country. Additionally, history books, records, and scholarly journals will take note of a leader’s response to challenges, how they are handled, and if the issue is solved more than whether they adequately used certain skills and abilities to solve the problem. In short, challenges, when faced, allow the political leaders to be remembered more so than their talents.

Ever since I was a little child, I have been an admirer of President Lincoln, his achievements, and his incredible rags-to-riches story. A long time ago, in the beginning of the 19th century, Abraham Lincoln was a small town Springfield boy who was born to a poor family and had little access to formal education. However, Lincoln was hard-working and determined to succeed, and taught himself law and became a prosperous figure. There are many tales of how he walked miles and did odd jobs just to be given the chance to read a book. It was this dedication to learning and knowledge that would lead him to the highest office in the nation. However, he still had troubles, and when he ran for the House of Representatives in 1846, he was defeated by his Democratic opponent, Henry Clay. Nevertheless, he persevered through his troubles, and his nationwide fame from his debates with Clay landed him the Republican Presidential Nomination in 1860. After a long and strenuous campaign, he won in a landslide, and took the office of President of the United States. When Lincoln took office, the United States was in a period of national turmoil, from the Missouri compromise and a larger disagreement on the issue of slavery. In 1861, the Southern states rallied together in a confederacy to try and secede from the Union, but Lincoln knew he had to keep the country together. Throughout 4 long and harsh years of bitter warfare, his leadership led the country through the bloodiest war it had ever seen, and many say it was his decisions and strength that kept the young country together. One of the most memorable moments of the war came from his remarkable address in the battle at Gettysburg, a few months after he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This masterpiece of a speech rallied the nation around him and the morale-boosting victory at Gettysburg turned the tide of the war and lead the

All through the American history, the President's capacities have extended enormously from a constrained part doled out by the Founding Fathers to the official force and a more extensive impact over numerous territories. Being suspicious of giving the President an official force which may prompt an American dictator, the Founding Fathers permitted not very many particular president powers, in contrast with the real part of Congress, which was relied upon to be the predominant branch of the national government.

Abraham Lincoln is known to almost everyone. It is recognized that he led the country through one of the hardest times in its history. What many of us do not know or understand are the methods he employed in order to lead us through the Civil War. Phillips became interested in Lincoln’s leadership methods and abilities because he found that these same ideas were still being taught today. He wrote this book because he was unable to find other books detailing Lincoln’s leadership. Because Lincoln’s methods are still applicable in today’s leadership environment, Phillips realized that much could be learned by examining Lincoln’s actions while

FEHR, R., KAI CHI (SAM), Y., & DANG, C. (2015). MORALIZED LEADERSHIP: THE CONSTRUCTION AND CONSEQUENCES OF ETHICAL LEADER PERCEPTIONS. Academy Of Management Review, 40(2), 182-209. doi:10.5465/amr.2013.0358

Out of all the US presidents, only a few have stood out. The United States always has and always will need someone who is willing to guide the citizens who reside there. Especially in times of turmoil, an outstanding individual is needed to step up and take a position of leadership. One of the greatest men who took that position was Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln, or "The Great Emancipator" (Stone 8), was a powerful man with knowledge and empathy.

For Lincoln, this nearly an obsession as people he worked with would see him “always calculating and planning ahead” and “was a little engine that knew no rest”(Phillips 108). This completely shows how Lincoln was a set leader, as he would prepare himself for the worst and when simple things go wrong. All of which shows how Lincoln was the leader for the 1800’s, and still is seen as an icon for many, still to this day. As the people he worked with had felt empowered, they saw it from him “demonstrating a sense of urgency toward attainment” towards his goals(Phillips 112). As Lincoln believes that “leadership requires aggressive individuals and those who accept a take charge role”(Phillips 109). As he “was a tireless worker and a public speaker and had fit the mold of reliable and tirelessly persistent”(Legal). He was always at the ready and would be a major icon, as he knew that goals should be achieved no matter what. He was a full supporter of other policies when he was president, such as the Homestead Act, which “allowed poor people in the East to obtain land in the

Lincoln had many strategies when it came to his leadership, and from the book, “Lincoln on Leadership,” his ideas and techniques are showcased in detail. From the many strategies that Lincoln had employed, I had identified three techniques from three different chapters in Lincoln on Leadership for analysis. The first strategy that I will discuss is from chapter two; “Showing your compassionate and caring nature will aid you in forging successful relationships.” The second strategy is from chapter three, and it is as follows; “A good leader avoids issuing orders, preferring to request, imply, or make suggestions.” Lastly, the third and final strategy that I will discuss if from Chapter six; “Do the very best you know how – the very best you can – and keep doing so until the end.” I chose these specific strategies in accordance to their applicability to my leadership style, as I find myself identifying with these rather comfortably. I will begin to explain this through the first strategy regarding compassion and a caring nature.

The year is 1865 and the Civil War death toll has risen just over six-hundred-thousand men. The freedoms sought out by our nation’s founders, now jeopardized by the secession of eleven states from the Union. The fate of The United States of America now laid upon the broad shoulders of our nations sixteenth commander-in-chief, President Abraham Lincoln. In a term marked by the burden of complete social upheaval, Abraham Lincoln was our nation’s foremost leader. The lawyer from Illinois navigated the only internal war in American history by embodying the principals taught by Professor Grint, utilizing a model of distributed leadership to gather

Donald T. Phillips’ book, Lincoln on Leadership, explores the life and practices of Abraham Lincoln as the leader of the United States of America. Without question, Lincoln’s legacy lies as one of the greatest leaders in the history of the country. Lincoln’s style of leadership, which facilitated his accomplishment of one of the most complicated tasks in a divided country, have only recently become the foundation for developing concepts of leadership in both private and public organizations. Throughout Lincoln on Leadership, Phillips discusses over one hundred of Lincoln’s principles of leadership and practices, practices which still inspire and motivate persons in all aspects of society.

Imagine how the state of the world will be today without the leadership of the United States of America to police the world. Think about Iraq during Saddam Hussein’s regime, Libya during Arafat’s regime and the behaviors like Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Had it not been the vision of Abraham Lincoln to preserve the Union, there would not have been a strong unified United States today. President Abraham Lincoln was a visionary leader and an ethical leader when leading the United States through the Civil War during his Presidency. In this paper we will review how Lincoln used his leadership traits to win the Civil War to preserve the Union and abolish slavery in America. We will also review Lincoln as ethical