Abraham Lincoln On Leadership, Executive Strategies For Tough Times By Donald T. Phillips

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809 and died on April 15, 1865. He was born near Hodgenville, Kentucky. His parents were Thomas and Nancy Hanks Lincoln. He also had a older sister named Sarah and a younger brother named Thomas. Due to a land dispute, his family moved to Perry County, Indiana when he was 7. Lincoln had little formal education, but was an avid reader. Lincoln's mother died when he was only 9 due to milk sickness. She died at age 34. After this, Lincoln grew very depressed and resented the labor his father gave him. A few months after Lincoln's mother's death, his father married a widow named Sarah Bush Johnston. She had 3 children of her own. Lincoln bonded with her and grew happy again.

In 1865, Abraham stood to deliver his Second Inaugural Address facing a population weary from war, divided by slavery, and in desperate need of a vision. In this moment, Lincoln stated “with malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right...to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations” (Yale Law School, 2008). In these words, Lincoln articulates an ethical and optimistic vision for all Americans. Although his words are inspirational, Lincoln’s actions, behaviors, and decisions far better judge his extraordinary leadership.

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.

Williams shows us that Lincoln never hesitated in making difficult decisions based on results. Lincoln's people skills are clearly established in Williams’s writings. Lincoln seems keen at applying pressure as well as giving his generals a free hand when necessary.

Comparing The Political Leadership Of Lincoln and Davis It may seem self- evident that Lincoln was the greater political leader; Lincoln led the winning side while Davis was defeated. It has though, been thought that once the Northern advantages and Southern disadvantages have been considered, that it is possible, that almost anyone could have led the North to victory. If this is so, was it Davis's strong leadership, which ensured that the confederacy survived as long as it did? Davis's government has inevitably been blamed for the way it ran the war.

Another great leadership ability that Lincoln possessed was his ability to appoint the right people for the right jobs in his Cabinet. Even though they were some of the greatest minds of his time, some of his Cabinet members were also some of his biggest political adversaries. Through his great leadership, he was able to assemble this group and to pull them together to make it work. Lincoln also had the ability to make a mistake, learn from it and then move on, creating an environment of learning in his administration. Also, when the administration was successful, Lincoln was willing to share the credit with his administration, not taking all the credit for himself. This ability can be a great motivator, since it gives people a sense of accomplishment (Moreton, 2008).

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.

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

FDR's leadership, as well as the other leaders discussed in our text, are individuals whom are a learning tool for the future. As demonstrated throughout history, leaders and society continually learn from our progress, development, and our continue to evolve effectively. History has taught us that it is wise to learn from our past. In this specific case, learning and teaching ourselves of the traits and leadership that FDR possessed is an important lesson in understanding how leadership evolved to where it stands today. FDR also teaches us about the effectiveness of visionary charismatic leadership, and the impressive obstacles that can be conquered using this specific set of character strengths.

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

Clinton, J Robert. The Making of a Leader: Recognizing the Lessons and Stages of Leadership

Lincoln on Leadership is a book that discusses all of Abraham Lincoln’s leadership styles and strategies and talks about how successful he was because of these attributes as our President. The main character of the book is President Abraham Lincoln. He grew up in a poor background and worked his way to where he was as President. Lincoln tried many careers such as a postmaster, a surveyor, and a lawyer so that he could have a life of success. He always learned from his failures and worked very hard to make it in life because he was from such a disadvantaged background. He was devoted to human rights, innovation, and compassion. He was an amazing leader with leadership styles that kept the United States as one. Leaders today should be able to use these guidelines and to try to an effective leader no matter what setting this is in whether it is business, politics, or healthcare.

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.

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.

Abraham Lincoln was an Ethical Leader; he did the right thing, and made ethical decisions regarding slavery. Lincoln was an honest man, and as a result he earned the nickname “Honest Abe”. David Phillips wrote in his book “Lincoln on Leadership”, “Lincoln always did the right thing or at least he attempted to do so” (1992, p.54). Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education [BCEE] (2014b) defines ethics as “what we understand to be good and right behavior”. Lincoln did the right thing and did not associate himself with people he could not trust. He fired his first Secretary of War, Simon Cameron, for illegally awarding a defense contract and other shady dealings.