Lincoln's Leadership

[Laurie Verge]

I need help again for a project!

This time it is for a work-related newsletter on leadership. Given the excitement about the Lincoln movie, we're focusing on Abe. I would appreciate about ten, short and succinct statements regarding the leadership abilities of Lincoln that should inspire us to emulate his tactics.

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I should have added that any personal quotes from Lincoln himself along the lines of leadership would be wonderful.

[LincolnMan]

Laurie: great subject! There are so many things that can be said about his leadership. I'm sure the members of this Forum will have much to say! One thing that comes to my mind at the moment is that he was a great listener-an active listener. He listened carefully to what others had to say-even when it was criticism against him or his decisions/policies. In doing so, not only did he gain a fuller understanding of things (potentially), but he sometimes changed his thinking with the new input. For instance, when he met with his Cabinet to introduce the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, he changed his mind on when to issue it based on Seward's comments that a better time to issue the document might be after a Union victory on the field-otherwise it might look like a desperate move from a failing war effort. Lincoln waited. Antietam served as the "victory" he needed-and the E.P. was issued in its wake. Great listening!

[RJNorton]

Laurie, I hope this will give you some ideas. I have a book titled "Lincoln on Leadership" by Donald T. Phillips (New York, Warner Books, 1992). Here is a list of the chapter titles:

1. Get out of the office and circulate among the troops.
2. Build strong alliances.
3. Persuade rather than coerce.
4. Honesty and integrity are the best policies.
5. Never act out of vengeance or spite.
6. Have the courage to handle unjust criticism.
7. Be a master of paradox.
8. Exercise a strong hand - be decisive.
9. Lead by being led.
10. Set goals and be results-oriented.
11. Keep searching until you find your "grant."
12. Encourage innovation.
13. Master the art of public speaking.
14. Influence people through conversation and storytelling.
15. Preach a vision and continually reaffirm it.

[HerbS]

Laurie-I always thought that Lincoln had these leadership skills-Sense of humor-Realist-Ability to see "The Trees through the Woods-Ability of a great memory-Ability to say what you mean and mean what you say-Respect!

[Gene C]

Laurie,

I always thought Lincoln believed there is a higher authority than government.
Somethings are legal, but that doesn't make them right, (Dred Scott decision and fugitive slave laws)
and somethings are the right thing to do, but they may not be legal!

[L Verge]

Great responses. I can tell that my input on this project is going to be longer than expected. Thanks, everyone. I'm willing to receive more...

[Craig Hipkins]

Laurie,

I believe one of the traits that made Lincoln such a successful leader was his ability to be tactful. I don't ever recall reading anywhere that Lincoln was disrespectful to any of his adversary's or for that matter people that merely disagreed with him. Tact is a key to success. I believe that politicians on both sides of the fence in these days struggle with this.

Craig

[Thomas Thorne]

Sensitive political antenna
Ability to set priorities
Adaptability to achieve ends

Perhaps nothing illustrates Lincoln's outstanding political abilities in these areas than the myriad ways he juggled the sometimes conflicting and sometimes complementary goals of Union and Emancipation.

We know that Lincoln detested slavery and part of him must have toyed at the idea from the earliest days of the war that a mere stroke of his pen could demolish slavery. Yet he realized that the enormous Union coalition he assembled in 1861 which secured the loyalty of sufficient numbers to retain the upper border states could not survive if the war had been converted into an anti-slavery crusade at that time.

In the summer of 1862 this broad coalition collapsed. Lincoln realized that there was no longer sufficient appeal to expend unlimited amounts of blood and treasure merely to restore the status quo ante. By making Freedom and Union his war aims Lincoln created a smaller but hardier coalition. The paradox of freeing no slaves under his control on the date of the Final Emancipation but undermining the existence of slavery simultaneously made it impossible for Britain and France to intervene and reassured the border state Unionists that their slavery would not be abolished without their consent. It also undermined slavery in the Confederacy by combining Emancipation with the success of Union arms and helped create a military constituency of Black Union soldiers whose existence made it impossible for Unionists to abandon back into slavery.

The final turn in Lincoln's policy in this area came in 1864 when by pushing for the the Thirteenth Amendment, he sought to make permanent against all challenges to his abolishing slavery in the Confederacy via his War Powers. It is interesting that he did not make his views known on this subject until most Republicans and a significant of Democrats came out in support of the amendment.
Tom

[ReignetteC]

Laurie,

For an interesting perspective on Lincoln and Leadership, see the December 1st edition of “The Economist” and its business opinion column “Schumpeter.”

“Abraham Lincoln now regularly tops historians’ lists of the greatest American presidents. But he owes his greatness partly to the fact that he was an outsider on whom no sensible man would have bet. He made a series of bold moves - such as sending ships to supply Fort Sumter, thereby forcing the South to fire the first shot of the [American] Civil War-that his more experienced rivals might not have made. And he gave a series of nation-defining speeches that nobody else in the country could have delivered.”

For more go to:
Economist.com/blogs/schumpeter

[JMadonna]

Lincoln had the ability to take both sides of an issue and argue them effectively before deciding on what was right. In the movie you saw him do this effectively with his cabinet. He was able persuade Thadeus Stevens by showing their goals were the same only the methods to achieve them were different. This ability was sorely missed when Andrew Johnson took over. His goals were not the same as Congress.
When he decided on a course he pursued it doggedly. His most important decision was sticking with the emancipation proclamation even though many told him to temper it or he would not be re-nominated by the party. Now, it seems like a no-brainer, but at the time political wisdom was strongly against that decision and bet that it would doom him.

[L Verge]

Thanks again to all who contributed. I compiled it all together and sent it on to the two editors to let them pick and choose what points they want to make. I really appreciate your input.

[RJNorton]

I think this was a wonderful topic, Laurie, and we also thank you for starting it!

What I found striking is that we can cite all these examples of Lincoln's leadership, but he himself said very little about it. I checked Shaw's encyclopedia of Lincoln quotes, and the word "leadership" is not even a topic. Kerner's book on Lincoln quotations has only one on leadership: "Some single mind must be master, else there will be no agreement in anything." (From a Lincoln letter to William M. Fishback on February 17, 1864). Under the topic of "Leadership" Boritt's book has only one: "Such a man times have demanded, and such, in the Providence of God was given us. But he is gone. Let us strive...that, in future national emergencies, He will not fail to provide us the instruments of safety and security" (from Lincoln's eulogy on Henry Clay, July 6, 1852).

[RJNorton]

The committee that asked Laurie for ideas on this topic decided to go with a Doris Kearns Goodwin address in 2008. Thank you to Laurie for sending this:

Lincoln demonstrated an ability to withstand adversity and to move forward in the face of frustration, said Kearns Goodwin, a keynote speaker at SHRM’s 2008 Annual Conference in Chicago. She identified 10 qualities that made Lincoln a great leader. Ten qualities Kearns Goodwin believes we should look for in our present day leaders.

Capacity to Listen to Different Points of View

Kearns Goodwin learned that Lincoln had the capacity to listen to different points of view. He created a climate where Cabinet members were free to disagree without fear of retaliation. At the same time, he knew when to stop the discussion and after listening to the various opinions, make a final decision.

Ability to Learn on the Job

Lincoln was able to acknowledge errors, learn from them, and then move. In this way, he established a culture of learning in his administration, said Kearns Goodwin.

Ready Willingness to Share Credit for Success

In response to concerns expressed by friends about the actions of some of his Cabinet members, Lincoln stated that the "path to success and ambition is broad enough for two" said Kearns Goodwin. When there was success, Lincoln shared the credit with all of those involved.

Ready Willingness to Share Blame for Failure

When mistakes were made by members of his Cabinet, Lincoln stood up for them said Kearns Goodwin. When contracts related to the war effort raised serious questions about a member of his administration, Lincoln spoke up and indicated that he and his entire Cabinet were to blame.

Awareness of Own Weaknesses

Kearns Goodwin noted that one of the weaknesses acknowledged by Lincoln was his tendency to give people too many chances and because he was aware, he was able to compensate for that weakness. As an example, she stated that George McClellan, Commander in Chief of the Union Army, refused to follow directives about the war effort. Lincoln eventually set a deadline and eventually removed McClellan from the position.

Ability to Control Emotions


According to Kearns Goodwin, Lincoln treated those he worked with well. However, he did get angry and frustrated, so he found a way to channel those emotions. He was known to sit down and write what he referred to as a “hot letter” to the individual he was angry with and then he would set the letter aside and not send it. If he did lose his temper, Lincoln would follow up with a kind gesture or letter to let the individual know he was not holding a grudge, said Kearns Goodwin. She noted that one of the letters was released as part of Lincoln’s Presidential papers with a notation that it was never signed nor sent.

Know How to Relax and Replenish

Lincoln understood the importance of relaxation and humor to shake of the stress of the day and to replenish himself for the challenges of the next day. According to Kearns Goodwin, Lincoln had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to tell funny stories. He encouraged a healthy atmosphere of laughter and fun in his administration. He also enjoyed going to the theater and spending time with friends.

Go Out into the Field and Manage Directly

During the Civil War, many soldiers died and there were many ups and downs. Lincoln established lasting connections with the troops by visiting the battlefield and hospitals, which also helped bolster morale. Lincoln also spent time talking with members of the public, taking ‘public opinion baths’ according to Kearns Goodwin. He held public receptions and made a point of shaking everyone’s hand and speaking to each individual.

Strength to Adhere to Fundamental Goals

In the summer of 1964, said Kearns Goodwin, the war was not going well for the North. Members of his political party came to Lincoln and said that there was no way to win the war and he might need to compromise on slavery. Lincoln held firm on the issue of slavery and turned away from this advice.

Ability to Communicate Goals and Vision

Kearns Goodwin stated that Lincoln had a “remarkable ability to communicate his goals to his countrymen.” He made concepts simple and communicated with an understanding of the concerns of the citizens. When the war ended and he won reelection, Lincoln did not focus on his achievements said Kearns Goodwin. Rather, in his second inaugural speech, Lincoln focused on bringing the country together as expressed in the following excerpt. “With malice toward none, with charity for all, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

Kearns Goodwin ended her keynote address with the following words from Leo Tolstoy about Abraham Lincoln. His greatness consisted of the “integrity of his character and moral fiber of his being.”

[RJNorton]

Thank you to Bob Allen and Laurie for sending this link.