I just finished the Book “Lincoln on Leadership” by Donald T. Phillips. The book was amazing and I highly recommend
it to anyone. Even though the book is
geared towards the business community it translates well into any occupation. The
book is broken down into 15 chapters, each based off of a basic Lincoln
principle.
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
I have always admired Lincoln, and this book solidified my perception
of him. He was an amazing leader that
valued the relationships he held with his people. He was an effective leader who allowed his trusted
leaders to fail and helped them to recover.
He handled stress well and never let his subordinates see him under
duress. To help deal with stress,
Lincoln would write letters to people that made mistakes. He would explain his displeasure and tell
them what he expected. Then he would
seal the letter and place it in a cabinet drawer, never sending it.
Lincoln’s philosophy on leadership was to be lead by being led. He would often “lead” his Generals by allowing
them to make their own decisions. He supported them after failures and he heaped
praise on them when they succeeded. What an amazing concept and one that we
should all carry through to the classroom.
Overall, the book was amazing, and I would highly recommend it to
anyone. I leave you with this quote,
which demonstrates the prophetic view Lincoln held.
In the end, it's not the years in your life
that count. It's the life in your years.
-- Abraham Lincoln
