...Lincoln on Leadership Lincoln on 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. The first key area in Lincoln’s Leadership was his interaction with people. Historians have often scoffed at the idea that he was hardly in the White House and it was true but they did not understand why. Phillips discusses Lincoln’s open door policy and his philosophy of “roving leadership” in that he was constantly leaving his office. D. Phillips (1992) tells us one of the reasons why he did this with, “All leaders must seek and require access to reliable and up-to-date information” (pg 21). Leaders need to leave their office to truly understand what is going on in their organization. Lincoln knew this well and this is why he was always out getting information from military leaders, constituents, staff, and sometimes even opponents. The second reason for this idea of “roving leadership” should be adopted by most leaders of today including...
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...Lincoln on 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. The first key area in Lincoln’s Leadership was his interaction with people. Historians have often scoffed at the idea that he was hardly in the White House and it was true but they did not understand why. Phillips discusses Lincoln’s open door policy and his philosophy of “roving leadership” in that he was constantly leaving his office. D. Phillips (1992) tells us one of the reasons why he did this with, “All leaders must seek and require access to reliable and up-to-date information” (pg 21). Leaders need to leave their office to truly understand what is going on in their organization. Lincoln knew this well and this is why he was always out getting information from military leaders, constituents, staff, and sometimes even opponents. The second reason for this idea of “roving leadership” should be adopted by most leaders of today including me. Phillips...
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...Lincoln on Leadership is one of the most powerful books on leadership that I have read. The most interesting part to me was that Lincoln was a true leader as President and not just an individual who sat back and let others do all the necessary work while he made the pubic appearances. In my studies of history, I have never analyzed any president as a real leader, probably because before this class I assumed that they all were leaders. Now I know they are not. Every point that is made in the book to support Lincoln as a real leader is something that either we discussed in class or something that is covered in our text. The best part about this book, though, was its readability. Once you got past the introduction, it was hard to put it down. It is unfortunate that the simple things that Lincoln did which made him so great are too much for some mangers today. For example, creating relationships with your employees. The first part of Lincoln on Leadership deals with the people, the employees. In Lincoln's case, the employees were the troops who were preparing for and engaging in civil war battles. The title of the first chapter is, "Get Out of the Office and Circulate Among the Troops." Without even reading one word after the title, I immediately thought of the class discussion on Tom Peters and his concept of "managing by walking around." In class we talked about how real leaders will get to know their employees and create open, trusting relationships with them...
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...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. The first key area in Lincoln’s Leadership was his interaction with people. Historians have often scoffed at the idea that he was hardly in the White House and it was true but they did not understand why. Phillips discusses Lincoln’s open door policy and his philosophy of “roving leadership” in that he was constantly leaving his office. D. Phillips (1992) tells us one of the reasons why he did this with, “All leaders must seek and require access to reliable and up-to-date information” (pg 21). Leaders need to leave their office to truly understand what is going on in their organization. Lincoln knew this well and this is why he was always out getting information from military leaders, constituents, staff, and sometimes even opponents. The second reason for this idea of “roving leadership” should be adopted by most leaders of today including me. Phillips discusses...
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...The Leadership of Abraham Lincoln Phillip Bullington High Performance Leadership Term Paper 2/12/15 Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Leader 4 Power & Influence 4 Ethics & Values 6 Attributes 6 Behavior 8 Followers 9 Motivation 9 Satisfaction & Performance 9 Groups 10 The Rocket Model 10 Situation 11 Situational Levels 11 Emancipation Proclamation 12 Death 13 Conclusion 13 References 14 Introduction Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States of America. Abraham was born on February 12, 1809 to Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks. He grew up in both Kentucky and Indiana as the son of a farmer who preferred him to work on the farm rather than read books. Lincoln had an intellectual ambition however and was in constant pursuit of knowledge through his readings. Abraham set out for Illinois in 1831 and studied to become a lawyer which he eventually did in 1836 after passing the bar examination. He was then elected to the Illinois State Legislature in 1836, 1838, and 1840. After his retirement from legislature in 1841, Lincoln went on to marry Mary Todd Lincoln in 1842. He then began devoting the majority of his time to law practice until 1847 when he was elected and served in Congress (McPherson, 2000). Lincoln would continue to move in and out of politics for the next 14 years as was continually defeated in bids and elections for office. It wasn’t until 1861, after losing...
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...Hunter Anderson Dr. Fairhurst Leadership Communication 4008 8 December 2015 Lincoln Essay 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 the right information and implement change, and then merging these resources with his natural oratory abilities to unite a nation ruptured by domestic indifferences. His commitment to preserving the Union vindicated democracy and initialized the substratum which would be built upon to become the republic we know today. In the modern-day society we inhabit, the development and subsequent implementation of technology in daily activities has allowed our leaders rapid access to consistently accurate data. This ease of access is a luxury I am certain President Lincoln would have utilized, as he was always probing for more information, a trait congruent with the teachings of Keith Grint, Professor of Public Leadership and Management at the Warwick Business...
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...unquenchable thirst for education and self-improvement formed the foundation for the leader he later became (Austell, 2006). Lincoln’s stepmother, Sarah Bush Johnston, was the first person in his life that understood the importance of education and encouraged Lincoln in his educational efforts (Herndon & Weik, 1888). Lincoln’s quest for knowledge was a lifelong journey that continued throughout his career as a lawyer and a politician, and helped him to earn the trust and admiration of colleagues and friends (Alvy & Robbins, 2010). Lincoln’s first office for the federal government was as postmaster at New Salem followed by multiple terms in the Illinois state legislature. Over time Lincoln’s influence within the Illinois legislature grew, in large part due to his ability to draft bills and laws (Burlingame, 2008). It was during his first term in the Illinois legislature that Lincoln was first encouraged to study law by John Todd Stuart, a colleague in the state legislature (Zall, 1999). In 1836 Lincoln received his law license and went into a partnership with Stuart the following year (Burlingame, 2008). Lincoln next partnered with Stephen Logan who helped Lincoln to develop a professional demeanor (Dirck, 2009). Lincoln entered into partnership with William Herndon...
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...Abraham Lincoln Servant Leadership Case Study and Collaborative Research #4 G. Diaz ADM 553 April 16, 2015 Introduction Abraham Lincoln is one of the most known and beloved presidents of our history. He was the 16th president of the United States and is known for achieving such feats as keeping the Union together and the emancipation of slavery. Having many followers as well as resistance during the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln showed fortitude and never gave up on his vision and goals. Hence, after fighting for many years, he was able to give freedom and support to those who were chained by weights of racism and prejudice. Therefore, aside from having a vision and many followers, what made Lincoln such a great leader? What type of leadership style did Abraham Lincoln mostly use and why was it so successful? To begin with, Lincoln seems to fit the bill of what a great leader is supposed to entail. He was very charismatic, intelligent, determined, self-confident, and showed integrity to his followers and goals. All of these traits as described by Northouse (2013) are characteristics that leaders should aim to develop if they want to be effective commandants. Although leadership does not have one exclusive definition, since we all have our own ideas of what it means to be a good leader, Northouse does provide standard definition for the term. Northouse (2013) defines leadership as “a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve...
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...It was exciting to look back into our history at someone who many revere as our greatest leader. Many people today, believe that Abraham Lincoln was and is the greatest President the United States has ever seen. Donald Phillips shares his agreement with this sentiment in his well written book, "Lincoln On Leadership." The book itself was thoroughly enjoyable. It was a very easy read and shared much of President Lincoln's leadership through the eyes and stories of others of that day. This book is a great history lesson of the period of the Civil War and Lincoln's legacy. Through numerous stories, Donald Phillips shares example after example of Lincoln's style of leadership. According to Phillips, "In order to comprehend modern leadership theory and be successful in the future, leaders must look to the past - to President Abraham Lincoln, for example - who routinely practiced nearly all of the 'revolutionary thinking' techniques that have been preached to American industry in the last ten to fifteen years. Lincoln can be looked to as the ideal model for desirable, effective leadership." We would agree for the most part with his assessment of Abraham Lincoln as a leader. This book highlights a number of wonderful leadership characteristics and skills. The one characteristic that seemed to come to the front the most was Lincoln's ability to be a "Servant Leader." Through Lincoln's own writings and words, plus the writings and words of many others it seems clear that he was...
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...of Lincoln on Leadership, Executive Strategies for Tough Times Authored By Donald T. Phillips This report has been completed by Karie Jeisel and Gregory Heintschel DDS For Management 6013, October 2009 Book Overview Author, Donald T. Phillips, wrote Lincoln on Leadership after realizing that many strategies on effective leadership being taught to business leaders today are those which Abraham Lincoln so eloquently employed during his presidency. Phillip’s book points out fifteen different leadership principles that stand the test of time and can be taught and used to improve business strategic planning techniques, models for changing organizations and leadership performance and effectiveness. Abe Lincoln cultivated a deep understanding of the human nature of people. Through this concept, he practiced several principles that led him to meet his goals and his larger vision for the nation to remain united. By spending most of his time with people to understand their nature and motives, Lincoln used the knowledge he gained and his keen ability to persuade in a positive manner rather than using coercive power. His basic philosophy of persuasion, support and delegation was exactly the style of leadership needed to pull the country back to together during the Civil War. Abe appealed to his subordinates’ sense of self-efficacy. He knew the value of making requests and empowering others as opposed to issuing orders. Everyone today can improve his or her leadership and...
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...Leadership Style Paper There are different leadership styles and each leader possesses different traits than the next leader. What type of leader does one look up to? This paper will discuss a person who I consider a leader. The paper will cover why he or she is a good leader, the leadership and management theories he or she uses. In this paper I will also compare my personal leadership style to that of the chosen person I consider as a good leader. In detail I will also discuss the traits that I could develop to better my leadership skills. I will also discuss the strengths I poses that would benefit the leader I have chosen. The historical figure I have chosen as a successful leader is Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln was not only a president but also a great leader who many current leaders now, look up to. There are three leadership abilities that Abraham Lincoln possessed that stand out the most (Great American History, 2013). First, was his ability to acquire trust, loyalty, and respect from his followers. Second, was his ability to inspire his followers to continue to make sacrifices despite the hardships. Third was his effectiveness for appeal to his followers (Great American History, 2013). Abraham Lincoln was willing to listen to different points of view without taking them offensively. This allowed him to listen to opinions before making his final decision. By doing so, this gained trust, loyalty, and respect from his followers (Business and Legal Resources, 2014)...
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...success of Lincoln Electric, an American based company and major producer of welding equipment and associated consumables. Lincoln Electric has been in business for over 100 years and has been the subject of countless case studies for MBA students to analyze the reasons why the company is so successful (Lincoln Electric, 2012; Eisenberg, Sieger & Greenwald, 2001). Within this assessment, I will explore the primary reasons why I feel Lincoln Electric has been so successful and a high performing organization for so many years. Specifically, I will propose literature and research based reasons for these reasons as well as specific actions Lincoln Electric can take as a company to achieve even higher performance in the future. Lincoln Electrics Keys to Success From humble beginnings to worldwide example Lincoln Electric started off from very humble beginnings, being formed during a depression and hardly prospering during the first 25 years of its existence (Robbins, De Cenzo, & Coulter, 2013; Wiley, 1993). However, Lincoln Electric has since become a regular on the Forbes magazine’s list of the 400 Best Big Companies in America and the Fortune 1000 list as well (Koller, 2010). Additionally, Lincoln Electric serves as an example for other companies striving for high performance within their own organizations (Koller, 2010). So what has made Lincoln Electric such a successful company? I’d propose it’s directly related to the company’s corporate culture, leadership and vision...
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...When people think of a great leader, many think of Abraham Lincoln, fourth President of the United States. Lincoln was born in 1809 in Kentucky, but moved to Illinois when he was a young boy. Lincoln spent a lot of time working on the family farm and splitting rails to build fences. From a very young age, he learned the value of hard work. This helped him in his later careers. He was a captain in the Black Hawk War, an Illinois legislator for eight years, and participated in the circuit of courts for many years. According to his law partner, "his ambition was a little engine that knew no rest", proving that Lincoln portrayed leadership to everyone who knew him (Freidel and Sidey, 2006). Lincoln’s vast array of leadership qualities are demonstrated in the book “Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times” by Donald T. Phillips. The purpose of this book is not only to teach leadership, but to demonstrate it. According to Phillips, “the life of Abraham Lincoln, especially his presidency, demonstrated that he possessed all of the great leadership qualities […] such as honesty and integrity, empathy for the common man, and devotion to the rights of individuals” (Phillips, 1992). Phillips lists the different principles that Lincoln lived by, and then gives examples from Lincoln’s life that exhibit them in action. The fifteen principles that Lincoln lived by included ‘get out of the office and circulate among the troops’, ‘build strong alliances’, ‘honesty and integrity...
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...have been great and effective leaders. One past political figure who was an excellent leader was Abraham Lincoln. President Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States and is best known for preserving the Union during the Civil War and emancipating slavery (Abraham Lincoln). He served the United States during a very critical point in history and helped to keep the county together. Abraham Lincoln’s leadership abilities are the topic of this paper. Leader Versus Manager Abraham Lincoln was a leader in many different ways. A leader has people who follow them, focuses on people, and often have a charismatic, transitional style (Leadership vs. Management). President Lincoln was a leader in many of these ways. He had many people who chose to follow him and vote for him as president. They also chose to be his supports through the Civil War and emancipation of slavery. He also was very focused on meeting the people’s needs and wants. This is often the sign of a good leader because they are working to help better things for their followers. Lincoln was always striving to achieve what was best for the country, which is why he was such a strong leader. President Lincoln was also a manager in many aspects as well. A manager has subordinates, focuses on work, and has an authoritative, transactional style (Leadership vs. Management). As the President of the United States, Lincoln had many people who worked underneath him to help him to lead the country such as the vice president...
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...Contents Leadership Models 1 Lincoln on Leadership and Civil War Leadership 1 Personal Traits 3 Ethics 4 Learnings from Tim Irwin and Tony Dungy 6 Personal Leadership Development 7 Leadership Models 1. We have studied several leadership models. a. Upon which model(s) are you building your personal leadership foundation? I have found useful parts of several different leadership models. Principle Centered Leadership fits best in my leadership style. The aspects of Principle Centered Leadership that I find most important is that values and convictions is the driving force in my leadership. I especially connected with the values and traits exhibited by Lincoln in the Lincoln on Leadership book by Phillips. b. In what ways will that model(s) help you increase your leadership effectiveness. Leading by principles gives us consistency and flexibility in our decisions. Our principles guide us but allows us to make decisions based on our standards rather than based on rules. Fewer rules allow others more flexibility and empowers them to make good decisions for that particular situation. This will help me to be more effective by empowering others to be more effective. Lincoln on Leadership and Civil War Leadership 2. Lincoln on Leadership and Civil War Leadership Case Examples a) What do these quotes imply to you and me? i. “The life of Abraham Lincoln, especially his presidency, demonstrated that he possessed all of the great leadership qualities...
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