Lincoln On Leadership Essay

Submitted By dpradev10
Words: 1215
Pages: 5
Open Document
Lincoln’s Strengths
Most of the criticisms aimed at Lincoln can be mitigated when one considers that his major philosophy entailed finding the compromise between what was right in theory and what could be achieved in practice (D’Souza, 2005). Lincoln’s insight into his ambition likely lead to his identity as a servant leader once he ascended to the presidency. I believe his patience was very important in terms of how the United States came to view Lincoln. If he had been rash and jumped in without taking the time to adequately assess the situation the war could have gone in a very different direction, with the south being even more disgruntled and the northern army being extremely unprepared.
Lincoln had the courage of his convictions and was consistent in his vision to preserve the union. This could not have been easy with so many people pressuring him to modify his vision. I believe this ultimately helped him to win the war because his troops knew that he was 100% behind them. Lincoln’s consistency included encouraging the troops, and holding himself accountable to them if he felt he had made a mistake (Davis, 2009). Lincoln’s ability to admit his faults went a long way in helping him to earn the support of his troops. With faith as his guide during his presidency Lincoln was able to speak to the general public using the common language of his religion.
Lincoln’s rhetorical skills helped him to earn the support of the public and colleagues. Lincoln was able to try and heal the wounds of wars, as he began to make overtures to the South once the war was almost over (Field, 2011). Lincoln’s humor and empathy helped him to get out of many tricky situations. It is likely that his humor and empathy also helped to lessen the sting of unwanted or bad news when he had to deliver it. His empathy allowed Lincoln to put himself in the opposition’s shoes and affected the way that he approached the war as a whole. This empathy helped him to be a great leader, as he made sure his decisions were well thought out since he did not want to harm anyone if possible.
Lincoln’s hands on approach to the Civil War and his presidency helped him to realize his vision. By seeing the ins and outs of his soldiers daily lives he was able to determine when a change needed to be made. Being a servant leader allowed Lincoln to decide how to do the most good for the most people while mitigating the negative effects of war to the best of his ability. I believe that Lincoln was ultimately a successful leader even though he lost his life due to his vision. Lincoln successfully realized his vision to preserve the union, and it still remains unified over 200 years later.
Leadership Lessons from Lincoln
Lincoln believed in being a leader that was actively involved in all aspects of his presidency. This active involvement from a leader helps their team to identify with his vision and feel loyalty toward him as a leader. Having an open door policy allowed his troops to feel comfortable coming to him with their problems. As a servant leader Lincoln felt the need to serve the people as a leader. If leaders can think of leadership as service to others instead of engaging in a power trip I believe that we would have stronger teams with more respect toward our leaders.
Lincoln showed that a leader could be ambitious; otherwise they would not have attained their leadership position. With that in mind, ambition needs to have the support of a personal vision. Lincoln shows us the importance of a leader having a strong personal vision, and helping his team to develop a vision to guide their undertakings. He shows how consistency from a leader is rewarded by consistency from his team such as the consistency he received from the Union troops (Davis, 2009). Lincoln then shows us the importance of continually working toward his vision and not allowing anything to distract him from this vision. This can sometimes be difficult for leaders in this modern day of email and
Show More

Related Documents: Lincoln On Leadership Essay

Lincoln and Leadership Essay

Lincoln and Leadership The article Lincoln and Leadership can be found in The Economist. Right now, there is a big wave of love for the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. This can be attributed to Steven Spielberg’s new film Lincoln and the novel Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns. The article looks at why Mr. Lincoln was a successful president. The article is quick to point out that Lincoln was an outside choice for president. There were two other candidates that had much…

Words 324 - Pages 2

Lincoln Movie Leadership Analysis Essay

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…

Words 1382 - Pages 6

Abraham Lincoln: Organizational Culture and Leadership Essay

Group Assignment Part I: Organizational Culture ‘Imperial College of Business Studies (ICBS)’ Part II: Leadership ‘Abraham Lincoln’ Introduction This report has been compiled as a group assignment under continuous assessments for BUS 4304 – ‘Organizational Culture and Leadership’, a subject which is followed during the Semester 1 of the 4th Academic Year for the Bachelor’s Degree – Business Administration (Special) offered by the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. As per the guidelines…

Words 5117 - Pages 21

Abraham Lincoln: a Great Leader Essay

Abraham Lincoln was a man of humble beginnings who, though self-taught, rose to greatness through the many leadership qualities that he possessed. Quality traits that Lincoln possessed were honesty, integrity and a great devotion towards the rights of the people. It was probably through his impoverished upbringing that he formed such a bond with common folks. Lincoln was able to show the country that an ordinary person, with strong character and integrity, was capable of inspiring others to greatness…

Words 872 - Pages 4

Abraham Lincoln Research Paper

Abraham Lincoln as an Artist What is an artist? Can only certain people be considered as artists? Are you an artist? An artist is a person who is exceptionally skilled at something. It could be anyone with great leadership, or one who had an extraordinary impact on the world. An artist is not just anybody who can paint abstract figures on an open canvas. Abraham Lincoln was an artist because of his astounding leadership and view of the world that changed everyone’s perspective. First, Abraham…

Words 565 - Pages 3

Abraham Lincoln Dbq

past presidential actions. During the year of 1861, Abraham Lincoln ran for presidency and became the sixteenth president up until the end of his presidential role in the year 1865. Lincoln is commonly known as “honest Abe,” and so was known to never tell a lie. Since the day Abraham Lincoln became president, he was one “for the people” and was one to fight for the rights and liberties to those who faced segregation. Since Abraham Lincoln was able to take responsibility for the country, and manage…

Words 1640 - Pages 7

Abraham Lincoln Vs Jfk Research Paper

diverse challenges, two American presidents, Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy “JFK”, share several similarities and differences that make them fascinating subjects. Both of these men were killed the same way, they both were assassinated and shot in the head. They were also known for their speeches, For Abraham Lincoln it was the “Gettysburg Address” and for JFK it was the “ Inaugural Address”. They also have several differences, for example, Lincoln grew up in a log cabin in a rural area. At the same…

Words 446 - Pages 2

What Was Abraham Lincoln Legacy

Abraham Lincoln: The Legacy of an American Icon. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is a towering figure in American history. Born in a log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky, on February 12, 1809, Lincoln rose from humble beginnings to become one of the most revered leaders in the nation's history. His presidency, marked by the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, left an indelible mark on the American consciousness. In this essay, we will delve into the life, leadership, and…

Words 723 - Pages 3

Lies My Teacher Told Me Analysis

Leadership is often the key for a unit to be successful whether it be a sports team, choir or a nation. Countries can be defined by what kind of leadership that they have and what these leaders to for their people. The Union during the Civil War was led by the great leader Abraham Lincoln. He eventually ended up winning the war for the union through his superior leadership skills and ideas that spread throughout the country. Lincoln used the idea of equality and freedom for the black people who were…

Words 544 - Pages 3

Abraham Lincoln's Argumentative Essay

If Lincoln had survived, he would continued on with idea of not expanding slavery and give them the voter the African American. Then later would also let African American to be able to do the same thing as white people can do. In the American Vision Modern Time Textbook “ Lincoln publicly announced that he would issue the Emancipation Proclamation-a decree freeing all enslaved persons in states still in rebellion…” Many people praised about him about his leadership and the 25 years or so; he would…

Words 229 - Pages 1