Lincoln's Leadership - 3 Reflections

I really enjoyed Lincoln's Leadership Lessons.  There is so much we can learn from his leadership style and the way he conducted himself and his affairs.  He is described as being thoughtful, calm and deliberate in his responses - he didn't panic no matter what the situation or decision he had to make. He gathered information, processed it, took his time and made well thought out decisions. He always maintained his cool.  A great example was the discussion about "hot letters".  Sometimes the people we work with and work for can really irritate you and may sometimes write scathing emails and other documents that are very challenging to address.  Lincoln knew not to respond out of anger and passion but instead, he preferred to speak with the person face to face.  This strategy diffuses the situation, gives the other person time to cool off and ensure that words are not twisted and perceived differently than their original intent.  This is a great lesson of leadership to learn as we are often faced with angry emails and letters from teachers, community members, colleagues, supervisors, board members etc.  Being strategic in our responses is absolutely crucial especially given the speed that information travels in today's world.  

His quiet magnanimity was above reproach. He did not let ego get in the way of leadership and his sense of purpose. Ego is easily one of the worst distractors for leaders.  He was said to lead with a "gracious temperament" and his "magnanimity was almost superhuman". Lincoln was viewed as always leading with steadfast purpose - rising above competition within his cabinet, his critics and supporters.  This competition can distract the purpose of an organization and contribute to petty animosity.  What Lincoln lacked in brains, experience, statesmanship etc. he sought out in other leaders and other people.  He knew how to leverage the talents he purposefully surrounded himself with.  

Lincoln had a strong sense of self confidence. His political genius was to impress his purpose upon everyone at all times. If he yielded to one of his subordinates that was because they convinced him to change his mind and his thoughts based on plenty of empirical evidence and well thought out analysis.  He knew how to inspire people and he always learned from his mistakes. It is interesting that Goodwin states he had an inner vision of himself and what he believed could be possible and pursued that vision with persistence.   There are not many leaders who have an "inner vision" of themselves.  I found this particularly intriguing as I reflected on my own "inner vision".  He felt that people should be treated fairly no matter their "station" or situation in life.  All of these attributes gleaned the utmost respect of even his most admirable enemies.  You could not deny his character and integrity.  Lincoln was the leader that everyone flocked too and wanted to be around even in a time when these ideas were not supported or accepted.  

Lincoln was touted as being great in periods of crisis. As an educator over the last 14 years, it seems that there hasn't been anything but crisis. Educational Leaders can learn from this concept tremendously.  He was good in these situations because he led with his values and beliefs and didn't let the false crisis of other people to influence his beliefs.  He led with humility and humor and "he took his job seriously but never overestimated himself" (p. 10).  He was always willing to change and evolve.  A few great quotes that support the true Lincoln that I absolutely adore are:  "progress before pride" (p. 11); "we must think anew and act anew" (p. 11).  Both quotes showing his progressive nature and attitude toward always moving forward.    

Finally, Lincoln knew how to blow off steam and relax through entertainment and humor. He knew the importance of shaking off stress and those who worked with him enjoyed his humor.  As educational leaders in a time of extreme stress, pressure, and accountability, this could be one of the best pieces of leadership advice.  We can't take ourselves too serious and we have gotten to find ways to pursue our personal interests and hobbies in order to let our guard down in this dynamic world that is moving at an extremely fast pace.