Lessons on Leadership from Honest Abe

Jordan Summers

For the past few months Doris Kearns Goodwin’s meticulous record of our nation’s 16^th President’s journey from the circuit court in Illinois to the fateful night of April 14^th, 1865, has served as a supplement to my studies at the DeVos Graduate School of Management. As I absorbed Goodwin’s Team of Rivals I have found a number of great lessons which can be broadly applied to the subject of leadership. 

It was reported that in the time leading up to his inauguration President Obama consumed Team of Rivals as he contemplated the construction of his cabinet.  Lincoln’s decision to build a cabinet filled with professional rivals, some of whom came to Washington with their own personal agendas and others still reeling from his shocking nomination and subsequent election which had squelched their own ambition for the Executive Office, is the central theme of the book.  However, it does a great disservice to Goodwin’s extensive work as well as to Lincoln’s life to ignore the many other lessons that can be drawn from the book.

Timing is an often overlooked element of leadership. Lincoln was able to use his ability to read the pulse of an entire nation to allow him to optimally time some of his most important actions.  Nowhere is this more evident that in his timing of the Emancipation Proclamation.  In Goodwin’s account, it is clear that if Lincoln had given into the pressures of abolitionists and members of his cabinet, and made his intention to emancipate slaves too early on in the war, public support for the war efforts would have waned.  However, if Lincoln had waited too long, the boost in support provided by the proclamation, as well as the ability to recruit black soldiers, would not have come soon enough to turn the tide in the war.  The issue of timing is particularly important in the context of the present-day; as leaders face the challenge of maintaining functioning organizations, communities etc., in the face of necessary layoffs, budget cuts, etc.

While the economic and societal challenges that leaders face today are significant, many of these challenges seem much more manageable in comparison to the life and times of Abe Lincoln.  From an early age Lincoln became accustomed to struggle and pain.  By the age of seven Lincoln had already experienced tumult as his family became impoverished, and at the age of nine Lincoln became accustomed to tragedy with the death of his young mother.  Young Lincoln dealt with these challenges with a humor and resolve that would prove vital to his existence further in his career.  Through failed political campaigns and professional pursuits Lincoln maintained his steady and relentless pursuit of his goals.  For example, in 1855 Lincoln was hired by a prominent attorney from Pittsburgh to help represent the defendant in a patent case which had generated national attention.  Hired for his low hourly rate and his connections in the Illinois’ legal community Lincoln saw the case as a tremendous opportunity for career advancement.  However, when the case was moved to Cincinnati, Lincoln was frozen out of the case after months of extensive work by the lead attorney Edwin Stanton.  After experiencing an understandable level of disappointment, the Reaper Trial served to further solidify Lincoln’s resolve to achieve professional growth.  As a testament to Lincoln’s ability to put aside personal gripes, Stanton would later become Lincoln’s Secretary of War, and one of his most trusted companions.

The most gripping example of Lincoln’s toughness and resolve came in the midst of the Civil War, when his young son died.  While his wife was stricken with uncontrollable grief, Lincoln was forced to reserve his grief for the few private moments he had.  Beyond the loss of his son, Lincoln was faced with the overwhelming challenge of overseeing the bloodiest war in our nation’s history.  Through it all he was able to look beyond his earthly suffering as he led the nation through its most trying times.

After reading Team of Rivals I would ultimately say that what I see as the single most important element of Lincoln’s leadership is his commitment to the anti-slavery cause.  For what truly drives an effective leader is purpose.  As Goodwin states in regards to Lincoln’s commitment to the anti-slavery movement – “Once he committed himself… (Lincoln) demonstrated a singular tenacity and authenticity of feeling.  Ambition and conviction (were) united…”  Lincoln set his mind on an objective and used his God-given gifts which were honed through the fires of life to change the course of our nation’s history.