Lincoln: Elements of a Successful Leader - Book Report/Review Example

What Made Lincoln Great: Elements of a Successful Leader Lincoln led by putting himself on the level of the people he served and those he supervised while simultaneously maintaining authority and respect. In his book, Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times, Donald T. Phillips describes in bounty Lincoln's leadership style. Probably the most effective elements of that style are human contact, consistency, and communication. It is not one of these alone, but the combination of all three, that makes a great leader. Probably one of the major flaws in corporate America today is a lack of communication, particularly between managers and their subordinates. By applying Lincoln's leadership principles, supervisors can better lead their employees, resulting in an increase in productivity and job performance. Human Contact "Lincoln realized that people were a major source of information and that to be a good leader he had to stay close to them." - Donald T. Phillips By making himself accessible, a leader earns the trust and respect of his subordinates, encouraging them to come to him with ideas, questions, and problems. It also lets a leader know how his department is running and what his employees' perspectives are. Lincoln employed this aspect of leadership style in nearly everything he did. According to his personal secretaries, John Nicolay and John Hay, Lincoln spent 75 percent of his time meeting with people. If he was not seeing people in his office, he was out visiting people. Lincoln said of his open-door style, "I tell you that these are my public opinion baths, for I have little time to read the papers and gather public opinion that way and though they may not be pleasant in all particulars, the effect as a whole is renovating and invigorating." In too many businesses a supervisor sits in his office and manages through other people. While delegation is an important aspect of any management position, spending too much time in the office can put a manager out of touch with employees, and can lead to resentment on the part of employees. And, as Lincoln said, being in touch with subordinates gives a manager a feel for how smoothly - or not so smoothly - his employees are working together. Tension in the office between employees can hinder work production and even cause good employees to leave. Lincoln detailed the importance of this particular leadership element when he relieved Gen. John C. Fremont from command of the Department of the West in October 1861. In a letter to Gen. David Hunter, Fremont's successor, Lincoln wrote of the departing general, "He is losing the confidence of men near him, whose support any man in his position must have to be successful. His cardinal mistake is that he isolates himself and allows nobody to see him; and by which he does not know what is going on in the very matter he is dealing with." By circulating among his constituents and subordinates, and learning first-hand how they felt, Lincoln was able to prevent many problems and handle those problems that did arise more quickly and efficiently. By consistently visiting departments and taking daily jaunts through the office, a manager can discover problems before they escalate into major catastrophes. Such accessibility also encourages employees to voice ideas and opinions that could prove to be a boost for the organization, but would otherwise be kept quiet. By going to his subordinates instead of making them come to him, Lincoln also showed those around him that he was genuinely concerned about their welfare, gaining their trust and respect. The same is true of organizations today, and an employee who respects his boss will work harder and exhibit more loyalty. Phillips explains, "If subordinates, or people in general, know that they genuinely have easy access to their leader, they'll tend to view the leader in a more positive, trustworthy light." Thus, they will be more willing to work a few extra hours, take on bigger projects, and will exhibit a heightened sense of dedication. Adaptable Consistency "He (Lincoln) tended to be strikingly flexible while at the same time a model of consistency." - Donald T. Phillips A leader must be consistent in his manners and expectations, but not unyielding. An inconsistent leadership style can confuse employees on what they are supposed to do and how they are supposed to do it. According to Phillips, "Lincoln was consistent in how he treated people, and how he made assignments and promotions; consistent in his interaction with is cabinet members and generals; and consistent in how he administered and managed the government and its war machine." Phillips says consistency is necessary in any leadership position because, "such dependability from a leader inspires trust and naturally makes people feel more comfortable on a day-to-day basis." One of the worst mistakes a leader in any organization can make is being inconsistent in his requests, expectations and management style. Such inconsistencies frustrates employees because what is considered remarkable one day may be considered a complete failure the next. This leads to resentment, a feeling of despair and can lead to good employees going elsewhere. At the same time, an effective leader recognizes that being open to new things and able to adapt in any given situation is also necessary. Lincoln knew that he had to be steadfast in areas like personal character, and how he handled his personnel, yet accepting and even proactive in his approach to the war and preservation of the Union. Any good manager has to be able to recognize the need for backup plans when "Plan A" doesn't work, and to handle situations that arise spur-of-the-moment, like an employee out sick on a major presentation day. By being able to adapt to such situations and others that might arise, the manager of an organization prevents embarrassment, lost business and increases the organization's credibility on future projects. Lincoln knew that at all times, but particularly trying times - such as during the Civil War - he had to be flexible and adaptable. Lincoln actively researched and tried out new weapons, strategies, and policies in an effort to protect and preserve the nation. He said his "policy was to have no policy." This strategy, according to the president, left him in a position to be open to new ideas that could win the war. "I shall not surrender this game leaving any available card unplayed," Lincoln said. Lincoln not only practiced flexible consistency, he expected the same of those around him. Phillips notes, "Early in his first administration the president directed and encouraged his cabinet members to be consistent in their choices for political appointments, to be sure their actions met with the public's needs and opinions." The same holds true for today's organization, a business is only as good as its employees, and employees must be consistent in their work, yet able to quickly make adjustments when something is not working as expected. Communication "The Only way you can motivate people is to communicate with them." - Lee Iacocca Communication can be oral or written, and Lincoln masterfully employed both in his leadership style. Lincoln frequently employed both, particularly when handling a personnel discipline problem, as illustrated in his dealings with Joseph Hooker, the general he chose to replace Ambrose Burnside as commander of the Army of the Potomac. Before allowing Hooker to take command, Lincoln held a meeting with Hooker to discuss what the president expected of the young general, and to address some issues Lincoln had with the new commander. Before their meeting, Lincoln wrote a letter detailing what was to be discussed during the meeting, and at the conclusion of their conversation, handed the letter to Hooker. In this manner, Phillips said, Lincoln ensured there was "no mistaking what his meaning or directives were and there could be no misinterpretation when two senses, sight and sound, were appealed to rather than one." As important as communication is, it is worthless if the information conveyed is misread or misunderstood because it is not clear. In a business, failed communication can be disastrous. By employing Lincoln's practice of using both sight and sound, today's manager can ensure, as Phillips said, employees understand what is expected of them and what the consequences will be if they fail to perform. Memos and letters are a good way of documenting what was discussed in a meeting and serves two purposes - one, to give an employee something to refer to while performing the task at hand, and two, to give the manager a hard copy of what was told to the employee so the employee cannot claim ignorance later. Phillips said Lincoln's style of communication was so successful because he was "consistent and clear when speaking to others." He said this is still important in communicating with others today. "No matter what the method of communication - memos, discussions, phone calls, etc. - to lead effectively you must be clear and confident in what you have to say and then you must follow through." Lincoln began his political career viewed as a backwoods country lawyer, but that may have been the very thing that made him a great leader. Lincoln was down-to-Earth and put himself on the level of the people. He was steadfast and held his ground, but was able to bend when the situation required it, and he was a great communicator in every sense of the word. Phillips, Donald T. (1993). Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times. New York. Warner Books. Read More