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Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times (Paperback)
by Donald T. Phillips
| Category:
Leadership, Management |
| Market price: ¥ 158.00
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¥ 128.00
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| MSL Pointer Review:
An excellent source of inspiration and education, Donald Phillips's book is highly recommended to leaders who seek insights on the art of dealing with people. |
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Author: Donald T. Phillips
Publisher: Warner Books; Reprint edition
Pub. in: February, 1993
ISBN: 0446394599
Pages: 208
Measurements: 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
Origin of product: USA
Order code: BA00163
Other information: ISBN-13: 978-0446394598
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- Awards & Credential -
The best book on the leadership style of Abraham Lincoln. |
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- MSL Picks -
This book purports to be about business leadership, and if you find it helpful for that purpose, good for you. The author clearly did. The genesis of this book project was an epiphany for the author while taking a management seminar and reading a history of Lincoln during the war years. He realized that the principles in the seminar were all ones that Lincoln employed.
Each chapter explores one broad principle, and then lists subprinciples at the end of the chapter. These subprinciples will feel like leadership or management axioms to most. Few of the chapters have any reference to the management literature or to modern day management situations.
But I found that okay. Whenever I read about Lincoln, I notice things about his leadership and management style that interest me, but I have never seen a book that focused on that element until this one. I thought it was useful to have a history that emphasizes just that slant. I think you will, too, unless Lincoln is someone you don't care for.
The first chapter was especially interesting to me, because it talked about Lincoln's inclination to visit the scene and find out what was going on. There's a very interesting chart that shows how many days a month he was traveling during the war. The author makes a connection to Management by Wandering Around from In Search of Excellence that works.
Everyone will have their favorite part of the book. The sections are divided into things about people, character, endeavor, and communication. I found the communications sections to be unusually good. As outstanding as Lincoln was in many areas, he was probably a better communicator than just about anything else. There is a chapter on public speaking, another on influencing people through storytelling, and one on getting your vision across. These are as timely today as they were in Lincoln's day.
I think that this is the significant aspect of the book for us today: What was important then, that we still resonate to as important today? Whatever themes strike you that way are probably telling you something very fundamental about people and human organizations. Pay attention!
One of the chapters that meant a lot to me personally focused on how Lincoln handled unjust criticism. He often ignored it, but other times he challenged it when it was harmful to the nation not to. The abuse heaped on Lincoln and his wife make today's TV headlines about politicians seem like nursery rhymes by comparison. We can all benefit from thinking about his experiences and how he handled them in this regard.
The book's main weakness is that it makes Lincoln a little too perfect. He had a lot of weaknesses, as we all do. For example, I think a good case could be made for him not being a good judge of people considering the bad results he got from so many generals until he linked up with Grant.
Anyone with an interest in Lincoln will like this book. If you also find leadership lessons you can use, that's a wonderful bonus!
Be sure to banish you stalled thinking about the need to communicate thoroughly and often. This book is a great stallbuster in that area.
(From quoting Donald Mitchell, USA)
Target readers:
Leaders of all types of organizations, young professionals on their way up to the leadership challenges, and aspiring MBAs.
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Donald T. Phillips is the author of the bestsellers Lincoln on Leadership and Martin Luther King Jr. on Leadership, and has appeared on leading television and radio programs. Admiral James M. Loy, Commandant of the Coast Guard from 1998 to 2002, was recently appointed Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, a new federal agency charged with providing security for the nation's transportation system.
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Unquestionably, this is one of the best books ever written to teach the art of "learning to deal with people". An inspiring and uplifting book that provides the very best of what this great human was all about. Humorous and heartwarming, each chapter teaches the reader about practical people skills and does so using time tested successes that truly work. Lincoln understood that "people are all the same wherever you go". No matter what country, age, or race, all people have the same needs, desires and motivations. Lincoln understood this principle better than anyone did. From humble roots, A. Lincoln was tireless in his lifelong quest to excel by being: excellent in study, resilient and magnanimous in defeat, courageous in battle, brave in the face of danger, and sharing of praise in victory. An American to look up to, this outstanding patriot and humanitarian is from the other side of the "final battle" still even today teaching us to "do to others as we would have others do to us."
(From quoting Stephen Smith, USA)
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| View all 8 comments |
Mark Savage (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-30 00:00>
Lincoln on Leadership, that's what the title says. How simple! But get inside and be prepared to change the way you think about work, leadership, leaders, the works. This is one of those books that you'll always look back on and remember how things were different after reading it. It will really impact you in different ways. Let's get on with it...
I have always thought of Lincoln of a unique man placed in the path of a rampaging destiny that he managed to confront and redirect to a more tame direction. He accomplished things that no other president has even had to prepare for, and this book gives you some insite into how he did it. There cannot be a more human man on the planet.
Now let's go to the writing. Mr. Phillips provides a fabulous story that shows what made Lincoln the great leader he was. In doing this, the reader is supposed to get the point, then apply these traits to their toolbox of leadership skills. I'm so impressed by this little book, that I will carry it with me wherever I go, and read it whenever I have a chance. I want to buy one for my boss, but he won't get it. Anyway, they are words to live by, and skills to use for the enhancement of your own leadership skills. Come on, give it a try.
Mr. Phillips even includes a good amount of history, Civil War obviously, in his writing. In my many years of reading about the Civil War, I have yet to encounter, in 15 or so pages, a better description of the problems, search, changes, politics, and ultimate success Lincoln had in finding generals to run his armies. The author covers all theaters, clearly, with detail, and in an engaging fashion. I find that a book that can teach me 2 or 3 different things at the same time is a rare find, and worth more then it's value.
If you're getting this book for a class, work, or related venture, what a treat you have in store. If you're reading this for the hisroty and political science, also a treat awaits. But if you're reading this to learn about being a leader, then prepare yourself for a life altering experience. |
A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-30 00:00>
In concise and efficient manner, Mr. Donald Phillips has humanized President Lincoln through an insightful analysis of his personal skills and styles which are paramount in propelling him into a Champion of the people and one of the greatest Presidents in American history: his bond with and understanding of the common man, his character, his endeavors, his communication skills. This book is well-wriiten and a must-read.
It is, therefore, with great trepidation, that I must point out one particular mis-representation of President Lincoln towards the end of the second paragraph of Chapter Ten/ Set Goals and Be Results-Oriented on page 109 in the 1993 paperback edition. It reads, and I quote: "As a young man, Lincoln tended to be overly ambitious. In 1838, at the age of twenty-nine, dlivering one of his more famous speeches to the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Lincoln proivded some insight into his own personality when he stated: 'Towering genius disdains a beaten path. It seeks regions hitherto unexplored... It scorns to tread in the footsteps of any predecessor, however, illustrious. It thirsts and burns for distinction..."
The referenced Lyceum speech arguably anchored President Lincoln's life, from his personal goals to his political aspirations to his universal agenda for humanity. And the above paragraph tends to distort President Lincoln into the very beasts he was warning his people against.
On January 27th, 1838, at the wake of a national mob riot which resulted in burning in St. Louis of a black man, President Lincoln delivered the speech before the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield in Illinois.
The "towering genius" President Lincoln referred to was among the likes of Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, and those who, if unchecked, would one day rise amongst the people, and with distinction being his paramount object, determining that "opportunity [of doing good] being past, and nothing left to be done in the way of building up, he would set boldly to the task of pulling down." That would lead to the downfall of this nation of the free from within. The approach of danger "must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abraod. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide." President Lincoln forsaw the shadow of destruction in these mob riots and challenged the people to be "united with each other, attached to the government and laws, and generally intelligent, [in order to] successfully frustrate his designs."
It is my hope that this aside could be of help to you, and that one day President Lincoln, his courage, his empathy and his selfless sacrifice would inspire you to greater aspirations, dreams and hope in life as he has done for me. |
A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-30 00:00>
Lincoln on Leadership is an very entertaining book dealing with historical experiences of our 16th President, and the fundamentals of leadership Lincoln used to navigate during our nations most trying time. Phillips does an excellent job defining what leadership is, citing several classic leadership books. Phillips explains how Lincoln used story telling and jokes to persuade people. Phillips persuades the reader to his principles of leadership using Lincoln's story. However, Philips does occasionally make broad opinionated comments about the history behind Lincoln. Regardless, a must read for those interested in how to better lead an organization. |
S. Walsh (MSL quote), USA
<2007-01-30 00:00>
I was initially attracted to this book because of its author, who co-authored Coach K's leadership/coaching manual. It was not long into reading this book, however, that I found the Lincoln that Phillips describes as fascinating as ever. The stories about Lincoln contained in this text illustrate well the leadership principles that Phillips tries to communicate to his readers, and the book is well-balanced between the episodes of Lincoln's life and career, and leadership tenets. Especially helpful (as in the Coach K book) are the summary pages at the end of each chapter (in this book, they are called "Lincoln principles"), which highlight and reinforce the important lessons from the previous pages. Having read this book, I not only have a renewed respect for our 16th President, but I also have a better understanding of leadership and how the principles in this book, exemplified by Lincoln, are applicable in daily life. Additionally, the book is neither exceptionally long nor very "technical," so it lends itself to reading in only a few sittings, which I found a positive aspect also. |
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