Lessons on Leadership

A few days ago I cam across a new HBR article (April 2009) that is a fantastic lesson in leadership, called aptly enough, Lessons in Leadership From President Lincoln. Interviewed for the article was my very favorite historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin, who also wrote Team of Rivals, an account of President Abraham Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War.

What follows is the "bottom-line" for those of you who want a preview, don't have time to read the article, or who would like the list of things to think about and act upon. For the whole article with wonderful Lincoln examples go to: http://ping.fm/MenXy

Surround yourself with strong people who feel free to question and argue with you. "Lincoln surrounded himself with people, including his rivals, who had strong egos and high ambitions; who felt free to question his authority; and who were unafraid to argue with him.

Have the confidence to put the best people by your side. "Lincoln came to power when the nation was in peril, and he had the intelligence, and the self-confidence, to know that he needed the best people by his side, people who were leaders in their own right and who were very aware of their own strengths. That’s an important insight whether you’re the leader of a country or the CEO of a company."

Share the credit for success and shoulder the blame. "You also have to be able to figure out how to share credit for your success with your inner team so that they feel a part of a mission. Basically, you want to create a reservoir of good feeling, and that involves not only acknowledging your errors but even shouldering the blame for the failures of some of your subordinates. Again and again, Lincoln took responsibility for what he did, and he shared responsibility for the mistakes of others, and so people became very loyal to him."

Know how to connect with the larger audience. It is "essential to know how to connect to the larger public. In Lincoln's case this was through speeches "that that were filled with such poetry and clarity that people felt they were watching him think and that he was telling them the truth." For today's leader, it is vital to lead across, up and down and use a variety of communication mediums. Much more important than sounding good, (although knowing how to present is important) is authenticity and value. Your leadership and goals will only gain traction if people see you as honest, truthful and authentic and your goals as contributing to the greater good.

Learn how to relax and replenish. "As a leader you need to know how to relax so that you can replenish your energies for the struggles facing you tomorrow. Lincoln went to the theater often."

Possess emotional intelligence. "What Lincoln had, it seems to me, was an extraordinary amount of emotional intelligence." I have seen more than my share of leaders stopped in their tracks due to lack of interpersonal skills, lack of self awareness, and an inability to acknowledge mistakes.

Take a look around you and evaluate how you are doing against the above criteria as a leader. It's worth considering.