lOMoARcPSD|21126671
MSL201L08 Leadership Analysis
SH1
Advanced Leadership (Liberty University)
lOMoARcPSD|21126671
MSL 201, Leadership and Decision Making
Lesson 08: Leadership Analysis
Revision Date: 31 July 2015
Student Handout 1
Biography – Abraham Lincoln
Background
Lincoln’s background was quite undistinguished. He was born in 1809 in a one-room log cabin in
Kentucky and grew up rather poor. He had only one year of school throughout his adolescence and
taught himself how to read and write. He married Mary Todd after his first love died and his second
turned down his marriage proposal. Together Abraham and Mary Lincoln had four children, all boys.
Lincoln became a lawyer and entered politics after several failed business attempts. He served one term
as a Whig Party congressman, during which he opposed the Mexican War. He later joined the new
Republican Party and lost an 1858 election for the Senate in Illinois after he toured the state with his
rival, Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, engaging in a now-famous series of debates over slavery. The
debates brought Lincoln national attention, and in 1860 he won election as 16th president of the United
States in the nation’s most regionally divisive election.
Accomplishments
President Lincoln endured extraordinary pressures during the long American Civil War. He carried on
despite generals who weren't ready to fight, assassination threats, bickering among his Cabinet
members, huge loss of life on the battlefields, and opposition from groups such as the Copperheads.
However, Lincoln remained brave and persevered. He didn't give in to the pressures and end the war
early. He kept fighting until the Confederacy was defeated. A lesser man would have given in and
stopped the war before the goals had been achieved. Lincoln did not do this.
The Emancipation Proclamation didn't immediately free any slaves because it only applied to territories
not under Lincoln's control. The actual fact is that legal freedom for all slaves in the United States did
not come until the final passage of the Thirteenth Amendment in December of 1865. Lincoln was a
supporter of the amendment, but he was assassinated before its final enactment.
President Lincoln's domestic policies included support for the Homestead Act. This act allowed poor
people in the East to obtain land in the West. He signed the Morrill Act which was designed to aid in
the establishment of agricultural and mechanical colleges in each state. Also, Lincoln signed legislation
entitled the National Banking Act which established a national currency and provided for the creation
of a network of national banks. In addition, he signed tariff legislation that offered protection to
American industry and signed a bill that chartered the first transcontinental railroad. Lincoln's foreign
policy was geared toward preventing foreign intervention in the American Civil War.
Lincoln's most famous speech was the Gettysburg Address. In the address Lincoln explained that our
nation was fighting the American Civil War to see if we would survive as a country. He stated it was
proper to dedicate a portion of the Gettysburg battlefield as a remembrance of the men who had
fought and died there. Lincoln said that the people who were still alive must dedicate themselves to
finish the task that the dead soldiers had begun which was to save the nation so it would not perish
from the earth.
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lOMoARcPSD|21126671
MSL 201, Leadership and Decision Making
Lesson 08: Leadership Analysis
Revision Date: 31 July 2015
Student Handout 1
Leadership
Lincoln had a benevolent leadership style in contrast to oppressive, participatory, or hands-off. When
there was disagreement among advisors and himself, his leadership style often involved telling a story
that demonstrated his point. Lots of times this method worked, and people admired and respected him
for it. He could virtually disarm his enemies with his moralistic, skillful leadership. Lincoln possessed
qualities of kindness and compassion combined with wisdom. In fact, one of his nicknames was "Father
Abraham." Like George Washington, Lincoln demonstrated an extraordinary strength of character, but
Lincoln's unique style of leadership involved telling stories which explained his actions and influenced
others to follow his lead.
Lincoln was known for his humility, empathy toward others, and identification with the common man—
possibly all influenced by growing up poor. Throughout his presidency, he remained close to the Union
troops. Rather than remaining in the White House and just letting things happen, he regularly inspected
the federal units that moved through Washington, D.C., and he frequently visited the Soldiers and
worked directly with their leaders. He would often ride alongside these troops, talking to them and
listening.
Famous for his open door, Lincoln rarely turned away anyone who wanted to speak with him. His
bravery, persistence, and audacity in defending the Union and abolishing slavery spoke to his devotion
to the Constitution and individual rights. He was well read, keenly intelligent, and an inspiring speaker.
His unrelenting energy and drive distinguished him from other leaders. It’s clear from the reaction of
those around him that these traits came naturally to Lincoln—and that he was able to use them to
further his political career.
Looking at his political and military career, one aspect of Lincoln’s leadership becomes apparent: He was
consistent in his values and behaviors. He believed that building alliances and empowering his Army
leaders was the most effective approach. He worked hard to build positive relationships with his
subordinates. For example, Lincoln overcame negative feelings toward him from Secretary of State
William H. Seward, one of his subordinates. Seward initially thought that Lincoln was incompetent and
unqualified for the job of president.
Seward had run against Lincoln for the Republican presidential nomination, so perhaps his feelings are
understandable. Lincoln recognized Seward’s leadership qualities, however, and appointed him to his
Cabinet. He worked hard to build trust in Seward, who had his own agenda, frequently trying to
influence Lincoln on many important decisions. Lincoln always listened, but stood firm in his decisions.
Even though he disagreed with his subordinate, he took time to visit him in his office and at his home
frequently. He invited him to visit the troops with him and over time, they got to know each other.
Seward gradually began to see Lincoln’s strengths and to realize they shared similar ideas. As this
relationship developed, Lincoln delegated much authority to Seward in presidential business. Seward, in
turn, gave Lincoln honest counsel, including how to conduct the war.
In his time as commander in chief, Lincoln appointed and replaced many Army commanders: among
them George McClellan, Ambrose Burnside, and Joseph Hooker. One of his primary complaints about
many of these men was their inability to attack decisively. But he was not a micromanager. He often
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lOMoARcPSD|21126671
MSL 201, Leadership and Decision Making
Lesson 08: Leadership Analysis
Revision Date: 31 July 2015
Student Handout 1
wrote to encourage his generals to take the offensive, but he rarely ordered it. When time after time
they did not act, Lincoln replaced them.
Lincoln firmly believed that you “catch more flies with honey” and he used his vast powers of persuasion
to share his vision with others. Recall that one of his core values was his empathy for people. He paid
particular attention to honing his speeches so they were clear, concise, and directed toward the
common people. Some of Lincoln’s most famous speeches, like the Second Inaugural Address at the
beginning of this section, explain his vision. Most famously, Lincoln sets forth his vision of American
unity in his 1863 Gettysburg Address.
Abraham Lincoln realized that leadership was more than issuing orders or managing details. He knew
that circumstances and people’s attitudes change and that such changes call for a leader to respond in
different ways. Lincoln clearly understood that effective leadership is about the outcomes, that results
do matter and are the measure of an effective leader.
Lincoln faced a situation that no other president had ever faced—a total civil war. To ensure the success
of the federal forces and the effort to reunify the country, he was decisive and exerted more authority
than any president before him. For example, because of the popular unrest, particularly in areas close
to Washington, Lincoln declared martial law and suspended the constitutional writ of habeas corpus,
which allowed the military to make arrests without specific charges. During his administration, he
directed the spending of money, ordered the purchase of Navy ships, and allocated funding to
“encourage immigration.” He issued formal Presidential War Orders and, most notably, in 1862 he
issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
Lincoln’s interpersonal skills made him an extremely effective leader. He purposely chose not to direct
others, but often used storytelling or analogies to help them see his point. He stayed close to his
subordinates, visiting them in their homes often to get to know them and building the relationships that
were paramount in his success. Lincoln wisely left the tactical details to his commanders, stepping in only
when their inaction veered toward catastrophe. He was results-oriented and was often frustrated by his
own commanders’ lack of vision and drive. Still, he found the grace to defend them as Soldiers and the
mercy to forgive their faults as men.
Communication was one of Lincoln’s clear strengths. His years as a lawyer helped him improve his skills
in the art of persuasion. He knew what needed to be done and used his personal, moral, and legal
authority to make quick, effective decisions. Lincoln reminded his subordinates of their purpose by
reminding them of their origins and creating a vision of the future to ensure their rights were forever
preserved. Lincoln was able to communicate his vision at every step—in his conversations, personal
letters, speeches, and actions. Lincoln was involved in most details of the war. He assigned special
people to report all the details to him. He often went directly to the sources and waited for their reports
so he could quickly make the next decision. He built a plan to bring the secessionist states back into the
Union without retaliation, helping those communities to heal more quickly from the war.
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lOMoARcPSD|21126671
MSL 201, Leadership and Decision Making
Lesson 08: Leadership Analysis
Revision Date: 31 July 2015
Student Handout 1
References:
Norton, R. J. (2015). The Accomplishments of President Abraham Lincoln. In Abraham Lincoln Research
Site. Retrieved from http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln87.html
U.S. Army (2006). Foundations of Leadership MSL II. New York, NY: Pearson Custom Publishing. Chapter
6: Leadership Analysis.
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