Glorification Of Leadership In American Leadership By Donald T. Lincoln

1152 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: An essay on Abraham Lincoln

Lincoln was a great leader. He became president during a very turbulent time in American History and was able to fill big shoes and decisively lead the US through one of the bloodiest wars in history. However, this required a great deal of leadership ability, maturity, and a steady hand, which Lincoln brought. He had policies about him that make him a great leader, and these were written about by Donald T. Phillips. I find that a number of the ideas in this book are very important and relevant. I’ll take us on a bit of a journey to touch on each one that I find to be the most important. The first idea that I find important is the notion of “Get Out of the office and Circulate Among the Troops.” The idea is that you don’t really get what your …show more content…

The leader should act for the people and the victory should be shared. Glorification of the leader is bad because it makes the followers wonder why they worked so hard just to not be recognized. One of Lincoln’s principles reads that “If you are a good leader, when your work is done, your aim fulfilled, your people will say, "we did this ourselves."” This is interesting because the idea is to encourage your people and rise them up so it’s a team effort, synergy would be a way to describe it. The idea that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, people want to know that their contribution is valuable and that they made a difference. This is very important because letting your people lead you helps give them purpose and makes you a better leader because you can learn from them and they from …show more content…

If people fail, don’t lose confidence and keep letting them try. Don’t surround yourself with people who will just validate your ideas, find people who are willing to challenge the way you think so you can continue to grow as a person and as a leader. He also says to encourage people to take action on their own initiative without orders, be proactive in taking care of business. In general, I find this to be important because people in top level positions tend to surround themselves with yes men so they don’t ever get a sense that they’re ever wrong. Confirmation bias is very dangerous, it’s important to find others who think differently than

Show More
Related

  • How Did Abraham Lincoln's Assassination Impact Society

    836 Words  | 2 Pages

    Without a doubt, Abraham Lincoln is one of the most celebrated people in American history. Between time span of the years 1800-1900, Abraham Lincoln is a man that stands out from the rest because of his accomplishments during life and presidency. Lincoln most definitely helped shape the United States into what it is today, with lasting benefits of equality for all, regardless of skin color. During presidency, Lincoln carried on doing what he wanted to get done despite the lack of support from many and endless death threats. When there was conflict among advisors and himself, his leadership style often involved telling a story that displayed his point. Most of the time this method worked, and many people admired and respected him for it. He

    Read More

  • The Cherokee Leader: John Ross And The Cherokee

    2252 Words  | 5 Pages

    What is a leader? According to the dictionary a leader is a "person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country." (Merriam Webster) Though that may be what the term leader is defined by, one would assume that it takes much more to be considered a "good" one. A leader, is in many cases the voice of the people, he is the one whom everyone looks to in a time of panic, the one whom the people entrust to make the hard decisions and the one whom is supposed to value his constituents wants and need. Unfortunately most leaders fall short of accomplishing the things they set out to do, "as principal chief during the 1830s John Ross faced the most critical period in Cherokee History, and somehow

    Read More

  • The Personas of Abraham Lincoln

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    Abraham Lincoln is perhaps one of the most interesting characters to have ever graced the American political arena and presidency. He is most noteworthy, obviously, for his role in saving the United States from its own destruction and the eradication of the vile Southern tradition of slavery. However, upon deeper inspection, one finds there was much more to Lincoln than his political achievements. Throughout his years as a politician, there's a noticeable shift in terms of his character, and political persona. He seems to go from ambitious and boisterous to being more solemn and reserved. Also, it should be noted that some remark that Lincoln was, quite ironically, both America’s most democratic and autocratic President to have ever held office. However, it seems that though there is abundant evidence for his democratic values, there are little to suggest his autocratic intentions. As though some lines revealing such intent can be found, many are also directly rebutted by powerful democratic rhetoric. All of this can be found in Lincoln’s four main speeches; “A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand”, his Inaugural Addresses and the Gettysburg Address. Basically, in order to properly analyze Lincoln it may be best to look at Lincoln’s personal and political changes within the terms of his antebellum and Civil War “personalities”, as well as to examine his democratic and autocratic leanings; all through scrutinizing Lincoln’s major speeches.

    Read More

  • David Herbert Donald's Lincoln about Abraham Lincoln

    1675 Words  | 4 Pages

    David Herbert Donald's Lincoln is a biography of our sixteenth President, Abraham Lincoln. At the age of twenty one, he was sure he did not want to be like his father Thomas Lincoln, an uneducated farmer, so he left his fathers house permanently. He had many jobs, learned many lessons, and made both friends and enemies, all which helped him to become one of the greatest presidents of the United States of America during the time the country had split, the Civil War. Thoroughly researched and excellently written, this biography comes alive and shows us what really happened during the early to mid-nineteenth century and it still puts us in the point of view of our former president, using the information and ideas available to him.

    Read More

  • Gettysburg Address Rhetorical Analysis

    893 Words  | 2 Pages

    Abraham Lincoln wrote one of the greatest speeches in American history known as the Gettysburg Address. It was not only used as a dedication to the fallen troops of the North and South, but as a speech to give the Union a reason to fight and attempt to unite the divided nation. The sixteenth president’s handling of his speech at Gettysburg demonstrated how the effectiveness of juxtaposition, repetition, and parallelism, could bring unity to a nation deeply divided on beliefs. His speech touched the hearts of many and indirectly put an end to the Civil War. Lincoln may have been considered a tyrant at the time but he was a great leader of a nation, a war, and a democracy.

    Read More

  • Lincoln the Tyrant

    2247 Words  | 5 Pages

    There is no doubt that Abraham Lincoln is widely regarded as one of the great American presidents. The general public, when asked about Lincoln, will often tell the tale of a great man. Holding their head high, they will embark on the journey of a benevolent leader, praising the man who envisioned a new America: a great country of racial equality, and the pillar of human liberty. There are some, however, who have quite the opposite view.

    Read More

  • Great American Presidents: Abraham Lincoln

    1153 Words  | 3 Pages

    Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest presidents to ever serve in office in the history of the U.S., serving from 1860 to 1865. A self-educated attorney from Illinois, he proved himself to be a brilliant leader throughout the Civil War period. Although President Abraham Lincoln faced the biggest crisis in American history, he saved the nation by preserving the Union during the Civil War, boosting the economy, by fighting for the abolition of slavery, and by boosting the Northern economy.

    Read More

  • The Audacity Of Hope Summary

    1235 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many times in the text he says “a new kind of politics, one that can excavate and build upon those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans,” (Obama 9). He continuously describes Abraham Lincoln as an ideal example of this quote. Lincoln, having only two years of Congressional experience, was able to become president and lead the country through some of the most crucial years in history using his remarkable trust in American values. The lessons of his leadership are repeated many times in the book to illustrate

    Read More

  • Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation

    669 Words  | 2 Pages

    Abraham Lincoln is arguably one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States. He only served 5 years, but was president in the worst period of American history. He did the unthinkable to many people because of the severity of the decision; he emancipated slaves in the United States. This caused him to be dubbed ‘The Great Emancipator’. The nickname he received is an accurate one because it is a major decision that shaped the future of America. This decision was long overdue and he made sure that the prosperity would not have to deal with the issue of slavery separating the government. Additionally, he was able to change the landscape of the war because the North had affected the South’s way of life. He was very bold for declaring that all slaves will be free, but it was for the improvement of America.

    Read More

  • The Brilliant Life and Tragic Death of Abraham Lincoln

    1661 Words  | 4 Pages

    Abraham Lincoln served in many facets of the United States government and was also a respected lawyer in Illinois. He was best known for being elected as the 16th President of the United States of America. As president, Lincoln guided the United States through one of the worst times in American history, the Civil War. From the start of his political career, Lincoln was instrumental in his efforts and eventual success in ending slavery in America. He was known for his public speaking abilities and delivered some of the most popular speeches in United States history. He lived a successful life before the presidency, during the presidency, and up to the time of his tragic death. His life was cut short when he was assassinated in 1865 while still serving as President of the United States. Lincoln was revered as one of the greatest presidents in American history. Prior to becoming one of the most powerful men in the world, Lincoln grew up in a poverty-stricken family.

    Read More

  • Abraham Lincoln as the Greatest President

    1713 Words  | 4 Pages

    Abraham Lincoln is regarded by many Americans as the greatest president to ever hold office in the history of the United States, and his reputation is definitely well deserved. Lincoln wasn't scared to stand up and fight for what he knew was right. He was convinced that within the branches of government, the presidency alone was empowered not only to uphold the Constitution, but also to protect, and defend it. Lincoln was able to lead our country and preserve the Union, keeping the United States from splintering during the devastating times of the Civil War. As President, he built the Republican Party into a strong national organization, and he rallied most of the northern Democrats to the Union cause. On January 1, 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation that changed the war into a battle for freedom and declared forever free those slaves within the Confederacy. That November, Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address, which stated how a country must be dedicated to human freedom in order to survive. He dedicated the battlefield to the soldiers who had perished, and called on the living to finish the task the dead soldiers had begun. (Donald, 1995) Lincoln believed that democracy could be a lasting form of government. He showed a nobility of character that had worldwide appeal, and he was a man of great integrity. However, Lincoln was not only the 16th president of the United States, he was an American hero. Lincoln was a well-rounded individual and he had numerous outstanding qualities. However, it is important to remember that Lincoln also led a private life, complete with close friends and family.

    Read More

  • Abraham Lincoln-The Greatest President Of All Time

    503 Words  | 2 Pages

    Lincoln did many things while he was in office, one task he did was leading the union to victory during the Civil War. Lincoln helped the Union fight at their best during the Civil War. According to History.com he “proved to be a shrewd military strategist and a savvy leader” (History.com Staff). Here, it explains how he was proved to have many war tactics and strategies which meant that Lincoln was a good leader. President Lincoln took many risks to ensure that the Union was always active when fighting. Republicans also had Lincoln join their party after the

    Read More

  • What leadership means to me

    616 Words  | 2 Pages

    To be a leader you need to be able to inspire others, get people motivated, and set an example to other people. A leader needs to do all of these because if one of these aspects fails people don’t look at the leader...

    Read More

  • ABRAHAM LINCON: A Transformational Leader?

    717 Words  | 2 Pages

    ABRAHAM LINCOLN: A Transformational Leader Throughout history, there have been leaders who are considered as admirable due to positive influences over other individuals. For example, in my opinion, Abraham Lincoln was able to influence the masses of people because he chose to think and behave differently from other leaders before him. When a person is considered as a leader, there are several responsibilities and qualities that will attract others to follow after the teachings that are demonstrated. Leadership can be described as the process for “guiding individuals, groups, and entire organizations in establishing goals and sustaining action to support goals (Shockley-Zalabak, 2015, p. 220).

    Read More

  • A Good Leader Essay

    713 Words  | 2 Pages

    When we work together in a team, or in a broader sense as a society, the leader takes on the most important role. It is the leader that helps prioritize activities and direct people’s thought process in the right direction. They are the ones who have the ability to bring the group together as a whole. Because of this, not anyone can be a leader. Only people with certain qualities and abilities are able to fill this role. So what makes a good leader? There is a defined path and specific characteristics that makes someone a good leader.

    Read More

More about Glorification Of Leadership In American Leadership By Donald T. Lincoln

Open Document