"Make friends with the dead."
Abraham Lincoln's character, competence, and communication marks him by consensus as America's greatest President. Learn from Lincoln.
Authors have written more books (well over 15,000) about Lincoln than almost any other historical figure. Why? Let's examine.
1. Character
His fame spread widely...via Doris Kearns Goodwin,
- Tolstoy's tale of meeting barbarians and their request.
“‘But you have not told us a syllable about the greatest general and greatest ruler of the world. We want to know something about him. He was a hero. He spoke with a voice of thunder; he laughed like the sunrise and his deeds were strong as the rock and as sweet as the fragrance of roses. The angels appeared to his mother and predicted that the son whom she would conceive would become the greatest the stars had ever seen. He was so great that he even forgave the crimes of his greatest enemies and shook brotherly hands with those who had plotted against his life. His name was Lincoln and the country in which he lived is called America, which is so far away that if a youth should journey to reach it he would be an old man when he arrived. Tell us of that man.’"
Lesson - strengthen our character.
2. Criticism
Lincoln understood the power of criticism. He wrote "Hot Letters" expressing his displeasure, often with his generals. After composing them, he put them aside, writing "Never signed, never sent." That didn't mean that he 'suffered fools' as he replaced underperforming generals.
Lesson - "Hold fire." Better to "shout praise and whisper criticism." Words matter and can hurt.
3. Communication
Lincoln was a master communicator with self-education and exhaustive preparation. He simplified stories and used humor and imagery to make his points. Communication, not coercion, was his style.
Lesson - Others perceive us through our words and our actions. Read and study better communication.
4. Technology
Lincoln was a science nerd. He studied new technologies (such as the telegraph) and used them to advantage to help preserve the Union. He is the only President to have a patent, on a device to help float grounded boats.
Lesson - Study and implement technology that can help your individual and team performance.
5. Optionality
Lincoln sought to understand the numerous options available before making decisions.
Lesson - Be aware of both decision-making effects and secondary consequences.
6. Decisiveness
When it came to making decisions, Lincoln sought advice then acted decisively. Before releasing the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, he heard some in his Administration contest it vehemently. Nonetheless, he moved ahead.
Lessons - Coaches must implement tough decisions on both people and strategy and navigate hard conversations.
7. Politics and Teamwork
Lincoln understood that despite his education, he also had limitations. Doris Kearns Goodwin's masterpiece, "Team of Rivals," discusses how he brought political opponents into his cabinet. Seward (State), Bates, (Attorney General), and Chase (Treasury) were integral in moving his plans and management of the Civil War forward.
Lesson - Surround ourselves with talented people. It doesn't always work. President John F. Kennedy's "Best and the Brightest" blundered through foreign policy including the Bay of Pigs and Vietnam. As a head coach, bringing in complementary skills via assistants can pay dividends.
8. Trial Periods
Lincoln knew that every hire or action wouldn't work out. He realized the gravity of the saying, "Hire slow and fire fast," for individuals and policies. Many leaders struggle with "sunk costs" or "commitment to publicly shared statements" instead of fixing what's broken.
Lesson - Every position and role are up for grabs every season and during the season. There is no seniority system as court time and roles depend on performance.
9. Flexibility
Leaders balance consistency in actions and tone with the ability to change when change is needed. The best leaders inspire confidence through communication and setting high standards for their actions.
Lesson - Model excellence. Ask regularly as Brad Stevens does, "What does our team need now?" Be open and willing to change when the situation dictates change. Consider Coach Bob Knight's quote, "Just because I want you on the floor doesn't mean that I want you to shoot."
10. Rest and Relaxation
As Commander in Chief in the bloodiest war in American history, Lincoln understood that he needed "down time." He attended over a hundred plays during his Presidency. Obviously, the last worked out poorly.
Lesson - Finding work-life balance is a challenge for every leader. You cannot lead others unless you lead yourself. Part of your responsibility as a leader is self-care.
Lagniappe. Many 'buzzwords' exist in coaching today - values, culture, standards. Here's a graphic that shares ideas about standards from well-known coaches.
Most teams talk about standards.
— Coach AJ 🎯 Mental Fitness (@coachajkings) February 4, 2026
These 11 coaches and players actually lived them.
Here are 11 powerful standards that build elite culture: 👇 pic.twitter.com/gcSuBSk526
Lagniappe 2. Book recommendations. Nobody reads everything about everyone...impossible. Two exceptional works worth reading:
"Leadership in Turbulent Times" (Doris Kearns Goodwin) - examines the presidencies of Lincoln, the Roosevelts, and Lyndon Johnson. It's a "Cliff Notes" (almost 500 pages) summary from her "major" works.
"Lincoln on Leadership" (Donald Phillips)
No comments:
Post a Comment