Donald T. Phillips
1 Bill Clinton's Political Bible
It's been reported that Bill Clinton treated this book as his political Bible. But don't let that discourage you (this book was recommended to me by former Christian Coalition leader, Ralph Reed). Abraham Lincoln overcame much to become what most historians regard as our "greatest President." For me, the best part of this book was learning how he managed and motivated his generals to action. You can learn a lot from "Honest Abe."
2 A look into the mind of Lincoln and what made him great
I received this book as a gift when I took a supervision course via my employer. It is a fairly easy read and gives one a look inside Lincoln's mind and what made him such a great leader during the Civil War. Lincoln's was so great and so important that he knew he could leave few things to the judgment of others. Lincoln had to rely on his own experience and knowledge of things so that he would not be given less than perfect information and advice from people who wanted to impress him, please him or who had other agendas. Lincoln's management style of MBWA (Management by Walking Around) was born out of the need to have firsthand information when it came to making many decisions while running the country during the Civil War. MBWA is a skill he excelled at, and many managers could make good use of this method. When my current boss first arrived in our organization, I advised him to come out and visit as much as possible in the workplace. I had not yet read this book on Lincoln, but I had had a leader in the past who did such things and he was the best I ever had. It was only after reading this book that I understood why that particular boss had been such a good one, and why I still remember him to this day (this was 20 years ago). My current boss recently made a surprise visit in the workplace and found much wrong. It gave him a look at the real story of how things are and how it differs greatly from some of his junior executive officers' version of things. The points in this book are just as true today as they were in Lincoln's day. I can fully understand why the instructor of my supervisor's course gave this book as a gift to the students.
3 Leadership as evidenced by a true leader
"Lincoln on Leadership" is a cross between a Lincoln bio and a management primer. Author Donald Phillips said he took Sandburg's Lincoln bio for leisure reading at a week long management seminar and realized Lincoln was the epitome of everything that was discussed. He says leadership is a nebulous and abstract set of guidelines that is difficult to learn without viewing it empirically through someone like Lincoln.
Phillips uses Lincoln's presidential years to demonstrate the virtues/techniques of MBWA, honesty and integrity, persuasion, courage, goal-setting, paradox, decisiveness, humility, and sense of humor. I only wish he could have drawn more from Lincoln's pre-presidential years as an example of how a leader is made. This is a short and easy-to-read book that should be a must for any study of leadership.
4 Fantastic Study of a Phenomenal Leader
If you want a stimulating and thoroughly researched leadership primer for leaders at all levels, then do not miss this gem of a book by Donald Phillips. The only drawback to reading this book was that I was limited to five stars in reviewing it-it deserved much more.
Donald Phillips wrote one of the best leadership books I have ever read. He skillfully blended many effective historical references (letters, speeches, vignettes, and anecdotes) with modern management and leadership theories to create an easy-to-read performance and character analysis of one of the very best leaders our country has ever known.
This remarkable book could (and should) serve as a "wake-up call" for the many self-proclaimed leaders in all walks of life who fail to understand the adage, "Leadership is action, not position." Some of the book's timeless leadership themes demonstrated and often perfected by Lincoln included:
*Leaders foster trust and build effective relationships with subordinates.
*Leaders are persuasive vice coercive; coercive dictatorships violate the basic rights of individuals.
*Leaders build leaders, not followers, though vision, patience, and persistence for long-term effectiveness vice short-term gains or conveniences.
*A leader who constantly maintains his honesty and integrity, and shows compassion and mercy, will inspire all around him or her to loyalty and great achievements.
Phillips, in his preface, perfectly described the book's value to the leaders of today and tomorrow...
"Since leadership principles are usually expressed rather abstractly, there is a great need for simple, concrete illustrations. Tangible examples make the difference; people relate to them. That's what the study of Lincoln gives us - tangible examples from a widely recognized great leader. Therein lies the basic premise of this book. I hope that present and future leaders in all walks of life will be enlightened (as I was) by the remarkable leadership genius of Abraham Lincoln and then will use that knowledge to improve their own skills."
5 A Short Education On Leadership
A great book for learning to deal with people. After you finish reading about Lincoln's executive strategies in "Lincoln On Leadership", I suggest you go on to read the plain-talking practical anecdotes on human relations in Dale Carnegie's "How To Win Friends", and learn the philosophical basics of leadership in Norman Thomas Remick's plain-talking book "West Point: Character Leadership Education: Thomas Jefferson", to make the reading experience of Donald T. Phillips' "Lincoln On Leadership" even more useful and enlightening than it is unto itself. It's a short education on leadership.
6 A Winning Combination
Donald Phillips does an excellent job using history to teach leadership lessons. You can tell he has done his homework on his research;his bibliography contains over 40 books and the notes about the individual chpaters are very thorough in documenting where his material came from. Phillips' research provides the reader with a number of interesting stories about a great leader. In addition, the points of emphasis at the end of each chapter remind the reader of important lessons learned from each chapter. Highly recommended.
7 ENGAGING, INFORMATIVE, & PRACTICAL
It's a crowded world out there for business authors and consultants who are trying to break away from the pack - to say something different and "brand" a new idea and concept. Covey is probably the most recognizable with his "7 Habits of Highly Successful" People. He created a jargon (expand your "Circle of Influence." What?), catch phrases and partnered with Franklin Date/Time Planners to make the package complete. It was the "holy grail" of personal management; anyone still using it? Anyone still using TQM or ISO? Personal management and leadership is a much simpler concept than Convey et al would have you think.
Mr. Phillips, who recently spoke at our company, looks to the leadership of Lincoln and the Founding Fathers for inspiration. These men did what came natural to them - they didn't attend seminars on effectiveness - they practiced good communication and used each other's skills to their collective best advantage (i.e. Franklin yielded to Jefferson the penning of the Declaration of Independence). Don Phillips distills what they did right and presents it in easy to comprehend concepts that would be applicable up and down the corporate chain of command (from mail room to CEO). In addition, the history lesson at the beginning of each chapter is fascinating. I can not recommend this book enough. Donald Phillips doesn't spin a new language or try to graphically explain (a la Covey) the point he wishes to make. Not all of us are born leaders, some must practice and this book will help. A note on Phillips: he's aliened himself with the US Coast Guard, an organization known globally for its superb leadership. His new book is coauthored with the recently retired Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Loy, and chronicles the challenges faced by the service.
8 Excellent Insights on a Great President and Leader
Phillips' book contains many interesting facts of Lincoln's leadership style and provides many examples of why Lincoln was so effective.
Even as a Southerner, I have always admired Lincoln along with Robert Lee, Thomas Jackson, and U.S. Grant as the most remarkable leaders of a turbulent time in our great nation's history.
Some of the more interesting points Phillips makes in his book are (while including historical examples from Lincoln's life) include:
1. How to deal with unjust criticism.
2. A good leader has to be persistent and focused on his
goals.
3. Encouraging innovation and risk-taking by others.
4. Be succinct and consistent in your communication.
5. An excellent leader must be decisive at the appropriate
time and place.
6. Honesty and integrity are of utmost importance.
7. Persuasion works better than coercion.
8. Never underestimate the power of informally talking
with your subordinates.
All in all, an excellent read full of practical advice on how to treat people with respect and dignity!
9 One of the Best Books Ever for Learning to Deal With People
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".
10 Bottom Line: Great topic but not a very interesting read.
I liked the topic and focus of the book, and I think it's a worthwhile subject to explore. However, the writing was not particularly engaging and I really had to force myself to get through the book.
The book is divided into four sections. Each section contains some specific subsections with examples of Lincoln's style. I liked the format and organization of the book, but the writing in each section tended to stray from the topic in question. At the end of each subsection, the author has listed some "Lincoln Principles". These were an interesting idea, but not implemented well. Sometimes language was not updated for our time, and sometimes words seemed to be put in Lincoln's mouth - in fact, I wondered what he would think after reading this book!
There's no question that Lincoln was a powerful leader; whether or not he was "the greatest leader this world has yet known" is debatable. However, he practiced a very effective leadership style similar to Likert's System 3 of management, Blake & Mouton's Team Management theory, and level 4 of Vroom-Yetton's Leader-Participation Model. But I was particularly struck by the similarities to Kunhert and Lewis's Transformational Leadership Theory. The description seemed to be written specifically about Abraham Lincoln. He inspired great loyalty, lived by his principles, motivated people to do their best, and was arguably the greatest communicator to hold the presidency.
Overall, I think we can all learn from Lincoln's leadership style. I plan to be less dictatorial and more persuasive - I noticed that Lincoln used persuasion to great effect. He was also adept at delegating and relied heavily on subordinates, something I'd like to work towards.
11 Bottom Line: Great topic but not a very interesting read.
I liked the topic and focus of the book, and I think it's a worthwhile subject to explore. However, the writing was not particularly engaging and I really had to force myself to get through the book.
The book is divided into four sections. Each section contains some specific subsections with examples of Lincoln's style. I liked the format and organization of the book, but the writing in each section tended to stray from the topic in question. At the end of each subsection, the author has listed some "Lincoln Principles". These were an interesting idea, but not implemented well. Sometimes language was not updated for our time, and sometimes words seemed to be put in Lincoln's mouth - in fact, I wondered what he would think after reading this book!
There's no question that Lincoln was a powerful leader; whether or not he was "the greatest leader this world has yet known" is debatable. However, he practiced a very effective leadership style similar to Likert's System 3 of management, Blake & Mouton's Team Management theory, and level 4 of Vroom-Yetton's Leader-Participation Model. But I was particularly struck by the similarities to Kunhert and Lewis's Transformational Leadership Theory. The description seemed to be written specifically about Abraham Lincoln. He inspired great loyalty, lived by his principles, motivated people to do their best, and was arguably the greatest communicator to hold the presidency.
Overall, I think we can all learn from Lincoln's leadership style. I plan to be less dictatorial and more persuasive - I noticed that Lincoln used persuasion to great effect. He was also adept at delegating and relied heavily on subordinates, something I'd like to work towards.
12 Challenging
What a unique and future thinking approach to history and leadership studies. This author took something that did not exist and made it happen, and it is actually useful. I work in the field of Leadership Identification and Development and I would recommend this book to any leadership professional who wishes to expand their current knowledge base on leadership models. This book is also great for anyone in the workforce who wants to step out and lead.
I think the unique part of this book is that it looks at a leader who made it through one of the toughest experiences in the history of the world, and how Lincoln got through the tough times.
You will not be dissapointed with this book.
13 Great stories, but nothing new here
If you are looking for some magical new insight into leadership, this isn't the book for you. Although the ideas are ones you have heard before, the author does a great job of giving you demonstrable actions you can take by demonstrating how Lincoln exhibited the quality/trait in his own life. Not for the innovator, but certainly great incentive for the new executive!
14 Phillips on Lincoln and Leadership hits the mark.
Donald T. Phillips' book is a wonderful study of leadership through the first-hand experiences of one of history's most masterful leaders--Abraham Lincoln. Phillips introduces a host of specific principles known by many to be effective in leading people and organizations, but takes them to the next level by clearly illustrating Lincoln's use of them through many specific incidents. These incidents bring his example of effective leadership alive, bringing credibility not only to the principles, but to Lincoln. Each chapter's end quite conveniently summarizes the main points allowing the reader to ponder its usefulness to our own leadership roles. One of the best books I've read on leadership--and I've read many. Highly recommended.
15 A Small Book with a Large Tale
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.
Thank you so much Mr. Phillips.
16 "the capability of a people to govern themselves"Lyceum Addr
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.
17 Insightful!
Donald T. Phillips has written a solid and engaging book. It has been hailed by critics and leaders in business, sports, and every other arena as a common sense masterpiece of historical and character analysis. The book is divided into key lessons, each representing an aspect of President Abraham Lincoln's leadership style, as revealed through his words and actions. A beautifully written intimate history, the book shows Lincoln in action. The discussion reveals clearly how any leader can apply Lincoln's timeless principles about communication, character, endeavor, and people. We [...] recommend this book to anyone interested in leadership, Lincoln, or history.
18 Far ahead of his time
This is an excellent synopsis of Lincoln's leadership style and practice. The man who taught us the virtue of perserverance also shows us that tolerance for failure in lieu of sincere effort is also a virtue of a great leader. Lincoln's patience, perservernce, tolerance and humblenss are beyond reproach. Phillips does a magnificent job of illustrating the importance of these traits in this work. The author's use of anecdotes and memorable quips helps to paint a detailed picture of Lincoln's true grace under fire.
19 Lincoln's leadership principles solid today
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.
20 Simple Strategies for Excellence
This book provides a great insight into the character of the man who led us through the most contentious period of American history. The simple tenets that Lincoln followed not only brought our country through a tremendously difficult time, but kept his integrity untarnished through it all.
21 Excellent as a leadership text and as a mini Lincoln bio
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.
22 Lincoln radiates leadership...
Lincoln on Leadership tells the tail of one of the most influential presidents of American history. It's a quick read that really touches at the core of leadership and the man who exemplified the subject best, Abraham Lincoln. The way the book is titled makes you think that it was Lincoln himself who actually wrote it (this is not true). Although there's a good amount of writing by Lincoln in the book, the lessons are mostly interpreted by the author Donald T. Phillips, through actual historical events taken from the president's life in office. The author does a great job of extracting the jewels of leadership wisdom by analyzing Lincoln's actions. Lincoln on Leadership is not a step by step guide on leadership theory, it is more of a biography on Lincoln's life in office. If your looking for a thorough history on Lincoln don't bother, most of the items covered are during the Civil War, the time where Lincoln displayed most of his leadership abilities.
The contents of the book are presented in four parts, each part breaks down into several sub-parts pertaining to the main topic:
Part I - People
Part II - Character
Part III - Endeavor
Part IV - Communication
I must tell you, after reading this book I am definitely interested in learning more about our sixteenth president (AKA - Honest Abe). Lincoln on Leadership helped me see the extraordinary attributes of an American legend. His honesty, integrity, and tenacity are all characteristics that should be mimicked by all students of leadership.
Excellent job Donald...
23 Solid Leadership History of Lincoln During the Civil War
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.
24 Lincoln - More than just an honest man!
Unlike some of the other reviewers, I didn't find this book to be a fast read - mainly because I often stopped while reading to relate the author's points to my own experiences. I also found myself wanting to reread some portions to fully grasp the ideas. Anyone who wants to improve their leadership skills should not only read this book but should also mark it up and underline key points and refer back to them periodically! I clearly came away with a much deeper respect for our 16th president.
25 Good, light reading on leadership
This book does a good job of detailing some of the skills needed to be a great leader: the importance of building friendships; when to ignore criticism and when to face it; and taking responsibility for decision-making. I also give Lincoln great credit for his superb use of stories and American mythology. He breathes American history, as best illustrated by this quotation: "I have never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence." I do see some flaws in Lincoln's style though. Phillips gives Lincoln credit for almost never giving direct orders, but I don't see a thing in the world wrong with direct orders. After all, the fastest route between two points isn't always a curve. And the way Lincoln shuffled generals around seems downright counterproductive. Overall though, this is a good book and I'd recommend it to anyone.
26 Detailed insights into the life of a great man and leader
I had bought this book along with a number of others, and it is my nature to read more than one book at a time. This book however was not put down until finished and no other book shared my reading time during that period. Enjoy it and learn from the life of one of the greatest leaders the world has known. The writing style makes you feel that you are actually there during the civil war, contemplating with Abe how to handle a particular situation.
27 You'll feel better about your OWN abilities
Lincoln only gets better and more impressive the more we know about him.
Bear in mind that the author extrapolated much of the book from Lincoln's writings, speeches as well as 2nd and third person biographical references, but this shouldn't diminish the underlying themes.
You'll find that you already practice many of Lincoln's techniques. Half way through the book you'll probably find yourself saying -- I'm doing many of these things already!
For fans of Lincoln, this book adds to his already impressive resumŽ. For those that are management-challenged, this book will give you cause for hope. For management whizzes, the book will be valuable for subordinates. You can't lose.
28 Excellent Leadership Book!
I read this book very carefully and am really impressed with the guidance it gives. I am also impressed with the insights it gives on Lincoln. It's a shame that there is the one extremely negative review of this book. Obviously that reviewer was in an extremely foul mood! I am studying many books on leadership and find this to be among the best. While it doesn't break leadership down into a step by step set of instructions, I find that this cannot be done for as complex a subject as leadership. Leadership has to be learned through studying excellent leaders and modeling their behavior. This book gives an excellent modeling session on Linclon and his leadership style.
29 Best Leadership book I've read in a long time!
Donald Phillips has done an excellent job of structuring this book so it is easy to find topics you are interested in. He makes Abraham Lincoln come alive! It is very interesting to have history mixed in with current leadership practices.
30 Must have book for todays leaders
Lincoln on Leadership is the formula of todays leader. This book touches on all the characteristics of what leadership is about. It is a breath of fresh air,as well as very inspiring.
31 Great book on actual leadership skills and how to use them
As a business consultant this is the book I use in my classes with business leaders and CEO's. It's a wonderful book that reflects and teaches the leadership skills of a great man and compassionate leader. I wish more leaders of corporations and this world would learn from this book and apply what it represents.
32 BE THERE
I had ordered 12 books. The first to be picked up was LINCOLN ON LEADERSHIP. and I finished it before starting any other. The book makes you feel the presence of the great man. I enjoyed it immensly. I learned a lot from it and am looking forward to rereading it.
33 The finest book on leadership I've ever read
When you consider the almost insurmountable odds Mr. Lincoln faced even before his inauguration, it is amazing that he was able to pull our country back together. If he had not been successful, we would have a different country than we do today.
I believe this book should be required reading for every office and classroom today.
34 Superb insight on Lincoln, great advice for today's leader.
Lincoln's leadership style is as affective today as it was more than one hundred years ago. Little did I know that the style I use daily was so similar to his. Excellent read for business and military leaders. Highly recommended.
35 A Great Book to Read. He was the MAN
This was an awsome book. The book can seem far fetched at times. However, he was a great leader. The book was an inspiration for me to become a better leader to those around me. It gave practical example that could apply to or lives.
36 I had to keep remembering this man lived a 100+ years ago
I used this book for a final paper in a MBA class on Leadership. I had to keep reminding myself that Lincoln lived and utilized these leadership qualities over a hundred years ago. His book and strategies became a companion to my text. I will no doubt continue to use it in my job structure today. I highly recommend it.
37 LOTS OF PLATITUDES, NOT MUCH ON HOW TO GET THERE
Maybe I'm just tired from moving a family of 6 from Dallas to Wiesbaden Germany, but this book seemed to have little concrete value to me. There were lots of platitudes and exhortations such as "Be Flexible", or "Have Courage", but I really didn't see any suggestions from the author about HOW to obtain these sterling qualities.
To me, this was just another book on the overworn topic of "improving management skills", which is trying to ride to success on his very large coattails. I have read the writings of Abraham Lincoln extensively, and I seriously doubt whether he gave any conscious thought to "management skills" as they are studied today. My reading of him is that he was willing to work very hard and long, sacrifice himself for his values and his country, and always treat people at all levels with respect and dignity. These personal character traits cannot be just arbitrarily assumed, but must be developed within the individual, or are part of the inbred character of the individual.
The author might better have framed his work in the light of providing examples of Lincoln's sterling qualities and the results they gained as an inspiration to draw the reader to the arduous task of developing these qualities if they are lacking, rather than a chapter-by-chapter "textbook" on various aspects of management.
Because of what I felt was a somewhat preachy style, and the other items already mentioned, I didn't even finish the last 20 or so pages.
38 A very informative and educational book for all leaders.
After I read this book, I found myself looking at my leadership role alittle differently. I'm in the Air Force and currently supervise 10-15 young airmen. Lincoln's principles are life lessons that should never be forgotton and always used. I wish that books like this one will find their way onto all the desks of our country's top leaders, as well as individuals such as myself.
P.S. The Clinton quote on the cover is humorous to say the least.
39 For Once...Leadership Plainly Illustrated
I found this book to be irresitibly readable and chock full of information and material immediately applicable to life and life in the business world. Mr Phillips does a wonderful job of illustrating leadership principles through Lincoln's style and approach to leading and governing. This method makes it extremely easy for the reader to understand the concepts being conveyed. If Lincoln was able to save the Union in the most extreme condition by use of these principles, it's easy to imagine that they could work in various other situations. Mr. Phillips doesn't ignore Lincoln's weaknesses, but uses them and how Lincoln tried to handle them as teaching material to demonstrate how leaders can be effective in spite of their personal shortcomings.
In short, this is one of the more valuable, interesting, AND usable books that I have read in years. I have ordered "Leadership and the Founding Fathers" and hope to gain as much from that as I have from the Lincoln book.
40 Lincoln through the lens of modern leadership theory.
Phillips bridges the gap between leadership theory and practice by analyzing Lincoln's actual traits and behaviors, with which most people are familiar, within the context of what the literature says about leaders. It is a quick read, but is filled with concrete examples of how Lincoln's use of what we call "leadership" saved a nation, abolished slavery, etc. In so doing, Phillips puts a real face on the practical aspects of leading. Each chapter concludes with a summary list of actual advice from Lincoln's own words. Recommended!
41 A must-read book for leaders & leaders-to-be.
This book outlines the nuts & bolts of how to lead/manage. It gives general principles and backs them up with detailed examples from Lincoln's life. I wish the author would have gone further in discussing the history surrounding each example. That was a chaotic time in our histroy, more so than today. When you see how Lincoln handled the problems of that time, you'll gain insight about resolving modern-day problems.
If the author had given further historical detail, the nature of the problems would be much clearer.
42 Should be required for all Executives
Mr. Philips gives the new executive an excellent outline
on how to conduct their leadership.
The problem is sticking to his outline.
The reader will understand that leadership is a life and not a job.
