Last week one of the folks I follow on LinkedIn, Chris Heim, President of one of our technology partners, AbeTech, published a post on “Honoring Lincoln on Labor Day.” I believe that Lincoln is one of our best (if not the best) Presidents. His entire time in office was devoted to the preservation of the Union and equal rights for all. It would have been interesting to have had an opportunity to witness the recovery plan he had crafted had he survived.
One thing I really appreciated in Chris’s Post was how he personalized many of Lincoln’s traits into his own approach to management. I have mentioned in my earlier posts that I have a passion for history and the lessons it teaches. That interest has naturally included Lincoln. While there are many, many books and articles about him, here are two that I think provided an interesting insight into the man – and his leadership:
Lessons from Lincoln: 5 Leadership Tips History and Science Agree On
Eric Barker, Time Magazine, March 2014
This article offers an excellent explanation of why he deserves credit for the outstanding leadership reputation he holds – and provides examples we can use today.
“Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”
– Abraham Lincoln
10 Famous People Who Struggled In Life – Successful People Who Failed
Rebecca Temsen, Self Development Secrets
Abraham Lincoln is among the ten people reviewed in this article. It provides excellent insight into his strength, humility, and perseverance to continue his journey despite his failures.
“If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?”
– Abraham Lincoln
With all the information and opinions continually bombarding us today, I find that it’s always helpful to look back to others that may have faced similar – or more significant – challenges with success.
Our roles as leaders in our private and public communities demand that we try to separate ourselves from the “noise” and seek a window to better times. People like Abraham Lincoln certainly offer many lessons to assist us now and into the future.
While I have focused on a particular person in this article, I challenge you to look back into your own lives at those everyday heroes (maybe a parent, a teacher, a co-worker, etc.) that have made a personal impact on your life. Lessons are all around us if we open our eyes, ears, and mind!
As HL Group presses forward with the launch of our next-generation of mobilePLUS solutions, that effort has frequently returned me to our many relationships and reminded me of all the lessons I’ve learned from our peers. Whether it’s our solution providers like Workday or partners like AbeTech and Makse Group, everyone offers a chance for growth. My challenge is to accept these opportunities as the gifts they are and pass them along in my actions with my team, our customers, and my outside community.
In these noisy times of 30-second sound bites and unending opinions, it is valuable to have examples like Abraham Lincoln to serve as lessons and encouragement.
