Abraham Lincoln Leadership

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Recommended: Defining servant leadership

This is a story of leadership by one of the greatest presidents in the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln understood the power behind a great story. He understood the importance of relaxation along with humor to disband stress while replenishing for the challenges of the next day. Lincoln had a great sense of humor and loved to tell funny stories encouraging a healthy environment of laughter and fun while he was President.

Throughout American history, very few men have been loved by a nation such as Lincoln was. It is rare to be remembered decades later for your daring feats. Abraham Lincoln has done just that. His leadership skills accompanied with his personality are thought to be of a certain quality still today. Now that we know he has been revered time and again throughout history, let us find out exactly why.
Some facts about Lincoln are he was a farmhand, rail splitter, ferryman, postmaster, store owner, surveyor, and lawyer before becoming a politician. His parents could not read or write and as such he taught himself to read by borrowing books with no reliance on any sort of formal school system. (Interesting Facts, 2014) The beginning of his great leadership is found in numerous books. (The History Place presents Abraham Lincoln, 2014) He tailored his qualities of great leadership based on George Washington who was also considered an extraordinary leader. However, the road to success was not easy.

As president, Lincoln was confronted with major issues. Decisions such as the American Civil War to the Emancipation Proclamation were always at his front doorstep. (The White House, 2014) In addition, during this time being a part of the Republican party was certainly more difficult than bei...

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...The Servant as Leader (What is Servant Leadership, 2014).

Our 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, is a great example of servant leadership in America. It has been said that the reason he sought the presidency was that it was the best way he could serve his fellow Americans (Welborn, 2011). Lincoln’s desire to free the slaves is the perfect example of his servant leadership style with the ultimate goal of empowering the people by giving them what they needed (Welborn, 2011).

Examples of servant leaders that come to mind are Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and Nelson Mandela. True servant leaders are rare; the desire to lead others so that they may be lifted up is an uncommon quality. Abraham Lincoln showed empathy, kindness, compassion, and good will toward his fellow man, making him one of the few and rare, servant leaders.

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