Research Paper Outline On Abraham Lincoln

Essay Outline

Proposed Title: Abraham Lincoln’s Leadership Abilities Made Him the Greatest President.

Proposed Thesis: Lincoln's leadership abilities include leading in a collaborative manner, clear communication, and assertive tone with empathy. I believe that Abraham Lincoln's leadership abilities allowed society to view him as a successful President and continue to be acknowledged as the greatest President in history.

Reason 1: Include a topic sentence tied to your thesis for each reason.

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Abraham Lincoln led in a collaborative manner with a hands-on personal approach to the citizens of the nation while in the oval office.

Evidence 1:

Lincoln’s personal hands on approach was seen when he visited the troops and others. Lincoln tried to be accessible to the people as often as possible.

Evidence 2:

Lincoln’s leadership provided by exercising a strong hand by being decisive, leading by being led, setting goals

and encouraging innovation from subordinates. “As a leader you should always let your subordinates know that the honor will be all theirs if they succeed and the blame will be yours if they fail” (Phillip, pp. 29-30).

Evidence 3:
Lincoln utilized The Gettysburg Address to unify and bring collaboration between citizens and troops to continue to fight against slavery.

Reason 2:
Communication was one of Lincoln’s strengths to convey to the citizens while being the President.

Evidence 1:
Lincoln communicated in simple messages that were easily to understand, as well as to be remembered and shared with the public.

Examples: The emancipation Proclamation, and The Gettysburg Address

Evidence 2:

Abraham Lincoln spent long hours in the White House telegraph office communicating with military and state leaders. To convey his strategy to insure clarity and alignment throughout the Civil War (Kuhla, 2014).

Evidence 3:

Abraham Lincoln is also known as Honest Abe. He gained this nickname when he was a young boy working as a store clerk and he realized he short changed a customer by a few pennies. He closed the shop and delivered the correct change which was a 3 mile walk. In his writings, speeches he held true to being honest. An example of the honesty that Lincoln utilized is Lincoln as commander in chief was honest and straightforward with his generals, told them directly what he did and did not appreciate about them. An example of his candor is the following excerpt from a letter to Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker in early

1863:
"I have placed you at the head of the Army of the Potomac. Of course I have done this upon what appear to me to be sufficient reasons, and yet I think it best for you to know that there are some things in regard to which I am not quite satisfied with you. I believe you to be a brave and a skillful soldier, which of course I like . . . I have heard, in such a way as to believe it, of your recently saying that both the army and the government needed a dictator. Of course it was not for this, but in spite of it, that I have given you the command. Only those generals who gain successes can set up dictators. What I now ask of you is military success, and I will risk the dictatorship" (Leidner, 1999).
Reason 3:
Lincoln switched from being suggestive to assertive while providing empathy with his generals and citizens.

Evidence 1:
Lincoln believed that as a civil leader he would leave operating the army to his Generals in the beginning. This idea changed in the summer of 1863 when the Army lost two major battles and he then took an approach to be more assertive with the Generals. Soon after the leadership style changed the army became more successful. The Army was viewed more proactive following Lincoln’s orders. (Faber & Govindarajan, 2016)

Evidence 2:
Lincoln’s anguish over the civil war was shown by his speech at Gettysburg Address. Lincoln did not boast of achievement but empathy and sadness of the men who died for Civil War.

Evidence 3:
Lincoln understands of the mindset of the South he stated, “I have no prejudice against the Southern people. They are just what we would be in their situation. If slavery did not now exist amongst them, they would not introduce it. If it did now exist amongst us, we should not instantly give it up.” – Abraham Lincoln in the U.S. Senate debate at Ottawa, August 21, 1858.
If you have additional ideas and points you can add further reasoning here.

Achieve the goal while keeping egos in check:
Lincoln’s approach stated that he kept his eye on the prize and once he determined that emancipation was critical to winning the war he was single minded in focusing on the proclamation.
His passion was for the goal and not to promote himself. (Linden, 2013)