Abraham Lincoln was loved by people, if you see the movie Lincoln by Spielberg, it is a pretty moving portrayal of a man who who had strong leadership skills to force the passing of the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery. It shows how the love and support of people can be earned and used for the greater good. While, your intentions may not be as political but they may be as audacious when it comes to your company or small business. This post examines 3 leadership skills entrepreneurs can learn from Abraham Lincoln.
Leadership Skills of Abraham Lincoln
Get comfortable with conflict
In an important lesson in leadership from Lincoln, entrepreneurs must learn to get comfortable with people who they may not always agree with. Getting counter opinions will help you introspect and reflect on matters with a wider perspective. As an example, Lincoln filled his cabinet with a team of his rivals. These men were among the brightest minds in the country who were unafraid to challenge Lincoln and assert their opposition. This intelligent move ensured that conflicts always came to the surface and did not thrive internally.
Be Decisive
Time and again, successful leaders have been proven to be very decisive even with the toughest calls they had to take. Your calls may not always be right or may not benefit everyone – but that is why everyone needs a leader – so there is someone who can take the weight of a decision and its impact. While Cabinet members argued and showed various facts, Abraham Lincoln had the courage to assess the available information and take a call that was the best for the country at that time.
Connect with people at a personal level
Abraham Lincoln was a solid leader and the 16th President of the United States of America. While his honesty, courage and other attributes are attested and admired, Lincoln was also a very people person. His jokes and story-telling allowed him to break ice and tread his way to common ground in cases of conflict. He was also known to be extremely accessible and citizens were allowed to see him.
There is a lot for entrepreneurs to learn from Abraham Lincoln‘s management style and leadership lessons. Good leaders are always on the learning curve and understand the importance of connecting with people. After all, there are no leaders without followers.
