Learning from Lincoln

Leadership Practices for School Success

Harvey Alvy, Pam Robbins

• Publisher: ASCD
• Year: 2010
• ISBN:
  9781416612391
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

What can 21st century educators learn from the example of a 19th century president? In this intriguing and insightful book, Harvey Alvy and Pam Robbins show how the legacy of Abraham Lincoln can guide today's education leaders--principals, teachers, superintendents, and others--as they tackle large-scale challenges, such as closing the achievement gap, and everyday issues, such as communicating with constituents. The authors identify 10 qualities, attributes, and skills that help to explain Lincoln's effectiveness, despite seemingly insurmountable odds:

1. Implementing and sustaining a mission and vision with focused and profound clarity
2. Communicating ideas effectively with precise and straightforward language
3. Building a diverse and competent team to successfully address the mission
4. Engendering trust, loyalty, and respect through humility, humor, and personal example
5. Leading and serving with emotional intelligence and empathy
6. Exercising situational competence and responding appropriately to implement effective change
7. Rising beyond personal and professional trials through tenacity, persistence, resilience, and courage
8. Exercising purposeful visibility
9. Demonstrating personal growth and enhanced competence as a lifetime learner, willing to reflect on and expand ideas
10. Believing that hope can become a reality

Chapters devoted to each element explore the historical record of Lincoln's life and actions, then discuss the implications for modern educators. End-of-chapter exercises provide a structure for reflection, analysis of current behaviors, and guidance for future work, so that readers can create their own path to success--inspired by the example of one of the greatest leaders of all time.

Note: This product listing is for the reflowable (ePub) version of the book.

Chapter 1

Implementing and Sustaining a Mission and Vision with Focused and Profound Clarity

By itself, preservation of the Union was an empty concept to Lincoln, unless the Union remained dedicated—or could forcibly be rededicated—to its founding principle that all men are created equal.

—Richard Striner, Father Abraham: Lincoln's Relentless Struggle to End Slavery, p. 7 (emphasis in original)

Defining leadership, especially great leadership, is a difficult task. In their classic book Leaders, Bennis and Nanus (1985) state:

Multiple interpretations of leadership exist, each providing a sliver of insight but each remaining an incomplete and wholly inadequate explanation.… It's as if what Braque once said about art is also true of leadership, "The only thing that matters in art is the part that cannot be explained." (pp. 4–5)

Yet, despite the difficulty of coming to a consensus on how we can measure successful leadership, there is almost universal agreement that success in carrying out the mission and vision of an endeavor—a cause—should be a primary gauge of leadership success. Jim Collins (2005) in Good to Great and the Social Sectors hails the qualities of what he describes as "Level 5 leaders." These leaders are "ambitious first and foremost for the cause, the movement, the mission, the work—not themselves—and they have the will to do (whatever it takes) to make good on that ambition" (p. 11, emphasis in original). In another context, Collins states that these leaders display "a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will" (p. 12). Not surprisingly, Collins (2005, May) cites Lincoln as a Level 5 leader who "never wavered" despite the devastating casualties at the "victorious" Battle of Antietam in 1862 and who resolved to continue the war to preserve the original mission of the Union and the evolving mission toward emancipation.

In fact, Lincoln used the limited victory at Antietam as the opportunity to publicly announce that the Emancipation Proclamation would be issued on January 1, 1863. His judgment in using Antietam as the opportune time to introduce the proclamation is an example of Lincoln's genius for seizing the moment and gauging what the majority of the Northern population, although reluctant in some quarters, was ready to accept. Opportune timing is, of course, a critical skill for all leaders.

When analyzing Lincoln's focus and clarity concerning mission and vision during the Civil War years, it is helpful to consider his thinking on a macro level (large scale) related to national interests and on a micro level (local scale) related to individual opportunity. For example, on a macro level Lincoln was in charge of several critical wartime responsibilities: "He performed or oversaw five wartime functions … in diminishing order of personal involvement: policy, national strategy, military strategy, operations, and tactics" (McPherson, 2008a, p. 5). Other macro responsibilities related to keeping the Northern states' and—maybe more strategically important—the border states' morale and national will focused on victory based on a just cause. Thus, communication with newspapers, politicians, the Congress, and foreign countries needed to be managed successfully to maintain the resolve to win.

On the micro or local level, Lincoln believed that the war would decide whether individual opportunity as part of the democratic experiment would succeed. Thus he often viewed the events of the war on a personal level emanating from his own worldview and experiences concerning possibility: a democratic nation will reward individual merit and transform lives. Lincoln sought opportunities to engage in conversation every day with soldiers or citizens to press the national interest, the importance of the war, and reasons to continue the fight. For example, he said the following to a regiment of Ohio soldiers returning home from battle on August 22, 1864:

I almost always feel inclined, when I happen to say anything to soldiers, to impress upon them in a few brief remarks the importance of success in this contest. It is not merely for today, but for all time to come that we should perpetuate for our children's children this great and free government, which we have enjoyed all of our lives. I beg you to remember this, not merely for my sake, but for yours. I happen temporarily to occupy this big White House. I am a living witness that any one of your children may look to come here as my father's child has. (Basler, 1953–1955, Vol. VII, p. 512)

Mission and Vision Concerning the National Interest

In the United States, the chief executive serves as both the president of a nation and the military commander in chief. Presidents constantly face the realization that military strategy must align with national goals. Otherwise, during wartime, achieving military objectives may not be worthy of the struggle and ultimate sacrifice that war necessitates. Thus, a mission should not have loose ends—a military victory must lead to and support a nation's overarching mission. To illustrate, consider the final paragraph of Lincoln's annual message to Congress on December 1, 1862:

Fellow-citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this Congress and this administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance, or insignificance, can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation. We say we are for the Union. The world will not forget that we say this. We know how to save the Union. The world knows we do know how to save it. We—even we here—hold the power, and bear the responsibility. In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free—honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth. Other means may succeed; this could not fail. The way is plain, peaceful, generous, just—a way which, if followed, the world will forever applaud, and God must forever bless. (Basler, 1953–1955, Vol. V, p. 537)

What is most striking about this document is the far-reaching consequences that Lincoln believed the war would have—not only for the United States, but for the world. Today, words such as "the last best hope of earth" may sound jingoistic, but in the 1860s American democracy was still a relatively new experiment, less than 100 years old. Lincoln saw democracy as a fragile experiment, and one in which success was not yet assured. The Civil War would determine the fate of democracy; Lincoln knew this.

The year 1862 was only a few generations removed from the revolutionary period in which a democracy had emerged, carved out of a British colony ruled by a European monarch. Heroes of the revolution were still alive when Lincoln was a youth.

The 1862 annual message also reveals Lincoln's development concerning the issue of slavery. Before the war, he was firm about holding to his interpretation of the Constitution—permitting slavery in defined states and territories but refusing to compromise on the expansion of slavery. And, although he considered various solutions concerning the abolition of slavery (including the very controversial option of supporting the foreign colonization of former slaves), the 1862 message provides insight into his development on the slavery question and the postwar possibilities of ex-slaves. These possibilities led, eventually, not only to emancipation, but also to Lincoln's public suggestion on the White House balcony on the evening of April 11, 1865, that some qualified former slaves in Louisiana should have voting rights. Voting rights for former slaves was a radical notion at the time. Not coincidentally, John Wilkes Booth swore to carry out his deadly conspiracy upon hearing Lincoln's words at the White House on that same evening. Booth acted three days later.

The "last best hope" idea also provides insight into Lincoln's vision of how each group suffers when one group is maligned. This was not a new idea for Lincoln. In 1855, when discussing the hatred of the Know-Nothing Party for immigrants and blacks, Lincoln wrote to his best friend, Joshua Speed:

I am not a Know-Nothing. That is certain. How could I be? How can any one who abhors the oppression of negroes, be in favor of degrading classes of white people? Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid. As a nation, we began by declaring that "all men are created equal." We now practically read it "all men are created equal, except negroes." When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read "all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics." (Basler, 1953–1955, Vol. II, p. 323)

A compelling mission and vision should have personal meaning to all those who may be affected by the idea. Clearly, that was the case with Lincoln.

As commander in chief, Lincoln knew that to accomplish the mission, his war aims could not succeed simply by keeping Confederate troops off Northern soil. In fact, he never referred to, or verbally talked about, two separate nations or a separate "Confederate States of America." He did not refer to a "North" and "South" of Union and Confederate troops. Lincoln maintained that certain states were in rebellion against the Union; they were not the Confederate States of America. Also, he was firm about the military mission. When Union general Meade told Lincoln that his troops had succeeded in keeping Lee off Northern territory at Gettysburg in July 1863, a frustrated and angry Lincoln stated, "The whole country is our soil" (Donald, 1995, p. 446). And when Union general Hooker suggested taking Richmond after the Battle of Chancellorsville, Lincoln firmly noted that "Lee's Army, and not Richmond, is your true objective point" (Donald, 1995, p. 439). As Winik (2001) states, "No man was more fervent in his belief in the Union, no man loved his country, North as well as South, as much as Lincoln. And no man was more concerned about not simply winning the war, but about keeping the country and the nation together" (p. 242).

Later generations recognized the unique mission and challenge that Lincoln faced as much more than saving a union; maybe later generations could see Lincoln's vision better than those who witnessed the events of the Civil War years. For example, one of the most profound and clearly articulated explanations of Lincoln's mission occurred during the dedication of the Lincoln Memorial in 1922. Andrew Ferguson (2007) points out that in Germany, Bismarck helped to consolidate and create a union, as did Garibaldi in Italy; but in Lincoln's case it was a particular kind of union that was being fostered. Ferguson notes that at the dedication ceremony on May 30, 1922, the president of Tuskegee Institute, Robert Moton, the son of slaves, eloquently described the Lincoln achievement:

The claim of greatness for Abraham Lincoln lies in this, that amid doubt and distrust, against the counsel of his chosen advisors, in the hour of the nation's utter peril, he put his trust in God and spoke the word that gave freedom to a race, and vindicated the honor of a nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. (p. 266)

Thus we see that Lincoln's purpose was realized because he understood the mission and vision and wavered from neither. The mission of union and equality could be realized only if a vision emerged of a nation that not only treated people equally but also could implement the democratic principles necessary to extend freedom and possibility to all.

Maybe the best historical example of a mission statement, with a rationale and an aligned vision clearly noted, is the Gettysburg Address (see Figure 1.1), which Lincoln delivered at the dedication ceremony for a national soldiers cemetery at Gettysburg. For the thousands who witnessed the address on November 19, 1863, and the millions who have studied the address since, the brief 272-word document leaves no doubt of the mission—equality and union; and the vision—a new birth of freedom and a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Edward Everett, the most renowned orator in the United States at the time and the primary speaker during the Gettysburg dedication, was one of the few to immediately realize the significance of Lincoln's remarks. Three days after the event he wrote to Lincoln, "I should be glad, if I could flatter myself that I came as near the central idea of the occasion in two hours, as you did in two minutes" (White, 2009, p. 609).

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Figure 1.1. The Gettysburg Address

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

—Abraham Lincoln

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In addition to articulating a concise mission and vision, the Gettysburg Address points to other leadership qualities that characterize Lincoln. For example, the humility of successful leaders is often a most admired trait, a trait that helps build collaboration and respect among colleagues. Is there a more humble phrase in the English language than Lincoln's statement "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here"? Hence, the greatness of the Gettysburg Address, to some extent, is a result of the humility that Lincoln felt in honoring "the brave men, living and dead" who sacrificed for the nation. We return to the Gettysburg Address in later chapters.

Lincoln's Life and Work: Implications for School Leaders

Successful school leaders possess a strong sense of responsibility and a deep and unwavering commitment to developing and carrying out a shared mission and vision, aligned with deeply held values and beliefs that focus on equity, social justice, democracy, and creating those conditions under which profound levels of human learning can flourish. Though much has transpired in our world since Lincoln's time, he nonetheless continues to "model the way" for leaders in general (Kouzes & Posner, 2002, p. 14). We glean from his work and his life precious attributes, such as focus and humility, that we aspire to emulate. And from his endeavors and accomplishments we find guidance for our own work as school leaders. From his struggles we derive lessons about adhering to deeply held beliefs, practicing ethical leadership, putting the cause first and personalities aside, and steadfastly pursuing leadership work dedicated to the conviction that all individuals are created equal, deserving of and desiring a genuine opportunity to leave their mark on the world.

If carrying out the mission and vision of an endeavor—a cause—is a primary gauge of successful leadership (Collins, 2005), then a starting point for the school leader's journey is self-knowledge. Leaders must know the causes they think and feel most passionately about. Bill George (2007) reminds us, "First, you have to understand yourself, because the hardest person you will ever have to lead is yourself" (p. xxxviii). Lincoln may have reflected deeply on issues before taking a firm stand, but once his mind was made up, he remained steadfast in carrying out the mission. Lincoln understood himself, and in the face of adversity he did not waver from his core values and beliefs. This does not mean that he saw little value in opposing viewpoints. If anything, these views helped further clarify his own. For example, late one evening in the White House, while preparing remarks, Lincoln sought an audience to listen to a draft of his writing. William O. Stoddard, a personal secretary, recalled that Lincoln said to him:

"Sit down, I can always tell more about a thing after I've heard it read aloud, and know how it sounds. Just the reading of it to myself doesn't answer as well, either." … Stoddard then stated, "I don't know, Mr. President, that I'd care to criticize anything you'd written." The President replied, "Yes, you will. Everybody else will. It's just what I want you to do. Sit still now, and you'll make as much of an audience as I call for." (Wilson, 2006, pp. 182–183)

Leaders can derive from this poignant example a core leadership competency related to self-knowledge: before developing a meaningful shared vision and mission, it is essential to first understand, articulate, and write out a personal vision. Doing so helps to clarify and galvanize thoughts and feelings. Through these actions a leader discovers the following:

• What drives me and ignites my passion and commitment to pursue a shared vision?
• What are those core values that underlie my fierce resolve to do whatever it takes to advance the organization's purpose and to ensure that every individual within the organization thrives?

Knowing what motivates oneself is a critical first step in the journey to create and realize a shared vision and mission. The shared vision and mission articulate, with profound clarity, organizational members' treasured values and their understanding of a desired future state, and serve to motivate every member of the organization to act in order to make that future state a reality. The earlier example of Lincoln speaking to a regiment of Ohio soldiers illustrates how the act of pursuing a shared vision and mission transcends the present and influences future reality. Leaders might, upon reading Lincoln's words to the soldiers, reflect by asking the following questions:

• What do I want to perpetuate in our schools, not merely for today but for all time to come?
• Though, as leader, my "temporary residence" may be the schoolhouse or the central office, what do I want future leaders who occupy the space to do or say to continue the work that I have begun?
• What do we want any one of our children ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Table of Contents
• Dedication
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Chapter 1. Implementing and Sustaining a Mission and Vision with Focused and Profound Clarity
• Chapter 2. Communicating Ideas Effectively with Precise and Straightforward Language
• Chapter 3. Building a Diverse and Competent Team to Successfully Address the Mission
• Chapter 4. Engendering Trust, Loyalty, and Respect Through Humility, Humor, and Personal Example
• Chapter 5. Leading and Serving with Emotional Intelligence and Empathy
• Chapter 6. Exercising Situational Competence and Responding Appropriately to Implement Effective Change
• Chapter 7. Rising Beyond Personal and Professional Trials Through Tenacity, Persistence, Resilience, and Courage
• Chapter 8. Exercising Purposeful Visibility
• Chapter 9. Demonstrating Personal Growth and Enhanced Competence as a Lifelong Learner, Willing to Reflect on and Expand Ideas
• Chapter 10. Believing That Hope Can Become a Reality
• Chapter 11. Achieving Authentic Leadership in Schools
• Appendix A. A Chronology of Abraham Lincoln's Life
• References
• About the Authors
• Study Guide
• Copyright