So, it's possible that I didn't like this book as much as I should of because I just finished Goodwin's fantastic book on Lincoln, Team of Rivals. Reading Goodwin's book, I was struck by Lincoln's leadership skill. Somehow though, this book just didn’t really impress me much.

Hopefully my thoughts on this book aren't biased by the fact that the author compared Lincoln to "great modern leaders" (his words, not mine) like Reagan and George W. Bush. All right, arguments can be made, like his policies or not, for Reagan being a great leader, but Bush???? Is this assumed acumen for leadership based on his claims of being a "compassionate conservative" or that he is "a uniter, not a divider"? It certainly can't be made by his actual performance as a leader. I know that all great leaders have people who are critical of them, but with approval ratings hovering around 30%, who exactly is Bush leading? Whatever it is he is doing, he is doing alone but for his loyal group of cronies and a few people that the Republican Party has managed to convince that they (the conservatives) actually care about them. (Well, they do care about you if you make a million bucks a year and you like to do some strip mining in your spare time.) If it weren’t for people that cling to Bush because of their hope that he will protect them from abortion and all of the benefits of stem-cell research (oh, and that he will keep them safe from the gays), then Bush would have virtually no support except from big dirty companies that will support anyone who has a small enough amount of conscience to allow them to continue to rape and pillage America’s two greatest resources, it’s people and it’s land. Is that leadership? Anyway, hopefully my feelings about the book weren’t biased by the ridiculous comparison of one of the men I admire most with one of the men that I admire the least.

“Abraham Lincoln was the essence of leadership.”

I really enjoyed reading this book. A great book on Abraham Lincoln, a great book on leadership, and a great book on an important part of our nation’s history. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in leadership or even anyone interested in learning more about our 16th president.

I honestly did not thinkI would like this book, just the fact after I read the first 50 pages I wasn’t exactly “feeling it” or whatever that gesture is supposed to mean.
I read this for my JROTC military class as it was required, I have not once regretted it.
I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to make a change in the way they lead by looking back on perhaps (in my opioion) the greatest president of all time.

I thought this was a well written book with interesting historical context and applications for today.

Read for school. Really enjoyed. Much to learn here. :)

Wished I could 0 stars for this book. It was very dull and I actually fell asleep while reading it once. Why did I keep reading it? Because I was forced to at school and we have a quiz over it. Sure it's an original idea, but that's the only good thing about it.

This was a required work read. I'm not certain I would have read it on my own, though I do try to immulate many of the lessons addressed within. Lincoln, in all of his successes had failures too, as every good/great leader does and I feel as though this book failed to properly address them. This one was just meh for me.

Just okay. Calls attention to some great Lincoln wisdom on leadership which is great. However, the glorification of Lincoln is excessive in my opinion. The author assumes Lincoln was always right and anyone that differed with him was foolish. Lincoln was a great man and was often right but it was hard to stomach the author’s endless worship of Lincoln throughout the book.

Phillips achieves his aim of covering the relevance of Lincoln when it comes to working in management. This book is concise enough to read quickly and get what you need, even if you're not much of a History buff. I'd recommend this book to anyone entering management. It's not a revelation or anything, but it is a fast, factual, relevant read and would be a great starting place for anyone interested in pursuing leadership or management roles.

Not exactly riveting. I read this for work, since it's recommended for leaders. In that context, it's quiet good. As a history lover, I like it when people use history as a textbook. Donald Phillips does a commendable job using Lincoln's executive strategy and personal charisma as examples for leaders. It's a deep dive into the minutia of historical documents--including journals, newspaper articles, and letters--analyzing Lincoln's behavior for "lessons learned." I found it helpful and interesting, but it's also a bit like studying history through a microscope.

It reminded me a bit of n  Leaders: Myth and Realityn.

Explores how President Abraham Lincoln would share information or persuade individuals using anecdotes. Loss of moral principles, rash decision making, etc. are some of the important topics covered using humorous or light stories. My respect and love for "The Great Emancipator" grew even more after reading this short book that explained how Lincoln communicated with the people around him.

In agreement with my father we believe this book is a great read for many reasons. I listened to it as usual and was delighted by the multifaceted Honest Abe.
tIn discussing this book I believe it poignant to stress four elements that benefit anyone reading this book. It is… History, Paradox, Symbolic & Emotional
History:
tVirginia born on Feb. 12, 1809 in Hardin County, Kentucky he was the sixteenth president who died on good Friday April 15, 1865 by John Wiles Booth who became shrouded with the only known fact of killing a marvelous man. He was elected only because the Democratic Party was split; therefore, he began his career hated by all in the midst of unforgettable battle between the slave owners and slave liberators. Issuing documents such as the emancipation proclamation and being the only president to have a patent, this figure in history should be on the top of everyone’s list as one to get acquainted with.
Paradox:
tGetting acquainted with Lincoln is something everyone seemed to have an opportunity to do for he was one of the first presidents who aggressively advocated anyone to come see him. Although many people who went to see him never left his office fulfilled in completing the intention that brought them there. Lincoln traits are still practical in today’s society because of their unique simplicity. The author states Lincoln paradox is a key strategy with successful people. Once you understand his techniques you realize that the method of his leadership was the precedent, which seems to this day rarely matched.
Symbolic:
tMy favorite element of the book was finding out how this man used symbolism from him comparing people to an old show to his famous speeches of old farmers. Dealing with serious yet banal issues he was one of the most effective communicators due to his effective story telling ability. A master of speaking skills as you learn from some of his famous impromptu speeches he was strategic with every story. So strategic in his re-election he withdrew from his speaking because he knew, even though his speaking skills were unmatched at the time, speaking less would be more effective than speaking more due to the second election with the Democratic Party still split in two.
Emotional:
tAlong with all the excitement, laughter, sadness, intrigue and more there was one story that I empathized more than any. Lincoln son had sentenced his toy “montey” for names sake to death for falling asleep on the night watch. Lincoln being a firm believer in forgiveness wrote an official pardon with all the form and function as a pardon he would issue to any confederate or other person deemed to be convicted of a crime relieving monety from all offense. He signed it “Abraham Lincoln President of the United states”. I would pay dearly for that pardon for its symbolism shuttered through my heart with a joyous resonation that seems to surface at will. Those moments are rare to find and this book gave that to me.
Its an emotional paradox of symbolic history. So as you may have figured, I give this book two thumbs up and look forward to your thoughts on it.


Lincoln is a great leader and his qoutations are used and reused. It is a must read for anyone in leadership position as his ideas are very inspiring.
1.tSeek casual contact don’t’ often decline to speak to people who call on you.
a.tA house divided by itself can not stand.
b.tYou must seek access to reliable up to date information.
2.tStand with anyone who stands right. Stand with him while he is right and part when he is wrong.
a.tIt is your duty to advance the aims of your organization and also to help those who serve it. Keep reaching down and pulling people up.
3.tMake no explanation to your enemies. What they want is a squabble and a fuss and they can have it if you explain and can not if you don’t.
a.tMaintain the paradox of providing security while encouraging risk taking.
b.tWhen mad write down a letter but don’t send it.
c.tEveryone can contribute to success. Win while learning.
4.tWhen the occasion is piled high with difficulty, rise with it. Think anew and act anew
a.tDon’t loose confidence in people when they fail
b.tIf you never try you will never succeed.
c.tEncourage people to take action with out orders.
d.tSurround yourself with people who really know their business and avoid yes men.
e.tGet every attempt to get new weapons in you soldier hands.
5.tProvide a clear concise direction in your organization and justify the actions you take.
a.tEverywhere you go at every conceivable opportunity. Reaffirm, reassert and remind everyone the basic principles upon which your organization was founded.
b.tEffective visions can not be forced by masses. Set them in motion by means of persuasion.
c.tHarness your vision through implementation of your own personal roving leadership style.
d.tWhen you preach your vision, don’t shoot too high. Aim lower and the common people will understand you. They are the ones you want to reach. At least they are the ones you ought to reach.
e.tWhen effective renewal, Call on the pace, relate them to the future, relate them both to find a link to the future.
f.tYou must realize that the process of renewal releases the critical human talent and energy necessary to ensure success.