Several years ago, I read a book called “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” The author of this book, Doris Kearns Goodwin, shares how President Abraham Lincoln was able to take a group of rivals/competitors and create a cohesive cabinet. So, what enabled President Lincoln to pull these rivals together into a cohesive team? Check them out below.
1. President Lincoln was intensely self-confident.
2. He was empathetic. He understood why others thought the way they did even when he disagreed.
3. He always shared credit with others.
4. He understood the value of repairing injured feelings as soon as possible.
5. As a boss, he would take responsibility for his subordinates’ failures.
6. When angry, he would take a beat. He would write a hot letter, and then put it aside.
7. Lincoln understood his own moods. When he experienced a setback, he would return to where it happened to boost morale.
8. He knew how to relax. He went to theater more than 100 times during the Civil War.
9. President Lincoln made himself accessible to just about anyone. Most free people could get an appointment with him.
Love and Soul Always, Kawania
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