1
1
0
Carrier sailors get six lessons from Lincoln experts
From: Navy Times
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The carrier Abraham Lincoln on Thursday honored the 206th birthday of its namesake with a seminar that drew leadership lessons from the great emancipator.
The officers and crew were joined by Carla Knorowski, chief executive officer of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, and Don Phillips, author of the book "Lincoln on Leadership."
Modern military leaders live and fight in a much different world than Lincoln, who died 150 years ago, but Phillips urged his audience to look for the many similarities and began by presenting the harsh realities faced by the 16th president.
Lincoln only received 39.8 percent of the popular vote. The nation was in a recession when hit with secession, which happened before he even took office. Many people didn't like Lincoln, and the nation's division only deepened their disdain. Worse yet, his 16,000-man Union Army lacked quality leadership.
Indeed, the success — or failure — of the American experiment now rested in the hands of a Washington outsider and one-term congressman; a failed businessman who never held an executive position of any kind.
Six lessons sailors can learn as they from Honest Abe:
1. Build strong partners. Their unqualified support is not required, at least initially. Secretary of State William Seward is a prime example. He initially worked behind Lincoln's back, but the president invested personal time in the relationship and eventually Seward became one of his staunchest supporters. Lincoln surrounded himself with adversaries, many of whom thought themselves better, smarter and more deserving to be president.
"It was profound that he surrounded himself with a team of rivals," said Cmdr. Maurice Buford, the ship's chaplain. "Who does that these days? You really have to be a secure person to surround yourself with people who will constantly challenge and question you. But as King Solomon said, 'There is wisdom in the multitude of counsel.' "
2. Learn to communicate. Lincoln issued very few direct orders. He instead spoke with and wrote letters to subordinates to inspire and persuade them. The "great communicator" continued to perfect his writing and communicating skills because he had to, Phillips said. In fact, Lincoln didn't have a speech writer. The second inaugural address, the Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation were original to him.
Lincoln looked for ways to unite. One of his first actions was to appeal to the Confederacy in the hope of unity.
When he ran for re-election, he chose a democrat from Tennessee to be his vice president. It was a nod to Andrew Johnson, who did not flee in the secession, and a bold effort to reunite the parties and people.
3. Get out of the office. Lincoln is repeatedly pictured with the troops. He was the first sitting president to come under enemy fire.
In 1861, the president fired Gen. John Fremont, who headed the military Department of the West, for insubordination. At a time when Lincoln was still trying to keep border states in the union, Fremont — without informing the president — issued an order to confiscate the property of rebellious Missourians and to emancipate the state's slaves. When Lincoln ordered him to reverse course, he resisted.
But Fremont also failed to develop any sense of camaraderie with the men under his command, surrounded himself with foreign born officers and insulated himself with layers of guards, losing the trust of his troops.
Lincoln's orders to Fremont's successor were simple: Avoid the mistake of isolation.
This resonated with the carrier's chiefs, in particular, who saw the president as a khaki of sorts. Many discussed the value of maintaining the enlisted perspective.
Lincoln was known to praise in public and reprimand in private. Even when given, correction was constructive. Such was the case for Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker.
Upon handing Hooker command of the Army of the Potomac, Lincoln offered a startlingly candid assessment of Hookers strengths and weaknesses. Though the general disagreed with some of the negative points, he also came to admire the president and later compared the letter to a missive from a father to a son. Though Hooker may have been surprised when Lincoln accepted his letter of resignation, injudiciously sent in protest because of a disagreement with Army headquarters, he later sought and was given permission to escort Lincoln's funeral procession to his Illinois home.
4. Encourage innovation. Lincoln's presidency had many firsts, from income tax and military drafts to a national banking system and Department of Agriculture. Lincoln also loved technology. He was the first person to receive a transcontinental telegram and the only president to be issued a patent, for a device to lift boats over shoals. He would shoot newly designed rifles in open areas near the White House to ensure the design worked before being sent to troops. And he urged others to "think anew and act anew."
5. Keep searching until you find your "Grant." Lincoln did not have a military background and needed a true leader for his Union Army. Its commander, Gen. Winfield Scott, was well-regarded but 70 years old.
Lincoln settled on Gen. George McClellan, who earned high marks for his skill in training troops and won some battles, but wouldn't take the chances necessary to ensure victory. And so began a pattern for Lincoln: He would talk to his generals, set expectations in writing, then re-engage after a few months. If there was still no progress, they were fired.
6. Be decisive. Lincoln's search for the right leader lasted three long years. But he found his man in Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and the war ended one year later. Many in Washington circles didn't like Grant, and it didn't help that he voiced disdain for any position that would seat him in the capital, away from his troops. But that was music to Lincoln's ears. Grant followed the presidents's example of empowerment and delegation, which enabled Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's famed March to the Sea, as well as the successful Shenandoah Valley and Wilderness campaigns.
Such examples provide a model for success in many situations military members face today, Phillips said. The author closed by challenging the Abe's officers and crew to live up to the legacy of its namesake.
"With that tradition and legacy comes responsibility," he said. "No matter how good it was in the past, it can be better. The question is, what kind of Navy will you hand to those who come after you?"
http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2015/02/16/lincoln-carrier-navy-lessons-sailors/23301259/
From: Navy Times
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The carrier Abraham Lincoln on Thursday honored the 206th birthday of its namesake with a seminar that drew leadership lessons from the great emancipator.
The officers and crew were joined by Carla Knorowski, chief executive officer of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, and Don Phillips, author of the book "Lincoln on Leadership."
Modern military leaders live and fight in a much different world than Lincoln, who died 150 years ago, but Phillips urged his audience to look for the many similarities and began by presenting the harsh realities faced by the 16th president.
Lincoln only received 39.8 percent of the popular vote. The nation was in a recession when hit with secession, which happened before he even took office. Many people didn't like Lincoln, and the nation's division only deepened their disdain. Worse yet, his 16,000-man Union Army lacked quality leadership.
Indeed, the success — or failure — of the American experiment now rested in the hands of a Washington outsider and one-term congressman; a failed businessman who never held an executive position of any kind.
Six lessons sailors can learn as they from Honest Abe:
1. Build strong partners. Their unqualified support is not required, at least initially. Secretary of State William Seward is a prime example. He initially worked behind Lincoln's back, but the president invested personal time in the relationship and eventually Seward became one of his staunchest supporters. Lincoln surrounded himself with adversaries, many of whom thought themselves better, smarter and more deserving to be president.
"It was profound that he surrounded himself with a team of rivals," said Cmdr. Maurice Buford, the ship's chaplain. "Who does that these days? You really have to be a secure person to surround yourself with people who will constantly challenge and question you. But as King Solomon said, 'There is wisdom in the multitude of counsel.' "
2. Learn to communicate. Lincoln issued very few direct orders. He instead spoke with and wrote letters to subordinates to inspire and persuade them. The "great communicator" continued to perfect his writing and communicating skills because he had to, Phillips said. In fact, Lincoln didn't have a speech writer. The second inaugural address, the Gettysburg Address and the Emancipation Proclamation were original to him.
Lincoln looked for ways to unite. One of his first actions was to appeal to the Confederacy in the hope of unity.
When he ran for re-election, he chose a democrat from Tennessee to be his vice president. It was a nod to Andrew Johnson, who did not flee in the secession, and a bold effort to reunite the parties and people.
3. Get out of the office. Lincoln is repeatedly pictured with the troops. He was the first sitting president to come under enemy fire.
In 1861, the president fired Gen. John Fremont, who headed the military Department of the West, for insubordination. At a time when Lincoln was still trying to keep border states in the union, Fremont — without informing the president — issued an order to confiscate the property of rebellious Missourians and to emancipate the state's slaves. When Lincoln ordered him to reverse course, he resisted.
But Fremont also failed to develop any sense of camaraderie with the men under his command, surrounded himself with foreign born officers and insulated himself with layers of guards, losing the trust of his troops.
Lincoln's orders to Fremont's successor were simple: Avoid the mistake of isolation.
This resonated with the carrier's chiefs, in particular, who saw the president as a khaki of sorts. Many discussed the value of maintaining the enlisted perspective.
Lincoln was known to praise in public and reprimand in private. Even when given, correction was constructive. Such was the case for Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker.
Upon handing Hooker command of the Army of the Potomac, Lincoln offered a startlingly candid assessment of Hookers strengths and weaknesses. Though the general disagreed with some of the negative points, he also came to admire the president and later compared the letter to a missive from a father to a son. Though Hooker may have been surprised when Lincoln accepted his letter of resignation, injudiciously sent in protest because of a disagreement with Army headquarters, he later sought and was given permission to escort Lincoln's funeral procession to his Illinois home.
4. Encourage innovation. Lincoln's presidency had many firsts, from income tax and military drafts to a national banking system and Department of Agriculture. Lincoln also loved technology. He was the first person to receive a transcontinental telegram and the only president to be issued a patent, for a device to lift boats over shoals. He would shoot newly designed rifles in open areas near the White House to ensure the design worked before being sent to troops. And he urged others to "think anew and act anew."
5. Keep searching until you find your "Grant." Lincoln did not have a military background and needed a true leader for his Union Army. Its commander, Gen. Winfield Scott, was well-regarded but 70 years old.
Lincoln settled on Gen. George McClellan, who earned high marks for his skill in training troops and won some battles, but wouldn't take the chances necessary to ensure victory. And so began a pattern for Lincoln: He would talk to his generals, set expectations in writing, then re-engage after a few months. If there was still no progress, they were fired.
6. Be decisive. Lincoln's search for the right leader lasted three long years. But he found his man in Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and the war ended one year later. Many in Washington circles didn't like Grant, and it didn't help that he voiced disdain for any position that would seat him in the capital, away from his troops. But that was music to Lincoln's ears. Grant followed the presidents's example of empowerment and delegation, which enabled Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's famed March to the Sea, as well as the successful Shenandoah Valley and Wilderness campaigns.
Such examples provide a model for success in many situations military members face today, Phillips said. The author closed by challenging the Abe's officers and crew to live up to the legacy of its namesake.
"With that tradition and legacy comes responsibility," he said. "No matter how good it was in the past, it can be better. The question is, what kind of Navy will you hand to those who come after you?"
http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2015/02/16/lincoln-carrier-navy-lessons-sailors/23301259/
Posted in these groups: 
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
Posted 10 y ago
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google