Responsibilities Of Leadership And Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address

In 1865, Abraham stood to deliver his Second Inaugural Address facing a population weary from war, divided by slavery, and in desperate need of a vision. In this moment, Lincoln stated “with malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right...to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations” (Yale Law School, 2008). In these words, Lincoln articulates an ethical and optimistic vision for all Americans. Although his words are inspirational, Lincoln’s actions, behaviors, and decisions far better judge his extraordinary leadership.

There are a variety of ways to define both leader and leadership. There is not, however, a clear definition of how to become one. There is no set list of mandatory traits, either innate or learned, that a person must embody to be considered successful or proved a failure. What I feel it takes is the right mix of strengths and weaknesses in a given situation to demonstrate effectiveness. No one person has abilities without accompanying deficiencies. It’s all in the way they are balanced. The balance in the way one uses his or hers’ abilities will ultimately determine the type of leadership one has throughout time. To support these claims I will examine a well-known leader throughout the military, General James “Mad Dog” Mattis. This essay

There are a number of qualities that quantify good leaderships and good leaders. According to Kouzes and Posner in their book The Leadership Challenge, all successful leaders have (5) practices in common. They “Model the Way”, “Inspire a shared vision”, “Challenge the process”, “enable others to act” and “encourage the heart”(15). Never is there a more important time to have exemplary leadership, than in a time of war. Both the American Civil War and World War II showed what was possible through good leadership. From abolishing slavery and preserving the Union, to fighting tyranny and oppression abroad, both events in American history had a profound impact on all those involved. The impact would most certainly be different if not for the leadership of Colonel Lawrence Chamberlain of the Union Army during the Civil War and General George S. Patton during World War II. Both leaders possessed the 5 practices essential for god leadership, yet both leaders to different approaches to accomplish their goals.

Honest Abe lived up to his name in his second inaugural address. In Abraham Lincoln’s speech, he was blunt and hopeful. His purpose, which was to bring the country together and incite optimism is carried out through his syntax, application of pathos, and his arguments.

“In the address Lincoln explained that our nation was fighting the Civil War to see if we would survive as a country. He stated it was proper to dedicate a portion of the Gettysburg battlefield as a remembrance of the men who had fought and died there. Lincoln said that the people who were still alive must dedicate themselves to finish the task that the dead soldiers had begun which was to save the nation so it would not perish from the earth.” (Norton). Abraham Lincoln was viewed as great leader based on his humble background and use of “story telling” that he had used to influence others into seeing the views he had.

In conclusion, Abraham Lincoln’s first inaugural plays an important part in the American history, his belief in the Union made him a true leader for the United States of

As a child Abraham Lincoln was destined to be a leader, which led him to be the sixteenth President of the United States of America. During his presidency the Civil War began, climaxed, and ended thanks to Lincoln's expertise and actions. One of his accomplishments was the Emancipation Proclamation, which was an executive order made by Lincoln that freed all slaves in the Confederacy. This decision of many, exemplified Lincoln’s extraordinary vision for the future, and his courage to take action. Lincoln was well known as “Honest Abe”, showing his integrity and caring-nature, as he would take the righteous path towards truth and honesty. Even during the stressful war, Lincoln would always look towards success for the nation with his result-oriented mindset. There’s no doubt that Lincoln was a great leader because of these following characteristics: vision, courage, integrity, caring-nature, honesty, and result-oriented.

Abraham Lincoln proved to be one the strongest leaders in power during a time of crisis and civil unrest. Despite all the criticism and the many disapprovals Lincoln was bombarded with, he managed to a stronghold in his beliefs by remaining humble and as a result he managed to reunite a divided country. Even with little education and even less military experience, Lincoln was regarded as one of the America’s best leaders who made a significant change during a time of crisis. In a time of civil war and unrest “individual strength and personal leadership”allowed for Lincoln to accomplish his goals of preserving the Union and ending slavery. Therefore, Abraham Lincoln was an excellent leader as he demonstrated great integrity by remaining a humble leader, he proved his intellect to be superior to those who opposed him by acquiring military knowledge through books and establishing strong relationships with his military , he also demonstrated to be a result-oriented leader by achieving his goals

Serving as the President of the United States, Lincoln left his mark in America by utilizing the input of his subordinates and being aware of his weaknesses. Lincoln was so aware of his weaknesses that he built his team around them, filling in the weaker gaps his leadership style possessed. Doing thus embarked one of the greatest presidencies this country has ever witnessed. Understanding Lincoln’s mythology of leadership, he understood that he could not do it alone and provided himself with a strong team. A leader possessing a strong team can face any obstacle foreign or domestic. Understanding Lincoln’s determination and perseverance, one has to respect his story and his route becoming a leader. Lincoln grew up poor and wasn’t the best educated, however, he fought his way to the top; others like Malcolm X and President Barrack Obama share similar stories. Stories explaining the trials and tribulations of a leaders past or present assist in the process of building a great leader. Subordinates setting a standard high are positive, but one should understand society does not possess a perfect leader and being perceived as such can be toxic. Subordinates should understand that their leader sacrificed as well. Soldiers knowing the results of hard work and dedication by looking at the presence of their leader will give subordinates a better understanding, of what makes a good

It is crucial for me to improve as a leader; the Army contends that leadership is the single most important factor for mission success (Skaggs, 1997, p. 650). Yukl (2010) addresses several ways to develop and improve leadership traits. Just as it is important to correct deficiencies in followers immediately, it is equally important to constantly evaluate and make

Abraham Lincoln’s tenure as president before his assassination can be viewed as one of the best tenures. For instance, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This was the first step in equality for African Americans in America. Another example of his strong leadership and fight for equality was his support for the Thirteenth Amendment, which was the amendment that formally ended slavery. Lincoln possessed strong honesty. This was visible through his

However, my opinion of being a leader is about two attributes that I believe a leader must possess and they are non-negotiable: Integrity and Character. As Soldiers we all make mistakes and learn from experience, a leader is able to recognize that everyone is a human being and therefore everyone has a need to learn and grow as an individual. Leaders must possess the integrity to own the “the good and the bad” and carry that weight evenly with character embodied by the Army Values without floundering under pressure. Knowing that their decisions may not be popular, but will always do what is

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States.Lincoln was President of United States in 1860. Lincoln was the first republican to win the presidency. Even though lincoln only got 40% of the votes, he defeated the other three candidates. Lincoln gained the love of the people in our country as well as great leadership throughout his presidency. Lincoln Helped free slaves by passing laws in which did not allow slaves in some parts of the country. Lincoln today has a memorial called the Lincoln Memorial. As the leader of Republican Party, he was attacked from all sides few people were seeing him as an enemy. Lincoln expressed leadership through his creativity, integrity, and through result orientation.

The book; Lincoln on Leadership, by Donald T. Phillips, is a case study into the leadership principles and practices of arguably one of the world’s greatest leaders. Abraham Lincoln was a man with principles, ethics, decisiveness and vision. He inspired greatness in those around him. It is often said of Lincoln that he was the perfect man put in the perfect position to complete the improbable task of maintaining the union that was and is, the United States of America.

Abraham Lincoln is one of the most determined and accomplished presidents in this nation's history. Lincoln is often thought of as an impeccable leader for many reasons, some of the most important including: he was sympathetic, priority oriented, maintained his subordination, and kept his single most important goal of “lasting peace among ourselves”(civilwar.org) (teachingamericanhistory.org). Lincoln kept the public opinion in mind when he made his choices with party and organization, the touch of reality Lincoln kept intact with the public gained him trust both within the government but also within his own party. Lincoln remained a tough president and firm with his actions; however, he was also able to differentiate the mindset of being president and wanting what is good for the country and also keeping his personal ideas out of his actions as president. For example, with the controversial topic of slavery Lincoln knew that the “fundamental proposition of slavery was morally wrong and ought not to continue”