Lincoln

Leading the Business of Healthcare

LINCOLN ON LEADERSHIPStrategies for Our Times

So You Think We Have It Rough?

• Ten days before he took office:– 7 states had seceded– Buchanan: “I am the last president of the US”– House passed resolution to lower military spending– All federal agencies, as well as forts and arsenals, in

the South had been seized– Most of the Mississippi was in Southern hands– The army had 16,000 soldiers– Elected by a minority of the popular vote

Get Out of Office and Circulate Among the Troops

• Explain yourself in writing and offer advice on how to solve problems

• Seek casual contact with subordinates• Don’t decline to see people who call on you• Take public opinion baths• Remember, everyone likes a compliment

Persuade Rather Than Coerce• Persuade your subordinates to compromise• If you would win a subordinate to your cause,

first convince him that you are his friend• If you practice dictatorial leadership, you

prepare yourself to be dictated to• Delegate responsibility and authority by

empowering people to act• A good leader avoids issuing orders

Honesty and Integrity are the Best Policies

• When you make it to the top, turn and reach down for the person behind you

• You must be consistently fair and decent, in both the business and personal side of life

• Stand with anybody who stands right• If you once forfeit the confidence of your

colleagues, you may never regain their respect

Never Act Out of Vengeance or Spite

• Never crush a man out, thereby making him and his friends permanent enemies

• Let things slip once in a while “unbeknownst”• Be very unwilling for young people to be

ruined for slight causes• Touch people with the better angels of your

nature

Be a Master of Paradox

• Charismatic yet unassuming• Consistent yet flexible• Victim of slander and malice yet popular• Compassionate yet demanding• Risk-taker yet calculating

Lead by Being Led• When your work is done, your people should

say “we did this ourselves”.• Don’t feel threatened by followers• Bring disputing parties together and guide their

dialogue• When subordinates come up with good ideas,

let them try—but monitor their progress• Never forget that your organization does not

depend on any one individual

Set Goals and Be Results Oriented

• Unite your followers with a corporate mission• Set short-term goals that can be focused on• Sometimes it is better to plough around

obstacles rather than waste time going through them

• Leave nothing for tomorrow that can be done today

• Half-finished work is generally labor lost

Keep Searching until You Find Your “Grant”

• Choose people who crave responsibility and take risk

• If employees complain about a supervisor and the complaints are true, remove him

• Beware of subordinates who pile up information without accomplishments

• Coach a new executive. Remember, you want him to succeed