Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times

Phillips develops the theme of creating successful working relationships with others in multiple chapters of Lincoln on Leadership. Because differences in opinion and personality between bosses, coworkers, and/or employees is perhaps the number one challenge in modern work environments, Phillips examines these dynamics from many different angles using examples from Lincoln’s own professional life.

Chapter 2, “Build Strong Alliances,” uses the example of Lincoln’s disagreements with Secretary of State William Seward to show that even if colleagues or bosses/employees disagree at first, if the leader strives to treat others with respect, then these antagonisms will likely turn into productive working relationships in the long run. Despite the initial difficulties of this relationship, Lincoln saw value in Seward’s contributions to the government and sought to keep him in office, even when the Secretary of Treasury rallied to have him replaced.

While Lincoln favored building relationships, he wanted to ensure that the people in his government were functioning and productive. In Chapter 11, “Keep Searching Until You Find Your Grant,” Lincoln’s inability to form a working relationship with General George McClellan was indicative of a relationship that wasn’t productive. Through this example, Phillips argues that leaders must learn to move on from setbacks like this and focus on other relationships that have the potential to work: