Leadership lessons From Abraham Lincoln - FocusU

Leadership lessons From Abraham Lincoln

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” – Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is well known for what he did to keep his country together during the Civil War and how he paved the way for the abolition of slavery in America by signing the Emancipation Proclamation. He was a self-taught lawyer, a shrewd military strategist and a savvy leader.

Abraham Lincoln’s leadership exemplified determination and is a reminder to all the new age leaders that how important it is for them to remain persistent, even when others refuse to believe in them and their vision.

Why Is Persistence Important for Leadership?

There are many qualities that are essential for a leader to be successful such as Honesty and Integrity, Commitment and Passion, Good Communication, Decision-Making Ability, Creativity and Innovation, and the list goes on. But there is one more quality that every leader should possess – that is Persistence.

Leaders who have the quality of persistence are the ones who keep moving towards success by overcoming all hurdles that come in their way. They are determined to achieve their goals and have a mindset that no matter what the situation is they are going to stick to their vision and goals.

How can leaders learn the skill of persistence?

Below are some tips that can help leaders learn the skills of persistence and perseverance.

Never Display ‘I’m Giving Up’ Attitude

Good leaders should never leave things undone and shouldn’t give up no matter how tough the situation might get. It’s easy for all of us to take the less complex path with minimal challenges in most of the situations, as this is a normal human tendency. However, true leaders should always aim for difficult and complex paths (and ultimately the more profitable) and keep moving forward with utmost determination and focus.

Read Also  The ‘Measuring Stick’ : 12 Questions For Team Effectiveness

Always Have a Clear Vision & Goal

It’s only when the leader has a clear vision and goal, he or she can make his or her team believe in that goal and guide them towards achieving that goal. Having a clear vision is also required to push individuals through obstacles or setbacks. A clear, long-term vision helps leaders and the teams to see a bigger picture and plan strategies accordingly.

Be Resilient

A resilient leader is one who doesn’t get disappointed with failures rather learns from them. Such kind of leaders always maintain a positive outlook during tough situations and keep on challenging themselves to find ways to move forward without getting stuck. Overcoming low personal resiliency is not an easy feat and may need a ‘fake it till you make it attitude’ at first but eventually one can learn to be resilient and ultimately persistent.

Conclusion!

In simple words, much of the above is fundamentally about an attitude shift where leaders have to forego some of the not-so-good habits and focus attention on growing in areas that will lead to personal and professional growth. By creating good habits and adopting a positive behavior, leaders can overcome any hurdle that comes in their way to success. They simply need to be persistent no matter what stands in their way.

Share it on

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin