Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic Study of a Phenomenal Leader
Review: If you want a stimulating and thoroughly researched leadership primer for leaders at all levels, then do not miss this gem of a book by Donald Phillips. The only drawback to reading this book was that I was limited to five stars in reviewing it-it deserved much more. Donald Phillips wrote one of the best leadership books I have ever read. He skillfully blended many effective historical references (letters, speeches, vignettes, and anecdotes) with modern management and leadership theories to create an easy-to-read performance and character analysis of one of the very best leaders our country has ever known. This remarkable book could (and should) serve as a "wake-up call" for the many self-proclaimed leaders in all walks of life who fail to understand the adage, "Leadership is action, not position." Some of the book's timeless leadership themes demonstrated and often perfected by Lincoln included: *Leaders foster trust and build effective relationships with subordinates. *Leaders are persuasive vice coercive; coercive dictatorships violate the basic rights of individuals.
*Leaders build leaders, not followers, though vision, patience, and persistence for long-term effectiveness vice short-term gains or conveniences.
*A leader who constantly maintains his honesty and integrity, and shows compassion and mercy, will inspire all around him or her to loyalty and great achievements. Phillips, in his preface, perfectly described the book's value to the leaders of today and tomorrow... "Since leadership principles are usually expressed rather abstractly, there is a great need for simple, concrete illustrations. Tangible examples make the difference; people relate to them. That's what the study of Lincoln gives us - tangible examples from a widely recognized great leader. Therein lies the basic premise of this book. I hope that present and future leaders in all walks of life will be enlightened (as I was) by the remarkable leadership genius of Abraham Lincoln and then will use that knowledge to improve their own skills."
Rating: 
Summary: "the capability of a people to govern themselves"Lyceum Addr
Review: In concise and efficient manner, Mr. Donald Phillips has humanized President Lincoln through an insightful analysis of his personal skills and styles which are paramount in propelling him into a Champion of the people and one of the greatest Presidents in American history: his bond with and understanding of the common man, his character, his endeavors, his communication skills. This book is well-wriiten and a must-read. It is, therefore, with great trepidation, that I must point out one particular mis-representation of President Lincoln towards the end of the second paragraph of Chapter Ten/ Set Goals and Be Results-Oriented on page 109 in the 1993 paperback edition. It reads, and I quote: "As a young man, Lincoln tended to be overly ambitious. In 1838, at the age of twenty-nine, dlivering one of his more famous speeches to the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Lincoln proivded some insight into his own personality when he stated: 'Towering genius disdains a beaten path. It seeks regions hitherto unexplored ... It scorns to tread in the footsteps of any predecessor, however, illustrious. It thirsts and burns for distinction..." The referenced Lyceum speech arguably anchored President Lincoln's life, from his personal goals to his political aspirations to his universal agenda for humanity. And the above paragraph tends to distort President Lincoln into the very beasts he was warning his people against. On January 27th, 1838, at the wake of a national mob riot which resulted in burning in St. Louis of a black man, President Lincoln delivered the speech before the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield in Illinois. The "towering genius" President Lincoln referred to was among the likes of Alexander, Caesar, Napoleon, and those who, if unchecked, would one day rise amongst the people, and with distinction being his paramount object, determining that "opportunity [of doing good] being past, and nothing left to be done in the way of building up, he would set boldly to the task of pulling down." That would lead to the downfall of this nation of the free from within. The approach of danger "must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abraod. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide." President Lincoln forsaw the shadow of destruction in these mob riots and challenged the people to be "united with each other, attached to the government and laws, and generally intelligent, [in order to] successfully frustrate his designs." It is my hope that this aside could be of help to you, and that one day President Lincoln, his courage, his empathy and his selfless sacrifice would inspire you to greater aspirations, dreams and hope in life as he has done for me.
Rating:
Summary: ENGAGING, INFORMATIVE, & PRACTICAL
Review: It's a crowded world out there for business authors and consultants who are trying to break away from the pack - to say something different and "brand" a new idea and concept. Covey is probably the most recognizable with his "7 Habits of Highly Successful" People. He created a jargon (expand your "Circle of Influence." What?), catch phrases and partnered with Franklin Date/Time Planners to make the package complete. It was the "holy grail" of personal management; anyone still using it? Anyone still using TQM or ISO? Personal management and leadership is a much simpler concept than Convey et al would have you think.
Mr. Phillips, who recently spoke at our company, looks to the leadership of Lincoln and the Founding Fathers for inspiration. These men did what came natural to them - they didn't attend seminars on effectiveness - they practiced good communication and used each other's skills to their collective best advantage (i.e. Franklin yielded to Jefferson the penning of the Declaration of Independence). Don Phillips distills what they did right and presents it in easy to comprehend concepts that would be applicable up and down the corporate chain of command (from mail room to CEO). In addition, the history lesson at the beginning of each chapter is fascinating. I can not recommend this book enough. Donald Phillips doesn't spin a new language or try to graphically explain (a la Covey) the point he wishes to make. Not all of us are born leaders, some must practice and this book will help. A note on Phillips: he's aliened himself with the US Coast Guard, an organization known globally for its superb leadership. His new book is coauthored with the recently retired Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Loy, and chronicles the challenges faced by the service.
Rating:
Summary: Lincoln's leadership principles solid today
Review: Lincoln on Leadership is an very entertaining book dealing with historical experiences of our 16th President, and the fundamentals of leadership Lincoln used to navigate during our nations most trying time. Phillips does an excellent job defining what leadership is, citing several classic leadership books. Phillips explains how Lincoln used story telling and jokes to persuade people. Phillips persuades the reader to his principles of leadership using Lincoln's story. However, Philips does occasionally make broad opinionated comments about the history behind Lincoln. Regardless, a must read for those interested in how to better lead an organization.
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Summary: Must have book for todays leaders
Review: Lincoln on Leadership is the formula of todays leader. This book touches on all the characteristics of what leadership is about. It is a breath of fresh air,as well as very inspiring.
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Summary: Lincoln radiates leadership...
Review: Lincoln on Leadership tells the tail of one of the most influential presidents of American history. It's a quick read that really touches at the core of leadership and the man who exemplified the subject best, Abraham Lincoln. The way the book is titled makes you think that it was Lincoln himself who actually wrote it (this is not true). Although there's a good amount of writing by Lincoln in the book, the lessons are mostly interpreted by the author Donald T. Phillips, through actual historical events taken from the president's life in office. The author does a great job of extracting the jewels of leadership wisdom by analyzing Lincoln's actions. Lincoln on Leadership is not a step by step guide on leadership theory, it is more of a biography on Lincoln's life in office. If your looking for a thorough history on Lincoln don't bother, most of the items covered are during the Civil War, the time where Lincoln displayed most of his leadership abilities. The contents of the book are presented in four parts, each part breaks down into several sub-parts pertaining to the main topic: Part I - People Part II - Character Part III - Endeavor Part IV - Communication I must tell you, after reading this book I am definitely interested in learning more about our sixteenth president (AKA - Honest Abe). Lincoln on Leadership helped me see the extraordinary attributes of an American legend. His honesty, integrity, and tenacity are all characteristics that should be mimicked by all students of leadership. Excellent job Donald...
Rating:
Summary: A Small Book with a Large Tale
Review: Lincoln on Leadership, that's what the title says. How simple! But get inside and be prepared to change the way you think about work, leadership, leaders, the works. This is one of those books that you'll always look back on and remember how things were different after reading it. It will really impact you in different ways. Let's get on with it... I have always thought of Lincoln of a unique man placed in the path of a rampaging destiny that he managed to confront and redirect to a more tame direction. He accomplished things that no other president has even had to prepare for, and this book gives you some insite into how he did it. There cannot be a more human man on the planet. Now let's go to the writing. Mr. Phillips provides a fabulous story that shows what made Lincoln the great leader he was. In doing this, the reader is supposed to get the point, then apply these traits to their toolbox of leadership skills. I'm so impressed by this little book, that I will carry it with me wherever I go, and read it whenever I have a chance. I want to buy one for my boss, but he won't get it. Anyway, they are words to live by, and skills to use for the enhancement of your own leadership skills. Come on, give it a try. Mr. Phillips even includes a good amount of history, Civil War obviously, in his writing. In my many years of reading about the Civil War, I have yet to encounter, in 15 or so pages, a better description of the problems, search, changes, politics, and ultimate success Lincoln had in finding generals to run his armies. The author covers all theaters, clearly, with detail, and in an engaging fashion. I find that a book that can teach me 2 or 3 different things at the same time is a rare find, and worth more then it's value. If you're getting this book for a class, work, or related venture, what a treat you have in store. If you're reading this for the hisroty and political science, also a treat awaits. But if you're reading this to learn about being a leader, then prepare yourself for a life altering experience. Thank you so much Mr. Phillips.
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Summary: You'll feel better about your OWN abilities
Review: Lincoln only gets better and more impressive the more we know about him. Bear in mind that the author extrapolated much of the book from Lincoln's writings, speeches as well as 2nd and third person biographical references, but this shouldn't diminish the underlying themes. You'll find that you already practice many of Lincoln's techniques. Half way through the book you'll probably find yourself saying -- I'm doing many of these things already! For fans of Lincoln, this book adds to his already impressive resumé. For those that are management-challenged, this book will give you cause for hope. For management whizzes, the book will be valuable for subordinates. You can't lose.
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Summary: Superb insight on Lincoln, great advice for today's leader.
Review: Lincoln's leadership style is as affective today as it was more than one hundred years ago. Little did I know that the style I use daily was so similar to his. Excellent read for business and military leaders. Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: LOTS OF PLATITUDES, NOT MUCH ON HOW TO GET THERE
Review: Maybe I'm just tired from moving a family of 6 from Dallas to Wiesbaden Germany, but this book seemed to have little concrete value to me. There were lots of platitudes and exhortations such as "Be Flexible", or "Have Courage", but I really didn't see any suggestions from the author about HOW to obtain these sterling qualities. To me, this was just another book on the overworn topic of "improving management skills", which is trying to ride to success on his very large coattails. I have read the writings of Abraham Lincoln extensively, and I seriously doubt whether he gave any conscious thought to "management skills" as they are studied today. My reading of him is that he was willing to work very hard and long, sacrifice himself for his values and his country, and always treat people at all levels with respect and dignity. These personal character traits cannot be just arbitrarily assumed, but must be developed within the individual, or are part of the inbred character of the individual. The author might better have framed his work in the light of providing examples of Lincoln's sterling qualities and the results they gained as an inspiration to draw the reader to the arduous task of developing these qualities if they are lacking, rather than a chapter-by-chapter "textbook" on various aspects of management. Because of what I felt was a somewhat preachy style, and the other items already mentioned, I didn't even finish the last 20 or so pages.
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