Abraham Lincoln is typically ranked as the nation’s foremost president. He possessed extraordinary leadership skills that he used to win the Civil War and preserve the nation. While most leaders may display a unique style, there is even more to learn from Lincoln according to Louis P. Masur, a Lincoln scholar. He used humor and storytelling to great effect and understood when to criticize and when to hold his fire. Lincoln worked deliberately and skillfully employed various tools of persuasion. Perhaps most important of all, says Masur, he was not afraid to change his mind.
Marking the 217th anniversary of his birth, Masur proposes that studying this remarkable president can offer insights into becoming better leaders.
Masur is Board of Governors Distinguished Professor of American Studies and History at Rutgers University. His books include Lincoln’s Last Speech, Lincoln’s Hundred Days, and The Civil War: A Concise History.
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