In the most recent issue of the Harvard Business Review (HBR), Doris Kearns Goodwin has an article entitled “Lincoln and the Art of Transformative Leadership”. In this piece she detailed the leadership skills that Lincoln brought to bear in the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. The piece is excerpted from her latest book, Leadership in Turbulent Times. Over the next few blog posts, I will be exploring her article and how the modern-day business leader and Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) can still learn many lessons from our 16thPresident.
Lincoln initially circulated his first draft of the Emancipation Proclamation at a July 1862 Cabinet meeting. However this was not an opportunity for the Cabinet to debate the change in policy towards slavery for that matter was settled in Lincoln’s mind. As Goodwin asked, “What enabled Lincoln to determine that the time was right for this fundamental transformation in how the war was waged and what the Union was fighting for?” She responded that Lincoln had a steadfast of emotional intelligence; including “empathy, humility, consistency, self-awareness, self-discipline and generosity of spirit. These qualities proved indispensable to uniting a divided nation and utterly transforming it”. What are the lessons a business leader and CCO can draw upon?
Set an Example
Lincoln allowed full and robust discussion by his team of rivals within the confines of his Cabinet. Goodwin asked, “How was it possible to coordinate these inordinately prideful, ambitious, quarrelsome, jealous, supremely gifted men to support a fundamental shift in the purpose of the war?” She believes, “The best answer can be found in Lincoln’s compassion, self-awareness, and humility. He never allowed his ambition to consume his kindheartedness, quoting Lincoln, “So long as I have been here, I have not willingly planted a thorn in any man’s bosom.””
Moreover, Lincoln allowed robust debate in his Cabinet but he would not allow personal attacks. Goodwin noted, “The standards of decorum he demanded were based on the understanding that they were all involved in a challenge “too vast for malicious dealing.” This sense of common purpose had guided the formation of the cabinet and would now sustain its survival.” While the work of a CCO does not rise to the level of Lincoln’s Cabinet during the Civil War; Goodwin’s larger point is that you must not only demand civility but also model such civility at all times.
This is beyond the Triple C Rule for CCOs, that one must stay calm, cool and collected, because all company employees, up and down the chain, are watching the CCO. The Triple C’s are important because organizations look to the CCO to solve complex issues with simple solutions. When faced with a compliance issue or an obstacle you should endeavor to keep everything on an even keel and never let them see you sweat. Lincoln added the mandate of civility. While many corporations strive for such civility, a CCO should be the one who leads that behavior.
Understand the emotional needs of the team
This is an area that Lincoln not only excelled in but also was far ahead of his time. He understood the emotional needs of each of his Cabinet members and worked to meet those needs. For instance, Secretary of State William Seward was both erudite and cosmopolitan but had also expected to win the GOP nomination and then become the 16thPresident of the United States. Lincoln treated him as first among equals and made sure Seward understood how important he was to Lincoln. Not wanting to show favoritism he bestowed similar attention on Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, who even though was prickly at the best of times, Lincoln visited with him often to help assuage the mighty pressure Stanton had on him as the chief architect of the war.
Yet each of the other Cabinet secretaries received attention tailored to their personalities. He understood how far a compliment could go to impact his person. Regarding the particularly abrasive Attorney General Salmon Chase, who “often chafed under Lincoln’s authority, he acknowledged that “the President has always treated me with such personal kindness and has always manifested such fairness and integrity of purpose, that I have not found myself free to throw up my trust…so I still work on.””
While this might seem like one of the most basic leadership skills it is well worth noting that Lincoln did this at a time when such leadership skills were not all that common. Moreover, for the current CCO or business leader it also speaks to how you should treat your team members. Once again it all begins with listening and finding what they need or even more importantly want. Never forget how far a well-placed, public compliment can go to aid in fostering a relationship.
Let go of the past
Even if someone has slighted you in the past, it is in the past and you should not be focused on the past. Of course there are those who will have attacked you in the past and will continue to do so, if only because they are incapable of doing anything else. Yet as a CCO and business leader, you must move beyond this simple dynamic. In the case of Lincoln, his initial meeting with Stanton had proven decisive, as Stanton had dismissed him as a country bumpkin lawyer in a major case they worked on together. Lincoln’s appearance had so put Stanton off that he did not even bother to read the brief Lincoln had prepared on the case.
Yet with the stinging rebuke, Lincoln watched Stanton in the courtroom, studied him and at the end learned from him. When Lincoln was considering his Cabinet, he recognized that Stanton’s skills and temperament were far different from his and that difference would be a valuable addition to the Cabinet and war effort. Stanton’s private secretary had noted, ““They supplemented each other’s nature, and they fully recognized that they were a necessity to each other.””
As a CCO you are much better served by having viewpoints different to your own. There were two men no more different than Lincoln and Stanton. Yet they work together meshed in Lincoln’s Cabinet. You should work to not only have different perspectives on your team but simply because you had a disagreement with someone in the past, it does not mean the dispute must continue for all-time. In fact one clear leadership skill is forgiveness. When you add reconciliation, you have powerful engagement tool.
Temper, temper, temper
Lincoln was well known as President for controlling his temper. He would often write letters with no intention of sending them, if only to get an issue off his chest. Goodwin wrote, “Lincoln would fling off what he called a “hot” letter, releasing all his pent wrath. He would then put the letter aside until he had cooled down and could attend to the matter with a clearer eye. When his papers were opened at the beginning of the 20th century, historians discovered a raft of such letters, with Lincoln’s notation underneath: “never sent and never signed.””
In the modern day the same can be said of email. The only caution I would raise is to make certain you do not accidently send on any ‘hot’ email you write out to get an issue off your chest. Lincoln also counseled his Cabinet to do the same, write something out but not send it. It can be a powerful tool.
The leadership lessons from Abraham Lincoln continue to resonate today. They present clear guidance for any CCO or business leader. I hope you will join me tomorrow when I continue my exploration of them through Goodwin’s article.
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