"Touch People With The Better Angels of Your Nature"

I am continuing to read about leadership, and as I think happens to everyone who goes on this journey, I am reading stuff on Abraham Lincoln. I enjoyed Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips (although I am always wary when people are presented as too perfect, as this book does).  I was especially struck with Lincoln's perspective, quoted above, that we all would be better-off if we each worked to "Touch people with the better angels of your nature."  Between the financial meltdowns and being in the final month of heated election, there is a lot nastiness out there, and it seems like an especially good time to heed Abe's advice.

P.S. I looked around, and the phrase "the better angels of our nature" are the closing words of Lincoln's first inaugural address. You can read the full text here, and as you can see, this was meant as a part of an attempt to avert Southern succession and the civil war.  But regardless of context, I think it is excellent advice. Nastiness sometimes leads to short-term wins, but the long-term costs are usually horrible.

Comments

[dblwyo]

Let me also chime in on Team of Rivals. Not just an outstanding historical biography but an excellent history of the causes and triggers of the Civil War. More importantly it is a study in principled leadership, team-building and communication that I recommend to all executives as an exemplar.
This post and the later one on arrogance make perfect bookends.

[Wally Bock]

Doris Kearns Goodwin's Team of Rivals needs to be on the Lincoln list.