7. Discuss Abraham Lincoln as President and Commander-in-Chief focusing on his use of the principles of management but especially Managing by Walking Around.
President Abraham Lincoln was a very influential leader. He became President at a very bad time in our nation. He had to face difficult leadership challenges that he conquered throughout his presidency. Not only did he build alliances on professional levels, but he also built them on personal levels. He gained the trust and respect of his subordinates. Having strong alliances allowed Lincoln to have a position in strength and power. He said this himself, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
As Commander-in-Chief of the United States during the Civil War, Lincoln spent most of his time among the troops. He thought it was best to interact with people. He personally needed to discover what was going on first hand. Seeing as many people as he could gave him more respect from the people. It showed he cared and wanted to know what was going on. These men were fighting under him and he showed them the respect they deserved by shaking their hands. This is called “Managing by Walking Around.” He has become to be known as the most accessible president.
Dictatorship, force, and coercion were the wrong way of going about things. Lincoln was smart enough to know he could not accomplish everything himself. It was good as president that he guided and nurtured his subordinates. He told them what he expected. After this, he offered them support and assistance. They were always expected to get the work done and if they needed anything, they could depend on Lincoln to help them out.
Team Alfa thinks this relates to the leadership skills Professor Williams possesses. A person who is honest and has integrity will push ahead of the pack. He tells us what needs to be done, but if we are stuck he guides us into the right direction. Professor Williams also builds relationships on professional and personal levels. He cares about how we are doing outside of class and in the class room. It is good for a leader to always be communicating with everyone he or she is working with. We notice every morning he goes around the classroom and asks individuals how he or she is doing that day. He also shakes their hands while doing so. We have learned great leadership skills in this class. We know respect for ourselves and the leader is very