Hanns Gonzalez
MGT 321
Dr. Kevin Grant
8/28/12

Think Paper #1

In this paper I will be talking about two great leaders that didn’t just lead people and told them what to do, these guys change cultures, way of seen things, and country. Both of them were past-presidents of the United States of America. They both took leadership to a different level; they lead one of the best countries in the world to success where success was buried. I will be discussing about Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. I’m not saying they were the best but what the reason I picked them was because they both lead the country while been in war, and did a good job economically and socially with the population.

1. President Abraham Lincoln appointed the best and brightest to his Cabinet, individuals who were also some of his greatest political rivals. He demonstrated his leadership by pulling this group together into a unique team that represented the greatest minds of his time, according to historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. One of these traits was “the ability to learn on the job”. He was able to acknowledge errors, learn from them, and then move. In this way, he established a culture of learning in his administration. He also had the “capacity to listen to different points of view”. He created a climate where Cabinet members were free to disagree without fear of retaliation. I think the most important one was the “Ability to communicate goals and visions” he had. When the war ended and he won reelection, Lincoln did not focus on his achievements, he focused on bringing the country together. His greatness consisted of the "integrity of his character and moral fiber of his being.”
J.F.K. was known as a very humorous guy, everybody
Loves to hear a guy that could tell a joke, and can make you feel confortable after a very hard day of working. He usually made some jokes on TV, people like that. JFK was a very lonely man raised in a large family. He needed compassion and understanding; something his parents or siblings never gave him. I strongly believe that this will make or break a man at a young age unless he has the maturity to deal with it.
Life's pressures can be overwhelming unless you know how to deal with it. I believe that JFK did an exceptional job despite extraordinary circumstances. Kennedy ushered in the tumultuous 1960s, a decade of great activism and social change, with an idealistic message of empowerment “ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." Through his actions and rhetoric, Kennedy captured the hearts and minds of an entire generation of young people, urging them to participate in civic life, engage with the world, and fight for equality.

2. Abraham Lincoln had a very particular style in leadership and just like we study in class. He would offer advice in the form of a suggestion. He rarely gave "orders". His objective was to have the other person feel like it was his/her own decision. This developed ownership of decisions and thus, commitment. He was a very confident person he knew what changes he had to make, and when. He knew that without loyalty and commitment, he would not win the war. He was a master storyteller, frequently giving advice in the form of a story, allowing the other person to draw their own conclusions from their individual experience. Lincoln was a very strong leader through gentle prodding, suggestions and story telling. He disliked strong-arming people. His personable leadership style made friends of even his greatest, most outspoken critics.
J.F.K. had a little different style of leadership. He was charismatic and short. He was your friend but never your pal. Kennedy was always accessible and easy-going, but kept a degree of separation from his staff, so that if he needed to assert