Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, an enormously readable biography of Abraham Lincoln, is also a seminal treatise on leadership and a must-read for all who lead or aspire to do so.  By way of numerous examples the book highlights four essential leadership characteristics: a balance of confidence and humility; command of one’s ego; an intuitive and intimate understanding of others; and the ability to engage people emotionally in order to influence them.   

The title references Lincoln’s cabinet, a team of men who are rivals to each other and to the president himself.  This assembly is no accident on Lincoln’s part and speaks to his confidence, humility and intuitive sense of what needs to be done.  These same qualities underlie his ambition to lead and his ability to be granted the opportunity to do.  As he announces his candidacy for state legislature Lincoln declares, ” ‘Every man has his particular ambition. I have no other so great as that of being truly esteemed of my fellow men, by rendering myself worthy of their esteem.’ “  Lincoln is confident in his abilities and knows he must use them wisely to earn the right, privilege and responsibility to lead.    

What enables Lincoln to envision and create a team from a collection of rivals each one of whom is more educated, more experienced, and more well known than the president? His psychological structure includes a chief executive officer of sorts who keeps the vision in mind and oversees all the parts of Lincoln’s personality, conducting them to do what is called for at all times.  This CEO manages Lincoln’s ego such that his talents serve something far greater than his Self and enables far reaching achievements.  This is likely the most highly evolved of Lincoln’s personal attributes, and in too short supply among leaders across all sectors in the current era as illustrated by the often heard phrase, ”His ego gets in the way.”      

Lincoln intuits an intimate knowledge of others such that he understands how to influence them to do what is needed, but how? This master chess player of human psychology is equipped with extraordinary empathy.  Goodwin describes Lincoln’s capacity to put himself in an-other’s shoes, to feel what they are feeling and thereby to understand their motives and desires as an ”enormous asset to his political career. ”  Helen Nicolay, whose father was Lincoln’s private secretary refers to this asset as ” ‘His crowning gift of political diagnosis …which gave him the power to forecast with uncanny accuracy what his opponents were likely to do.’ “  She recalls a caucus during which Lincoln listens to his colleagues at length, then rises up, throws off his shawl and pronounces, ” ‘From your talk, I gather the Democrats will do so and so’ “ [therefor] ” ‘I should do so and so to checkmate them,’ and then proceeded to outline all the moves for days ahead; making them so plain that his listeners wondered why had not seen it that way themselves.”   

Goodwin quotes Lincoln’s thoughts on influence ” ‘Penetrate the hard shell of a tortoise with a rye straw.   Such is man, and so must he be understood by those who lead him.  [To] win a man to your cause you must first reach his heart, ‘the great high road to his reason.’ ” Lincoln understands he must engage people emotionally.  His ability to do so rests once again in his profound sense of empathy along with his gift for story-telling.  Through empathy Lincoln intuits others’ emotional landscape and by appealing to this inner world moves them to do what is called for.  He is also a captivating story teller who creates emotional partnerships by drawing people into his world or a vision for a change he seeks to create.  Kearns references one of Lincoln’s colleagues who describes this magical appeal. ” ‘Several wrinkles would diverge from the inner corners of his eyes, and extend down and diagonally across his nose, his eyes would Sparkle, all terminating in an unrestrained Laugh in which every one present wiling or unwilling were compelled to take part.’  This rapid illumination of Lincoln’s features in conversation would be observed by countless others throughout his entire life, drawing many into his orbit.”

Lincoln empathizes with opponents on an issue rather than disparage either side.  Instead he stands in the shoes of each and by doing so lowers resistance such that rivals can work together.  In this way he deals with the divide between north and south regarding slavery.  “ ’They are just what we would be in their situation. If slavery did not now exist amongst them, they would not introduce it.  If it did now exist amongst us, we should not instantly give it up…I surely will not blame them for not doing what I should not know how to do myself.’ “  Lincoln does not polarize by naming one side good and one evil.  Instead he bridges the gap by illuminating that each and both are acting as human beings do.  

Few leaders are called upon to achieve the enormity of what Lincoln accomplished in such difficult circumstances and with so much at stake.  But all can learn more about true leadership by reading this compelling and insightful book.

Put a Coach in Your Corner:  For Aspiring Women Leaders

While the beauty and effectiveness of leadership coaching lies largely in its individualized approach, sometimes a client presents me with an issue or dilemma that many others share.  So I have developed “Put A Coach in Your Corner” as a way to make solutions available to a wider audience.  Because one size does not fit all I present several suggestions, one of which worked for the client who posed the original problem.  Use what works for you and your unique situation.  Customize it to ensure a great fit.  Please post your own questions, comments and suggestions so others may benefit from what you’ve learned. I look forward to hearing from you.

Coach Anne

How Do I Break through Barriers to Informal Social Networks?

Nancy was recently promoted to Vice President Field Operations in a global retail company that sells largely to female customers.  In her previous job, she was a part of  the informal social networks where people develop relationships that smooth the way for conducting business. In her new role, however, she has yet to be invited to join internal or external associates for drinks after work, football games or rounds of golf that are the venues for networking in her company.   Often important deals are also discussed and virtually sealed in these settings or during the Monday morning post game phone call.  Nancy has clearly expressed her love of football and golf, but still no invitations.  She asks what else she can do.  Here are several suggestions.  Nancy used the one that fit her style and recieved a number of invitations as a result.

1.  Start a women’s golf league in your company and get corporate sponsorship.  Include golf lessons for novices or those who need to improve their game.  The business case for this investment in straightforward.  Important business is conducted on the golf course and women need to participate.  Make sure that lessons, tee times, etc. take place when when the guys are there and show up at the bar afterwards.

2.  Invest the time and effort to discover the personal and professional goals of your peers, vendors and other external partners.  This is best done in an informal 1:1 setting, so invite them for coffee or lunch. At the appropriate time, let them know you’ve been excluded from important social networks where you can help each other achieve your goals and ask for thier help opening those doors for you.   

3.  Host a football, basketball, baseball or soccer game.  Again, get financial support for tickets from your company.  Developing your social network is a business issue.  After the game you might remind some of your associates that they owe you one or perhaps take a more subtle approach and let them know you would love to see a specific upcoming game.  Be sure to name the teams and the dates.

4.  Create a gender neutral event -  a group culinary event,wine tasting; volley ball game or bowling.  Invite male and female colleagues. 

Final note:  Women must do more of what men do so well - open the network to others and bring them along.  Invite other women as well as your male associates.  This takes the focus and tension away from you as the only woman.  You get to be among peers and collegues without being under the spotlight and it is more comfortable and fun for all.

Published in Harvard Business Review

In Feb. 2008 Harvard Business Review  published my response to the September 2007 article, Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership.  Excerpts from this response appear below.

Most legendary tales that serve as guides for leadership are male oriented.  Women and their mentors need to find or create, and then use, success stories that feature the feminine archetype. Without that guidance, women either will fail to rise to leadership roles at all or will ascend at the expense of the feminine, the essence of their strength.

Consider the heroine of The Wizard of Oz, for example. Dorothy is an emotionally connected transformational leader: She discovers the hidden talents of the scarecrow, the tin man, and the lion, and then encourages and challenges them to draw on their own potential. As a result, the characters become better versions of themselves; the team overcomes the obstacles along the way; and, ultimately, they all realize their destinies. Under Dorothy’s leadership, they create a vision together in which each member benefits from and contributes to the overall journey.

Dorothy, for her own part, spends most of the time looking for a wizard who she believes has the power to send her home. But when she finds him, he can offer nothing extraordinary. It is Glinda, a feminine presence, who shows Dorothy that she can find everything she needs within herself. Glinda helps Dorothy the same way Dorothy helped the scarecrow, the tin man, and the lion—by identifying and revealing their internal strengths. Like Dorothy, women on the leadership journey already have what they need to succeed. And, like Glinda, mentors should help them access and integrate the feminine into leadership practices.

Eagly and Carli respond: We welcome these thoughtful responses to our article. Anne Perschel is right in recognizing the importance of female role models—from myths, stories, and real life. Feminine archetypes of success can inspire women and help them navigate the labyrinth.

Regardless of how they name it, leadership experts are calling for transformational leadership -”the ability to engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality”  (Burns, 1978).  Few, however, directly identify the cornerstone of transformational leadership - ego development.  

In recent years we have seen a variety of labels and models: Leadership Agility (Joiner and Joseph); Integral Leadership (Wilbur); Seven Transformations (Torbert).  Some, including Daniel Goleman write about specific competencies such as emotional intelligence.   All share the central idea that the era of the heroic leader acting on his own has long since gone.  The world changes too fast; the issues are too complex and multi-faceted; the expertise required is too varied and deep.  Problems are messy and complicated.  People must work collaboratively and tap the collective intelligence of the larger whole.  We must be invested in finding solutions that exceed individual needs and work on behalf of our higher interests. 

Here is what  Linda Hill professor of business administration and faculty chair of the High Potential Leadership Program at Harvard University says about what leaders need to be and do.

  “Leaders need to adapt a more inclusive, collaborative style [because] today’s complex environment often demands a team approach to problem solving. This requires a leader, who among other things is comfortable sharing power and generous in doing so, is able to see extraordinary potential in ordinary people…Leadership is a collective activity in which different people at different times - depending on their strengths, or ‘nimbleness’ - come forward to move the group in the direction it needs to go. [The group] doesn’t have to wait for and then respond to a command from the front.  That kind of agility is more likely when a leader conceives her role as creating the opportunity for collective leadership, as opposed to merely setting a direction.”

Experts are clear about what is needed but less so about how we can identify leaders who have these attributes or how to develop them.  It seems to me that ego development is the cornerstone of transformational leadership.  To create an environment where the collective intelligence of the group emerges, where power is shared and collaboration is key requires a leader who does not need first and foremost to gratify his ego.  He does not need to be seen as the one with the answers, the expert, or even the leader.  He does not need to be admired.  While many of those who write about transformational leadership hint at this aspect, few name it outright, but I think it is important to do so.  Why?  Once we identify ego development as a core feature of transformational leadership, leaders and those who coach and develop them can work on it together.  Without this, we are often teaching skills to people who will ultimately fail to use them to effect the kind of change that is needed.  People know when leaders are feeding their own ego, and this is the greatest trust breaker of all, but like the emperor’s new clothes, the ego rarely gets named. 

A 2007 study by Harvard University  concludes that there is a leadership crisis in the United States.  In addition the majority of those surveyed believe the country “would be better off if we had more women in leadership roles.” 

Consider the following findings from this nation-wide survey:

• Over 75% believe there is a leadership crisis and have little confidence in public and private sector leaders
• 63% believe that today’s leaders are worse than our leaders of 20 years ago
• 51% believe the U.S. is falling behind other countries
  • 27% believe we are keeping pace
  • 21% believe we are moving ahead
• 55% believe the country would be “better off if we had more women in leadership roles”
  • 15% were “Not sure”
  • 30% said “No”

Leadership experts, myself included, agree that the go-it-alone heroic leader is a thing of the past.  We live in a much more complex world that calls for a post-heroic leader who is adept at leading collaboratively; has the ability to see multiple facets and layers of a problem; includes and listens to a variety of experts and perspectives; and can lead those with disparate or competing views to see a mutually beneficial vision and work together to achieve it. 

Studies of women leaders indicate that they are particularly suited to work in these ways.  My belief is that women are not better leaders, but they do demonstrate leadership attributes that are more important now than ever before and apparently at least 55% of the people in this country agree.  According to my own research women leaders are seen as more collaborative, inclusive, supprotive; and more inclined to develop mutual goals (create a win-win) rather than work to defeat others.  These are the very attributes that experts say are needed in order to end our leadership crisis. 

The end game is not to have more women leaders but to change the very notion of what successful leaders do and how they do it so that all leaders can succeed.  In this way we will restore confidence and resolve our leadership crisis.  Good leadership in turn will restore our place as a leader of the world’s leaders.