Cook & Company
Commentary
Spring 2006
Leading at the Inflection Point
Abraham Lincoln, Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
Our Mission
To help individuals,
Doris Kearns Goodwin’s recent book,
their tussles with Lincoln only began
teams and organizations
Team of Rivals (Simon & Schuster 2005),
around 1858, as Lincoln’s political star
reach their potential
offers two excellent lessons for leadership,
began to rise nationally. In Chase’s case,
through strategic plan-
one that Goodwin specifically set out to
he had continually exemplified an inability
ning, innovative coach-
describe, and one that is embedded in her
to rise above his presidential ambitions –
ing, development of
writing.
and continued to do so while Secretary
team effectiveness and
of the Treasury under Lincoln. Seward
The book is billed as being about how Abra-
came into Lincoln’s Cabinet as Secretary
management consulting.
ham Lincoln drew into his 1861 Cabinet his
of State convinced that he was sufficiently
two most vociferous and in some ways diffi-
intelligent and powerful that he could
cult rivals for the presidential nomination in
become the President de facto, reducing
1860. However, it is also about how he re-
Lincoln to a figurehead role.
lentlessly created opportunity from military
Cook & Company
and political defeats.
In the end, Lincoln extracted remarkable
Areas of
effort from Chase in his successfully fi-
The answers to these questions have much
Concentration
nancing the Union’s war effort, before
relevance to the ability to rise above the
accepting Chase’s resignation in 1865 in a
flow of current events and issues, to see the
way that was most helpful to Lincoln, and
Strategy
larger picture and to capitalize upon it.
not at all helpful to Chase. Seward, on
They show the intersection of emotional
the other hand, became Lincoln’s closest
Coaching
intelligence (EQ) and leadership, what we
confident, in many ways an alter ego, and
characterize as Leading at the Inflection
the two were loyal, steadfast friends at
Assessments
PointTM.
the time of Lincoln’s death.
Team Building
In this newsletter we will discuss the first
Let’s look at how, in embracing his rivals
lesson and how it so clearly demonstrates
for the presidency and capitalizing on
Consulting
key lessons in emotional intelligence for
their skills, Lincoln displayed the four
leaders, while our summer newsletter will
types of emotional intelligence essential
Training
look at the relevance of Lincoln’s experi-
for any leader:¹
Workshops &
ence to Leading at the Inflection PointTM.
Retreats
Self-Awareness:
The ability to accurately
Lincoln’s two main rivals for the Republican
perceive one’s own emotions and stay aware
Mergers &
nomination for President in 1860, Salmon
of them as they happen. This includes keep-
Acquisitions
Chase and William Henry Seward, had
ing on top of how one tends to respond to
fought for political supremacy of the Repub-
specific situations and people. While there
Ethical
lican Party for years, although in both cases,
is little direct comment in Goodwin’s
Performance
Cook & Company Commentary
work on this attribute as it relates to em-
continue to be consumed with
bracing his rivals, Lincoln demonstrated this
“presidential fever,” and that in fact it was
quality in spades in his awareness and han-
his greatest weakness.
dling of his own melancholy (or as some
would have it, his “depression”). Appar-
Relationship Management: The ability to
ently, he was extraordinarily capable of
use awareness of one’s emotions and the emo-
sensing his own moods, and Goodwin cites
tions of others to manage interactions success-
numerous examples of where he was able
fully. This includes clear communication and
We’re on the Web at
to rise above it by subsequent interventions
the ability to handle conflict. Thus, for the
with others to make them aware of his
day he might need it, Lincoln stockpiled at
weakness. A memorable example was in
least three resignation letters from Chase,
his note to a cavalryman, whose request
refusing each one, but also holding them
was turned down by Lincoln: The following
against the day in 1865 when, to Chase’s
day Lincoln writes to the man that he
shock, he accepted the latter’s fourth res-
(Lincoln) “had been a brute,” and would do
ignation letter, and used the other three
what he could to help the fellow.
with his other cabinet members to “seal
If you would like to
the deal,” in terms of making them realize
receive these com-
Self-Management: The ability to use
what he had put up with.
mentaries by e-mail,
awareness of one’s emotions to stay flexible
What does one make of Lincoln’s demon-
or if you have a col-
and positively direct behavior. This means man-
stration of these four dimensions of emo-
league you think
aging emotional reactions to all situations and
tional intelligence? Perhaps the most im-
might be interested
people. One of the most powerful themes
portant lesson is in understanding that Lin-
in this work is Lincoln’s ability to deal with
in receiving them,
coln demonstrated these qualities when he
his emotions in a positive manner, and cre-
just e-mail your re-
was under great fire as being a weak, in-
ate opportunity where others only saw hu-
quest to:
competent President, unfit to lead the
miliation, chagrin, and despair. When
country in the time of war. In our terms,
Salmon Chase engaged in outrageous acts
contact@
he demonstrated Leading at the Inflection
calculated to attempt to secure the presi-
Point™, that is, the ability to exhibit these
cookcompany.com
dential nomination in 1864, Lincoln would
characteristics at the time when they are
only say publicly that he was sure what
most needed, but often in shortest supply.
Chase was doing was misinterpreted, while
It was this quality that often won over
privately saying that he could endure
many of his most wary critics, from Seward
Chase’s machinations because he did not
and Chase, to Seward’s campaign manager,
think in the end he, Lincoln, would be
Thariow Weed, Horace Greeley, and to
harmed. AND, he continuously stated that
the noted abolitionist William Lloyd Garri-
he needed Chase, because only Chase was
son.
capable of generating the financing neces-
sary to finance the Civil War.
But his ability to deal with the most pro-
found adversity was also astounding, as we
Social Awareness: The ability to accurately
shall address in our summer newsletter…
pick up on emotions in other people and un-
derstand what is really going on. This often
means understanding what other people are
thinking and feeling even if one doesn’t feel the
¹ Goleman, Daniel, Boyatzis, Richard and
same way. Chase again provides a good
McKee, Annie. 2002. Primal Leadership:
170 Marion St., Suite 200
example. Lincoln properly understood that
Harvard Business School Publishing, 2002.
Denver, CO 80218
Chase was, had been, and would probably
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