He won the nomination to be president. Then he won the presidency.
What would normally have been a celebration was nothing more than a monstrous mess. The nation was bitterly divided. The new president’s own political party was fractured, and he knew that if he didn’t act swiftly and smartly, he wouldn’t get anything accomplished.
Abraham Lincoln appointed his cabinet—advisors who were meant to give counsel and advice.
The men Lincoln chose still astonish historians. Why? Because these men had run against Lincoln for the nomination to be president.
Lincoln chose the very men who had criticized and belittled him during the campaign. As historian Doris Kearns Goodwin notes, this was Lincoln’s “Team of Rivals.”
He surrounded himself with men who disagreed with him. Those men were William Seward, Salmon Chase, and Edward Bates. They had opposing ideas and saw the world differently, and Lincoln felt the nation was owed those viewpoints.
In her book Team of Rivals, Goodwin writes:
“This, then, is a story of Lincoln’s political genius revealed through his extraordinary array of personal qualities that enabled him to form friendships with men who had previously opposed him; to repair injured feelings that, left untended, might have escalated into permanent hostility; to assume responsibility for the failures of subordinates; to share credit with ease; and to learn from mistakes. He possessed an acute understanding of the sources of power inherent in the presidency, an unparalleled ability to keep his governing coalition intact, a tough-minded appreciation of the need to protect his presidential prerogatives, and a masterful sense of timing.”
We begin a series of blogs this week on the topic of building a great team. Let’s start with a few lessons from Mr. Lincoln.
After all, if he was willing to surround himself with his rivals during the darkest days of America’s history, then we can certainly learn something as we build teams to claim a share of a business market.
First, as you build a team, have a strong enough ego to surround yourself with people who will disagree with you.
Leaders can sometimes form a warped view that they have all the answers. Find people willing to speak truth to power. Also, don’t punish those who disagree with you.
Those voices will help you make better decisions. We need people who will highlight our blind spots.
Second, be a friend to those who have differing opinions.
We enjoy being around like-minded people—those who speak highly of us, serve us, and make us think we’re gifted business leaders. What we really need are friends who will speak the truth.
Practice humility by befriending those who are different. Not only is it good for your pride, but you’ll be forced to see the world and its problems from various perspectives. That is always healthy.
Finally, to build a great team, you’ll need to share credit.
When something great happens, be willing to name those who worked on the project. Give them the glory for what was achieved. Never praise yourself.
When you celebrate the team, they’ll realize that you see them and their efforts. That will spur them to keep going.
No one wants to be faceless and nameless in an organization. Be the leader who recognizes and praises the efforts of others.
Building a great team is one of the most important things you’ll ever do as a leader.
Commit these principles to memory and live them out consistently. By doing so, you’ll build an amazing team that will achieve resounding success.
Creating Unparalleled Experiences,
Chris Adams
Ellis Adams Group is always updating our blogs with the latest and greatest, view more below.
Whether you’re developing a new hospitality concept, refining an existing brand, or expanding into new markets, our team is ready to collaborate and create custom solutions to fit your project.
