Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States (Arnold, 2022), is widely known for leading our country through the Civil War (Arnold, 2022), for freeing slaves through the Emancipation Proclamation (Arnold, 2022), and for “abolishing slavery” (Arnold, 2022) through the 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Lincoln may be regarded as a distinguished leader/president of the United States due to his renowned accomplishments, his selflessness, and his perseverance in achieving his goal of putting an end to slavery. Lincoln worked diligently with his followers to accomplish his leadership successes and engaged in a variety of “leadership behaviors” (Northouse, 2022, p.134) to guide his followers towards success and to remove obstacles impeding their success. Specifically, Lincoln took responsibility for “designing and facilitating a healthy and productive work environment to propel followers toward success” (Northouse, 2022, p.132). Overall, Lincoln exemplified the “path-goal” (Northouse, 2022, p.132) approach to leadership by altering his leadership style to most successfully meet his “followers’ motivational needs” (Northouse, 2022, p.132).
The “Path-goal theory” (Northouse, 2022, p.132) of leadership is partially based upon the “expectancy theory of motivation” (Northouse, 2022, p.133) and emphasizes how leadership itself can motivate followers “when it makes the path to the goal clear and easy to travel through coaching and direction, removing obstacles and roadblocks to attaining the goal, and making work itself more personally satisfying” (Northouse, 2022, p.132-133). Through this theory of leadership, leaders motivate their followers through the use of their “leadership behaviors” (Northouse, 2022, p.134) / “leadership style” (PSU WC, L.6, p.11) and specifically alter their “leadership behaviors”(Northouse, 2022, p.134) “to complement or supplement what is missing in the work environment” (PSU WC, L.6, p.11). Leaders were also said to stimulate motivation within their followers by providing “rewards in the work environment that their followers need to reach their goals” (PSU WC, L.6, p.11).
Lincoln utilized the “Directive leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.135) approach, which is characterized by leaders conveying “explicit expectations” (Northouse, 2022, p.135), setting “clear standards of performance” (Northouse, 2022, p.135), clarifying “rules and regulations” (Northouse, 2022, p.135), and giving “followers instructions about their task” (Northouse, 2022, p.135). An example of Lincoln exercising directive leadership behaviors would include when during the Civil War he conveyed his expectations for performance to the “George McClellan, Commander in Chief of the Union Army” (BLR, 2022), and then subsequently “set a deadline and eventually removed McClellan from the position” (BLR, 2022) when he demonstrated that could not “follow directives” (BLR, 2022) or instructions and meet Lincoln’s performance standards. Directive leadership behaviors are imperative in times of war, as they help to ensure that all followers are on the same page and are sticking to the same plan to ensure damages are minimized and the desired outcome is achieved.
Lincoln also heavily utilized a “Supportive leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.135) approach, which “consists of being friendly and approachable as a leader and includes attending to the well-being and human needs of followers” (Northouse, 2022, p.135). For example, it was stated that Lincoln “treated others whom he encountered with honesty, humility, courage, justice, and grace” (Arnold, 2022). In addition, to “make work pleasant for followers” (Northouse, 2022, p.135), Lincoln “encouraged a healthy atmosphere of laughter and fun in his administration” (BLR, 2022), which this type of behavior was stated in the text to provide “followers with the confidence necessary to succeed” (Northouse, 2022, p.135). A lack of confidence amongst followers may serve as an obstacle for followers in attaining their goals, which Lincoln countered this obstacle of a lack of confidence faced by followers by utilizing his “Supportive leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.135) behaviors. Lincoln wanted to ensure that his followers felt supported during the Civil War and to do this he “established lasting connections with the troops by visiting the battlefield and hospitals, which also helped bolster morale” (BLR, 2022). Lincoln also sought to make personal connections with his followers and provide them with respect and he did this by meeting nearly “every single Union soldier who enlisted early in the Civil War” (Barker, 2014). In addition, Lincoln also sought to treat his “followers as equals” (Northouse, 2022, p.135) and did so by always giving “credit where credit was due” (Barker, 2014) and always sharing “the credit with all of those involved” (BLR, 2022). Giving his followers credit for their own accomplishments, under his supervision, may also be seen as “providing … rewards in the work environment” (Northouse, 2022, p.132) which may have served to help followers “believe that the payoffs for doing their work are worthwhile” (Northouse, 2022, p.133), and thus this may have served as a motivational tool to motivate his followers to keep up the good work.
Lincoln also emphasized “Participative leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.135) which entails “inviting followers to share in the decision-making” (Northouse, 2022, p.135) processes of the leadership situation. For example, it was stated that “Lincoln always respected other opinions and always included his deputy ideas and strategies in decision making” (Arnold, 2022). Lincoln also fostered a participative working environment by creating “a climate where Cabinet members were free to disagree without fear of retaliation” (BLR, 2022). To add to this, Lincoln consistently consulted “with subordinates to get their opinions” (PSU WC, L.6, p.11) as it was stated that “No matter how busy the president was, he always seemed to find time for those who called on him” (Barker, 2014).
Lincoln’s presidency was also highlighted by an “Achievement-oriented leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.136) approach, which “is characterized by a leader who challenges followers to perform work at their highest level possible” (Northouse, 2022, p.136). Lincoln utilized the “Achievement-oriented leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.136) approach when “he established a culture of learning in his administration” (BLR, 2022) and continuously pushed his followers to expand and advance their knowledge, skills, and abilities. It was specifically stated that “even during his most difficult times, Lincoln continued to call on his subordinates to screen new advances, implement ideas, and win while learning” (Barker, 2014). In other words, Lincoln continuously pushed his followers to advance and “improve” (PSU WC, L.6, p.11) themselves within their positions. Lincoln even applied the “Achievement-oriented leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.136) approach to himself as he continuously tried to learn new skills while in office and also by using “the opinion of others to self-correct mistakes and improve his public image” (Arnold, 2022).
Although Lincoln did demonstrate the directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented (Northouse, 2022, p.135-136) leadership approaches, it appears that he did so “in different situations” (Northouse, 2022, p.136) and at different points in time (PSU WC, L.6, p.11). Lincoln specifically appeared to “adapt” (Northouse, 2022, p.136) his leadership styles according to the “situation or motivational needs” (Northouse, 2022, p.136) of his followers. For example, during the height of the Civil War, directive and supportive leadership behaviors (Northouse, 2022, p.135) may have been the most important to implement to ensure that his followers followed his instructions and remained safe and also to keep their morale up (BLR, 2022) when tragedies were taking place. On the other hand, while Lincoln was pushing for the abolishment of slavery achievement-oriented leadership behaviors (Northouse, 2022, p.136) may have been most important to emphasize in order for his to push his followers to their highest quality of performance in order them to gain public support and achieve their goals of abolishing slavery.
The “Path-goal theory” (Northouse, 2022, p.132) of leadership also encompasses “Follower Characteristics” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) which were said to “determine how a leader’s behavior is interpreted by followers in a given work context” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) and also “determine the degree to which followers find the behavior of a leader” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) as a “source of satisfaction” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) in their work. It appears that Lincoln’s followers, specifically during the Civil War, may have had a “strong needs for affiliation” (Northouse, 2022, p.137), as they needed to identify and dedicate themselves to their side of the war. Lincoln reinforced his follower’s affiliation with his side of the war by enacting “supportive leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) behaviors that assured them of their importance in the war, like when he visited and met with all of the troops of the war and recognized and gave credit for their successes in the war. Lincoln also enacted other “supportive leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) behaviors to reinforce his follower’s “needs for affiliation” (Northouse, 2022, p.137), like “by attending to them individually” (Northouse, 2022, p.137), as it was stated that “No matter how busy the president was, he always seemed to find time for those who called on him” (Barker, 2014).
In terms of the follower characteristic (Northouse, 2022, p.137) of “preferences for structure” (Northouse, 2022, p.137), it appears that Lincoln’s followers, specifically during the Civil War, may have had strong “preferences for structure” (Northouse, 2022, p.137), as they were subject to working “in uncertain situations” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) and dangerous situations. Therefore, Lincoln’s followers may have sought “preferences for structure” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) through “directive leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) behaviors as this may have served to provide a “greater sense of certainty” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) of their position in the war and how the winning the war was to be accomplished. This sense of structure may have also served to reinforce followers’ beliefs that there was a strong plan set in place to win the war, which may have eased some of their feelings of anxiety associated with the war.
Lincoln encouraged his followers to have an “internal locus of control” (Northouse, 2022, p.137), which refers to the belief that individuals “are in charge of the events that occur in their life” (Northouse, 2022, p.137). Specifically, Lincoln continuously encouraged his followers to learn and advance their skills, and thus take responsibility for advancing themselves, and also encouraged them to view their failures as a learning experience, as he would not blame them for their failures (Barker, 2014). In addition, Lincoln also encouraged his followers to have an “internal locus of control” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) by setting an example for them that they should take “responsibility when things went wrong” (Barker, 2014), as Lincoln strictly held himself accountable for his own failures. To add to this, Lincoln reinforced an “internal locus of control” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) on his followers by engaging in “participative leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) behaviors, by involving them in the decision-making process, which thus helped to make them “feel in charge of their work” (Northouse, 2022, p.138).
Regarding followers’ “self-perceived level of task ability” (Northouse, 2022, p.138), Lincoln always encouraged and tried to facilitate confidence and continuous learning within his followers in order for them to have a strong “self-perceived level of task ability” (Northouse, 2022, p.138). To facilitate a strong “self-perceived level of task ability” (Northouse, 2022, p.138), Lincoln pulled away from utilizing “directive leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.138) behaviors to push his followers to take initiative in their work and give “his subordinates the correct perception that they were, in many ways, doing the leading” (Barker, 2014). Lincoln encouraged these behaviors among his followers to not only help build their confidence but also to “make them feel good about their jobs”(Barker, 2014).
“Task Characteristics” (Northouse, 2022, p.138) also impact “the way a leader’s behavior influences followers’ motivation” (Northouse, 2022, p.138). In terms of the task characteristics of Lincoln’s followers during the Civil War and their fight for the abolishment of slavery, the “design of the” (Northouse, 2022, p.138) tasks Lincoln’s followers were presented with appeared to be “unclear and ambiguous” (Northouse, 2022, p.138), which required Lincoln to initiate and provide “structure” (Northouse, 2022, p.138) to their tasks through “directive leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.138) behaviors and “participative leadership” (Northouse, 2022, p.137) behaviors. Some of Lincoln’s followers were doubtful that they would accomplish abolishing slavery in the country and these perceptions may have created a “nonsuppurative” (Northouse, 2022, p.138) “work group” (Northouse, 2022, p.138) climate, although Lincoln countered these perceptions, and sought to bring about group “cohesiveness” (Northouse, 2022, p.138) through both supportive and participative leadership (Northouse, 2022, p.135) leadership behaviors.
One of the central tenets of the “path-goal theory” (Northouse, 2022, p.139) of leadership is for leaders to take responsibility for “helping followers overcome obstacles” (Northouse, 2022, p.139) and for providing them with sources of motivation within their work environment. Abraham Lincoln exemplified the “path-goal” (Northouse, 2022, p.132) approach to leadership by dedicating himself to his goals and his followers by helping to motivate his followers, through rewards, helping them overcome obstacles (Northouse, 2022, p.139), and in helping them achieve “desired goals” (Northouse, 2022, p.138). Lincoln specifically utilized and switched between the directive, supportive, participative, and achievement-oriented (Northouse, 2022, p.135-136) leadership approaches to best align with “followers’ motivational needs” (Northouse, 2022, p.132), followers’ characteristics, the characteristics of the task, and the overall leadership situation. Lincoln heavily focused his leadership behaviors on the needs of his followers and worked diligently to remove or help his followers around obstacles (Northouse, 2022, p.141) that impeded their success and goal attainment. He worked around and influenced his follower’s characteristics (Northouse, 2022, p.137) to best meet their ”motivational needs” (Northouse, 2022, p.132) and to produce a “healthy and productive work environment” (Northouse, 2022, p.132). In addition, Lincoln also adapted his leadership behaviors to fit the task characteristics presented to his followers in order to make “the paths to desired goals apparent” (Northouse, 2022, p.138).
References:
Arnold, P. (2022, May 31). What Made Lincoln Such A Great Leader? CLJ. https://communityliteracy.org/what-made-lincoln-such-a-great-leader/
Barker, E. (2014, March 25). Lessons from Lincoln: 5 leadership tips history and science agree on. Time. https://time.com/37025/lessons-from-lincoln-5-leadership-tips-history-and-science-agree-on/
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Chapter 6: Path-Goal Theory. Leadership theory & practice (9th ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publishing, Inc.
Pennsylvania State University World Campus. PSYCH 485 – Lesson 6: Contingency & Path-Goal Theories. Leader behaviors (p.11). Canvas. https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2283258/modules/items/38927194
10 Qualities that made Abraham Lincoln a great leader. (2022, January 1). Business and Learning Resources (BLR). https://blr.com/resources/10-qualities-that-made-abraham-lincoln-a-great-leader/
Your blog post on Abraham Lincoln’s crisis-management abilities struck me as insightful and well-researched. You’ve given a thorough analysis of how Lincoln’s leadership during the Civil War aligned with the path-goal theory. Lincoln’s leadership during this time period is in fact a fascinating study in adaptive leadership. I concur that Lincoln’s success was greatly influenced by his capacity to modify his leadership style according to the demands of his subordinates as well as the particulars of the assignments and circumstances. Lincoln’s dedication to ethical leadership strikes a chord with me more than any other aspect of his leadership. You said that Lincoln saw the abolition of slavery as a matter of justice as well as a matter of strategy. One of his most admirable contributions to history, in my opinion, was the ethical foundation of his leadership. Leaders frequently have to make difficult choices during times of crisis, and their ethical principles serve as a guide. Lincoln is a powerful example of how ethical leadership can enthuse and motivate followers because of his unwavering dedication to the abolition of slavery in the face of enormous obstacles. Your discussion of Lincoln’s communication abilities is also important. He was able to inspire the American people with his speeches, including the Emancipation Proclamation, and convey a clear vision, which was a key factor in gaining support for his cause. Lincoln’s mastery of effective communication is a valuable lesson for leaders in any situation because it is a fundamental leadership skill. In addition, it makes sense that you brought up Lincoln’s legacy. Today’s leaders are still motivated by his legacy of leadership. Contemporary leaders can learn how to deal with complex challenges with grace, resilience, and a commitment to justice by studying Lincoln’s leadership principles and the way he managed to get through a period of profound crisis. In conclusion, your blog post offers a thorough examination of Lincoln’s administration during a crucial juncture in American history. Lincoln serves as a timeless example for leaders in a variety of professions because of his adaptable leadership, moral principles, communication prowess, and enduring legacy. My admiration for Lincoln’s leadership and its applicability in the modern world has grown as a result of your post.
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Chapter 6: Path-Goal Theory. Leadership theory & practice (9th ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publishing, Inc.
Pennsylvania State University World Campus. PSYCH 485 – Lesson 6: Contingency & Path-Goal Theories. Leader behaviors (p.11). Canvas. https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2283258/modules/items/38927194
10 Qualities that made Abraham Lincoln a great leader. (2022, January 1). Business and Learning Resources (BLR). https://blr.com/resources/10-qualities-that-made-abraham-lincoln-a-great-leader/