ABRAHAM LINCOLN: Without Divine assistance I cannot succeed; with it I cannot fail.
This story is about Lincoln’s farewell address at Springfield, Illinois, on February 11, 1861. The speech was very brief -less than two hundred words (Watson, 1951, p.70). It was supposed to be a very happy day for him, a day of triumph but close ones could see that he was not happy (Watson, 1951, p.69). It was a bittersweet day for him as he had been elected as the President but he was also leaving the place he was born and lived in, the people who contributed so much to his life and success. His speech was very personal and he talked about how grateful he is for all the people who have supported him throughout and how heavy and sad he feels about leaving this place and these people as he was not sure when or if he will return to Springfield (Watson, 1951, p.70). He was also aware of the challenges that awaited him as the President because the nation was in a bad state at the time and he wanted to make sure he restores the peace and harmony. The thing that stood out from his speech was how he connected with the people and the way he explained that in prayers of god they will always stay together as God is with each one of them. It was this expression of faith and trust, this firm belief that with God’s help he could not fail, which sets Lincoln’s words at Springfield apart and gave them the unmistakable quality of inspiration, radiant and enduring. (Watson, 1951, p70).
Abraham Lincoln was one of the great leaders and he was indeed a servant leader. He believed in serving the world and was against dominance. What made me pick this story out of the book is the quote on the very first page by Abraham Lincoln that says, “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be” (Watson, 1951, p.1). The is so much to learn from Lincoln and he exhibits so many amazing leadership traits. He was very perceptive and determined. He was also empathetic and sensitive as his farewell speech reflects that’s clear. In this particular story, I learned that being a leader you should be selfless and work for the greater good and not shy away from making sacrifices for it. Another important leadership lesson that can be learned here is the importance of being sensitive towards other people and being forever grateful for their contributions and connecting with them on a deeper level. Above all, this story is a great example of leadership, sacrifices, empathy, and determination and it teaches about never forgetting where you came from.
This story has impacted my life to a great extent. It was a gentle reminder that to lead is to serve. His thoughts about connecting through prayer and god hold a great relevance in my life. “Without divine assistance I cannot succeed; with it I cannot fail” (Watson, 1951, p.70), these words have a great impact on my life and I have always practiced this. I’m from a Sikh family and I’m a strong believer and there are words in the Sikh holy book that resonate with this message strongly. Furthermore, I loved his statement about happiness and I find it to be very true. This story has been an enlightening and insightful experience and I would certainly read more about Abraham Lincoln and his ideas and theories
I liked and appreciated your point about the importance of remembering to be sensitive towards others. As a teacher, this is something that I work on and try to practice each day. There are many things going on in my student’s lives that affect their ability to learn. It is also a life lesson that I try and share with my students as well. A quote (whose origins I am unsure of as it has been attributed to Maya Angelou, Carl W. Buehner and Carol Buchner) comes to mind, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Thank you for reminding me of the importance of being sensitive.
Thank you for your kind words and I strongly agree and appreciate that you teach kids to be kind because that is one of the most important things a kid should learn very early on in life because at this stage they are like soft clay ready to be molded into different shapes. Plus, like you said there are so many things going on in their lives and being kind to each other makes it easier. It’s good to know that the education system has teachers like you. Also, the quote that you shared is so beautiful and true.
It is an amazing story as you shared of Lincoln, He was a great leader who defies new paths of leadership and sets new pillars of how to be a better servant leader, you described the story and your idea in a beautiful manner and the quote of “without divine assistance we can not succeed ;with it I can not fall” explains a lot and is a solution to a lot of questions.
I’m happy to know that you could relate to the story and I completely agree with you too.
I agree with you and our fellow student – the quote that resonated with you also resonates with me and was a reminder of me of the power of my own faith spelled out in 1 John 5:4. I am looking forward to your insights throughout this course. I appreciate your openness and boldness in your reflections.
Another thought in your writing that struck me was when you commented that a leadership lesson is that leaders should be “forever grateful”. This is an area that I know that I need to improve on.
Thank you so much for your kind words. Gratitude changes your life in a great way, indeed. Almost, all great leaders share this mutual quality.
Shaaz,
President Lincoln is certainly a leader whom many admire. Have you seen the movie, “Lincoln”? It provides a powerful portrait of this humble and powerful leader. How do you think his faith in divine assistance impacted his own humility as a leader? His experience of being in a position of power?
— Leadership Prof
No, I have not watched it yet but it is on my to-do list. His faith in divine assistance is what makes him so humble as a leader and this is what makes him connect with all the people on a very deeper level. It also impacted his experience of being in power as this is what inclines him to serve and walk the way that God has paved for him in the most righteous way. It also gives him an assurance that no matter how far he is God will keep him connected to his land and people. I think faith is the most powerful thing in this world, it gives you strength to face the biggest challenges, to accept tough situations and to keep moving forward. Lincoln’s story is a testimony to all of this.