Abraham Lincoln is one of the greatest leaders of all time. What made him so extraordinary? Does research back up those claims? Honest Abe lived a long and difficult life, but he never gave up and his persistence is what allowed him to make such a positive impact on the world.

If you’d like to be more like Abe, you may want to learn leadership from Lincoln’s leadership style. There is a lot a sales manager and/or a sales coach can learn from his leadership style.

 

Circulate Amongst the Troops

Research has shown that Lincoln tended to be outside the White House more often than inside during his presidency. Most historians believe that Abe met every Union soldier that enlisted in the Civil War. That’s saying something!

 

The lesson you receive is that you need to be an accessible leader if you’re going to get people to do what you want. Lincoln knew (and now you do, too!) that people are the best source of information. Accessibility is the first step towards building trusting relationships that allow communication to flow freely. If your team members know that they can talk to you about anything, they’re going to start doing it. Over time, that trust and rapport can get you the information you need to determine weaknesses, strengths, and other helpful data that will allow your team to prosper and help get your team through tough times successfully.

 

Keep the Door Open

Research has shown that Lincoln offered an open-door policy and was one of the most accessible executives the US ever knew. Personal secretaries at the time claimed that Abe spent almost three-quarters of his time meeting people. Regardless of how busy he was, he always found time to meet with those who called.

 

Modern business theories also back that up. It’s called ‘managing while wandering around’. Most modern CEOs (at least the successful ones) also spend most of their time gathering information in order to help them make the best decisions based on information they have collected themselves. They do that by making time for everyone, including lower-level employee’s that make things happen on a day to day basis.

 

As a sales coach and manager, you are responsible for your team’s success. You are the navigator of tough times and circumstances. It is your responsibility to navigate your team through tough waters.