Lincoln on Leadership

One of my favorite all time reference books is Donald T. Phillips' "Lincoln On Leadership - Executive Strategies For Tough Times." In this book, Phillips explores President Lincoln's management philosophies for students of leadership.  It's a fascinating read. Listed below are a few of my favorite  principles from Phillips that I have tried to embrace:

1. Be the very embodiment of good temper and affability.
2. Remember, everyone likes a compliment.
3. Wage only one war at a time.
4. Showing your compassionate and caring nature will aid you in forging successful relationships.
5. Use force only as a last resort.
6. A good leader avoids issuing orders, preferring to request, imply, or make suggestions.
7. When you make it to the top, turn and reach down for the person behind you.
8. Don't surrender the game leaving any available card unplayed.
9. Remember that compromise does not mean cowardice.
10. Seize the initiative and never relinquish it.

David Baucom

Find Your Park

Since January, my wife and I have celebrated the centennial of our national parks service by volunteering with the Student Conservation Association (The SCA) to pick up trash at three of our national parks in the Washington DC metro area.  We've discovered that this is a terrific, satisfying way to spend a Saturday.

So far, we volunteered at Anacostia, Greenbelt and Fort Dupont parks.  We've met some very interesting people, talked with both high school and college students about their future plans, and helped to clean up our national treasures.

We probably never would have visited these national parks without this opportunity to find them through volunteering. Through corporate contributions, the SCA provides tee shirts, sun glasses, work gloves, tools, breakfast treats including hot coffee as well as a boxed lunch at the end of the event.  Typically, we've returned home by 3:00 pm - enthusiastic that we paid back to our community, discovered someplace new, and met some wonderful, dedicated Americans.  David Baucom