The Art of Leadership

The Art of Leadership

Celebrating 250-Years of American Excellence

Author: David Ocheltree

Week 1

Why Leaders Need to Care About Their Employees on a Personal Level

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

– John 13: 34-35

HISTORICAL FIGURE: Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States

The first concept that this book will deal with is something some might even consider a little controversial. Some may say this viewpoint is not considered mainstream. This concept is:

Leaders need to care about their employees on a personal level.

Allow that to settle in for a moment. That is correct. I stated that leaders do need to care about their employees on a personal level. I am not stating that you now need to befriend your employees and head to the nearest watering hole to share your deepest and darkest stories.

Several leaders in history are well known for their ability to show their care for their people. President Abraham Lincoln is famous for numerous reasons. Many people are not aware of the efforts he made to take care of his staff. President Lincoln was known for his ability to connect with people on a personal level, even with those whom he disagreed.

He understood the hardships faced by soldiers and civilians during the war and actively sought to alleviate their suffering. Lincoln was known for visiting soldiers in hospitals. He would often be found providing inspiring words of encouragement to the soldiers on the battlefield. His unwavering commitment to justice and equality helped unite the country and pave the way for a more inclusive future.

President Lincoln’s legacy is one of compassionate and effective leadership. His actions and words continue to inspire leaders and individuals around the world to prioritize the well-being of those they serve. President Lincoln was a leader who utterly understood the importance of caring for this staff on a personal level. He deliberately chose cabinet members who had been his political rivals, including those who had opposed him for the presidential nomination. He personally believed in a concept of benefiting from a range of perspectives and expertise.

There are several stories that illustrate President Lincoln’s caring nature towards his staff. He established an “open door policy” where anyone could come to him with problems or concerns, fostering trust and respect.

There is one specific story that I want to share that highlights President Lincoln’s caring nature. It involves his long time valet, barber, handyman and bodyguard by the name of William Johnson.

On November 18th, President Lincoln was travelling from Washington, D.C., to Gettysburg to deliver his famous address. President Lincoln was travelling with Mr. William Johnson.

It is important to remember America was in the middle of the Civil War and Mr. William Johnson was African American. Lincoln saw Johnson as a trusted and loyal aide, many people, including much of his own White House staff, harbored deep-seated prejudice. It is quite possible that President Lincoln spent much of his time re-viewing his notes for the speech he planned on delivering.

On November 19th, Mr. Johnson more than likely helped President Lincoln get dressed in the morning as he would prepare to deliver his speech. After the event the party got back on the train. This is where things take a turn. President Lincoln fell ill and developed a blinding headache. William tended to President Lincoln as he would be lying in bed and placed a wet cloth on his brow.

When they returned to the White House doctors were summoned to care for the president. President Lincoln was diagnosed with smallpox. It is suggested that he most likely contracted it from his young son Tad. Just a few days earlier Tad had grown very sick from smallpox.

President Lincoln was bedridden for three weeks while he was ill with smallpox. Every day Johnson would wait on the President and nursed him back to health. Mr. Johnson continued his duties even when he himself became sick.

In January 1864, William Johnson was hospitalized with smallpox. The doctors were unable to save him. On January 28, 1864, he succumbed to the illness and died. Some theories speculate that he contracted smallpox from the President. That is only one theory.

Abraham Lincoln paid for William Johnson’s burial, coffin and the remaining half of the two $150 loans that he cosigned for John-son. Although a banker offered to forgive the second half of the loan, Lincoln insisted on paying the full amount because he endorsed the notes and felt bound to do so. Lincoln also paid for a headstone to be placed at the gravesite. The burial spot is located at Arlington National Cemetery, and it reads: “William H. Johnson/Citizen.” This may not seem like a big deal in today’s time. It was a massive deal in 1864.

For a headstone to identify a Black man as a “citizen” in 1864 was a highly significant and powerfully defiant act. At the time, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1857 Dred Scott decision legally barred African Americans from citizenship, whether free or enslaved. The inscription was a forceful public contradiction of that ruling and an assertion of inherent rights.

President Lincoln was well-known for understanding and practicing care for his staff and subordinates. He earned the loyalty of his team by demonstrating empathy, respect and a willingness to shoulder blame for their mistakes. This approach helped him build a dedicated and effective administration, even among former political rivals.

Caring for your employees on a personal level means going above and beyond the professional sphere to show genuine concern for their well-being. This can involve activities like getting to know them on a personal level. Do you know if they are going through challenging times? When was the last time you showed appreciation for their contributions?

Our staff members are much more than a résumé and a collection of skills sets. They are a collection of personal, professional, spiritual and financial issues. At any point in time there could be potential issues in any of those areas of their lives. Those potential issues could prevent your staff from performing at their optimum level. This means that you as a leader need to get involved. You need to take time out and ask about their families, hobbies and interests and try to remember the details about their lives. It is important to get out there and be available to your staff. Just because you did it one time that is nowhere near enough. This is a constant pursuit where you should be constantly learning about your staff.

Think about the following scenario for a moment. You have two employees within your department. Look at the comparison between the different employees:

Now imagine that your supervisor has asked your department to complete a project. This project will require more hours and adhering to a very tight deadline. Who would you pick to help with this project? This is an obvious choice.

Employee B should be picked 100 times out of 100. As a leader are you taking time out of your day to express your gratitude and appreciation for their contributions. It is great that you can count on them; but do they know you truly appreciate them? Simply extending some public recognition towards that staff member in a group setting can sometimes work. Sometimes something as small as a simple hand-written “Thank You” note goes a long way.

There is a program that I informally developed and put in place at a company to help with this concept. I called it the “Spotlight of the Week.” During my weekly staff meetings, I would share specific highlights of one specific staff member. This “Spotlight of the Week” notice turned out to be a very fun thing that the staff really looked forward to every week.

HOW DO YOU DO THIS?

To show your staff you care for them on a personal level build genuine relationships through actively listening, recognizing their accomplishments, offering support and respecting their work/life.