Harry Truman said, “The only thing new in the world is the story you don’t know.” Truman spent many years studying the history of those who came before him. Studying him was worth it. Truman today is considered one of the greatest presidents of the United States. The reason history is important is because we live in a universe of cause and effect. Similar options produce similar results at the individual (micro) and national (macro) levels. History is the history of decisions made and the results of those decisions. LESSON ONE: Look for what worked and what didn’t, and why You can use the story as a case study in business school. Example: Mark Twain became a partner in a publishing company, Webster & Co., which published “US Grant’s Personal Memoirs.” Twain also obtained the rights to the authorized biography of Pope Leo III. The first book became a bestseller. The second sold poorly. Both posts seemed like good ideas to me. Twain assumed that buying the pope’s biography would be required reading for American Catholics. he wasn’t. At the time, many working-class Irish and German Catholics couldn’t read and those who could had little discretionary income to buy books. Grant’s memoirs became a literary and financial triumph because they were written by a popular president who had just died, they provided an insider’s account of the Civil War, which was a fascinating subject to millions, and they were beautifully written. (See Fred Kaplan, “The Singular Mark Twain.” NY: 2003, Doubleday, pp. 422, 423)
LESSON TWO: There’s Magic in Thinking Big Ted Turner is the greatest thinker I’ve ever personally met. He literally changed the world with CNN. Changing the world is exactly what he intended to do. I was an on-air host and producer on TBS when CNN was being planned. But he had no idea how big Ted was thinking. And where did Ted Turner get his inspiration from? From history. One of Turner’s favorite characters as a young man was Alexander the Great, who is said to have wept because he had no more worlds to conquer. An in-depth study of history can raise your aspirations. When you discover what others have been able to accomplish under adverse conditions and often with little advantage, you may hear an inner voice say, “I can do something meaningful, too.” “Do not make small plans; they have no magic to stir the blood of men.” The quote is from Daniel H. Burnham. Here is a thumbnail sketch of the man behind the quote. Burnham, who is the subject of Erik Larson’s beautifully written new book “The Devil in the White City,” was the man who made the Chicago World’s Fair possible. He was Director of Works for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Burnham and his partner John Wellborn Root designed some of Chicago’s earliest skyscrapers. His plan for Chicago was used for many years and is considered a classic example of urban planning. The book “Timing Tactics of Highly Successful People” contains an entire section on how high achievers make plans. For information on how to obtain this book, visit http://www.achievementdigest.com/timetacticsofverysuccessfulpeople.html THE LINCOLN DIARY Lincoln still influences decisions. Christie Hefner, chairman and CEO of Playboy Enterprises, recently told a New York Times writer that she had learned an invaluable leadership lesson from Lincoln. Here’s a quote from that interview: “In leadership, it’s not about what you say, it’s about what the other person hears. If you articulate well, like Lincoln, you have a tendency to think, ‘I’ve made myself same’. of course.’ But the point is, Lincoln realizes, what did the other person hear?” Lincoln is generally thought of as a politician, and he was, but his calling was the law. He served about 1,500 days as president and 23 years as a lawyer. During that time he processed approximately 5,000 cases, an average of about 200 a year. In the huge Eighth Judicial Circuit of Central Illinois, Lincoln had the largest number of individual cases. During his career, Lincoln was involved in 15 murder cases. Of those, four men were found not guilty (one due to insanity), two were charged but not tried, one escaped during trial, six were convicted of the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter, and only two were found guilty and sentenced to death. Gallow. (Lincoln Legal Briefs, July-September 1996, No. 39)
A quaint note has survived from one of Lincoln’s civil cases in the 1850s. You’re likely to get your money sooner and with a lot less hassle and expense.” (Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Assn., Vol 16, No. 2, pp. 4, 5) Lincoln understood that commitment is necessary in daily life. “Persuade his neighbors to compromise whenever he can,” he wrote at a conference for lawyers. “Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser: in fees, expenses, and wasted time.” He learns how Lincoln communicated on the recently released “Lincoln On Communication” DVD. It is widely used as an instruction manual in leadership and communication programs, but is also valuable for self-study. It comes with an instructor’s guide. For information on how to obtain this valuable resource, visit http://www.achievementdigest.com/lincoln%20on%20communication.html Another Lincoln resource is the book “The Words Lincoln Lived By.” For more information, visit http://www.achievementdigest.com/thewordslincolnlivedby.html The book is available as a spoken word audiocassette. For information, visit http://www.achievementdigest.com/inspirationalwords.html Quantity pricing is available. One of our readers ordered 200 copies to give out to clients and prospects. This article is an excerpt from The Achievement Digest www.achievementdigest.com
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Gene Griessman, Ph. D. Editor and Publisher www.achievementdigest.com