Of the 44 men who have been President of the United States, none have as much paper and ink dedicated to them as has Abraham Lincoln. It was Lincoln's dubious distinction to be elected on the eve of the nation's civil war, but he saw the conflict through successfully and in a manner that few, if any, others could have achieved.

Lincoln was very much the common man while his most notable political competitors; William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, and Edward Bates all enjoyed much better circumstances, had more formal education, and were more successful in politics than Lincoln. In the 1869 race for nomination for the new Republican Party's nomination all three felt confident they were sure to win, and non felt Lincoln had any real chance. But Lincoln surprised them and went on to occupy the office during what was arguably the most challenging phase of our national history. What is unusual, and in large part defining of his presidency was that he gathered his political rivals together to form a most unusual cabinet.

In Team of Rivals, Doris Kearns Goodwin reveals several factors of Lincoln's life and success that are instructive for leaders today.

1. A life of privilege and formal education is not always an indication of success. Lincoln himself enjoyed no advantage in his life and certainly had no formal education. His three competitors enjoyed varying degrees of wealth and all had partaken of formal education.

2. Principle above politics can succeed. When Lincoln attempted to gain a senate seat in 1855, he found himself in a three-way race for the appointment. (Until the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913, U.S. Senators were selected by the state legislators) The defining issue, at that time was slavery and whether it would spread to new territories. On this issue, none of the three candidates would budge. Though Lincoln lacked only five votes to secure the appointment, he withdrew, knowing that in so doing he would ensure the rival who held the same views on that single issue would win. By holding to his principles, he lost the day, but so impressed his rivals that they became his supporters in his bid for the presidency.

3. A winning team is more important than a group of friends. When Lincoln formed his cabinet, he placed his greatest rivals in the most key positions. He understood the importance of placing their abilities above political rivalry. The cabinet he created became extremely effective and its members grew to be some of Lincoln's closest friends.

Goodwin has compiled a masterful work detailing these specific points of Lincoln's extraordinary leadership ability. Team of Rivals is very detailed account of a great leader and definitely a great addition to a leader's shelf.