Crafting Your School's Gettysburg Address

It may be the best historical example of a mission statement: President Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. It's clear and concise, the rationale is tightly aligned with the vision, and it even conveys the humble leadership qualities of its orator.

With the Union beginning to take the lead, Lincoln used the Gettysburg Address to mark a corner turned in the Civil War and to energize the constituency on whom enduring victory depended.

As a precursor to this historic speech, authors Harvey Alvy and Pam Robbins say Lincoln was immersed in an array of leadership practices relevant and useful for today's school leaders: self-reflection, getting in the trenches, and seeking out opposing perspectives.

In Learning from Lincoln: Leadership Practices for School Success, Alvy and Robbins add that before developing a meaningful shared vision and mission, it is essential to first understand, articulate, and write out a personal vision.

That's what led Lincoln to ideas like, "The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."

Likewise, school leaders crafting their own Gettysburg Address might consider, What do I want to perpetuate in our schools, not merely for today but for all time to come?

Tune in tomorrow, Wednesday, August 25, from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. ET for an exclusive, free Webinar with authors Alvy and Robbins, who will discuss leadership strategies and principles for our time through the lens of Lincoln's work. If you miss it live, look for the archived version, here. Follow additional updates from these authors by liking Learning from Lincoln on Facebook.