Let Go to Hold On

“Early in the war, when the Union army was losing badly, Lincoln and a senator called on Gen. McClellan one night at the general's residence. McClellan strode in, ignored Lincoln, and went upstairs to bed. The senator was outraged, but Lincoln ignored the snub. ‘I would hold his horse,’ said Lincoln, ‘if he would but deliver us success.’

“… Sometimes we let our egos get in our way. It's amazing what we can accomplish if we don't care who gets the credit. That's the point of the Lincoln story: The Union needed a victory, and if McClellan could deliver one, even the President of the United States would put aside his ego.”

(Ben G. Watts, President and CEO of Carter & Burgess, in “Diversify your business to make it recession-proof.” Building Design & Construction: September 2007. Vol. 48, Iss. 11; pg. 76)