Donald T. Phillips (b. 1952) is an American nonfiction writer. His first book, Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times was published in 1992 and quickly became a bestseller. Its success led to his publication of more books about history and leadership, including The Founding Fathers on Leadership in 1997 and Martin Luther King, Jr. on Leadership in 1999. He has written several other books usually on topical subjects related to current struggles in society.

Because Lincoln on Leadership was published in 1992, it is one of the early examples of this self-help genre, with crossover appeal to different audiences interested in history, leadership studies, or business management. The success of Lincoln on Leadership paved the way for more works from other authors in similar genres. Phillips had a background in business management before becoming a writer. He first got the idea for Lincoln on Leadership when he was attending a management seminar in 1983 (Preface, page ix). Phillips’s involvement in American business management is what made him realize that there was a lack of useful and accessible books to help people learn to run a successful business.