For most people, good leadership practices do not come natural. Even for those who are naturally gifted leaders, relying on talent alone is insufficient.
God designed our minds to work a certain way, there is a lot of psychology in leadership. It turns out, there are principles, rules of thumb & biological facts that can help you lead more effectively and successfully - and you wouldn't necessarily know these things just by thinking about it. That's why we recommend all younger leaders need to learn from older, more experienced leaders. One way you can do that is by reading.
Our friend Daniel Decker sent us this survey: What are the top 5 leadership books every young influencer should read? If you can, take a minute (literally 60 seconds) to answer this one question.
Here's our answer to this question, focusing mainly on leadership books that we've found helpful. At the top of the list is the Bible, of course, because Christian leadership is servant leadership, and the world does not understand this.
1) The Bible - The very wisdom of God. This is our manual above all others. While not specifically focused on leadership, He teaches many foundational principles having to do with wisdom, attitude, servant hood, mutual submission, love and on and on. These are the foundation for what we do and why we do it as leaders.
2) The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership - by Dr. John C. Maxwell. This is a classic. The principles share here give you valuable insight into the nature of leadership, the kinds of challenges you face & several good solutions. This book is a wealth of leadership knowledge that you can further apply the more you lead.
3) The Next Generation Leader - by Andy Stanley. This book is packed with solid leadership principles, especially focused on younger leaders. Every young influencer can learn from what Andy shares here.
4) Integrity - by Dr. Henry Cloud. This book is all about character & shares important principles of having fully integrated character. This book will open your eyes to leadership & character short falls you never knew existed. Every leader should read this book and apply what they learn.
5) Good to Great - by Jim Collins. This book gives a great analysis of good leaders vs great leaders. This book discusses the not-so-obvious key changes that can make or break your organization. It's a very insightful and eye opening read.
There are dozens of phenomenal leadership books. We haven't read them all. What do you think are the top 5 books every young influencer should read?
(in no particular order, and excluding the books you’ve already mentioned)
1. A Peculiar People by Rodney Clapp - this provides a fresh vision of what it means to be the Church. It’s a great place to jump into the art of leading the Church.
2. Made to Stick - will improve your ability to communicate whether you’re leading a team or speaking from a stage/pulpit every week.
3. Axiom by Bill Hybles - has a million (well, not quite) great nuggets of leadership in a digestible form. Great for once-daily reading.
4. The Orthodox Heretic by Peter Rollins - will challenge any young leader to be creative in his/her presentation of Truth. Makes you think and inspires you to move others to do the same.
5. Free of Charge by Miroslav Volf - a theological exploration of forgiveness and grace that has profound implications for how leaders lead our staff and peoples. We would all do well to meditate on this book for quite some time.
Comment by jr. forasteros - Aug 03, 2010 @ 12:25 PM
-“The Definitive Book of Body Language” is crucial to understanding and working with people.
Comment by ChrisBrown - Aug 03, 2010 @ 02:21 PM
1) The Bible (of course)
2) The 21 Most Powerful Minutes in a Leader’s Day - by John Maxwell. Based on The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, this is a devotional that commits one week of study to each of the 21 Laws. I think it is even better than the book it is based on.
3) Influencer - by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield, Ron McMillan and Al Switzler. Excellent observations of how to effectively communicate and facilitate change.
4) A Fish Out of Water - by George Barna. “9 strategies to maximize your leadership potential.” Contains a very helpful section on discovering your unique leadership style.
5) The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - by Stephen Covey.
Comment by Larry Hehn - Aug 04, 2010 @ 12:01 AM
Taking it as a given that the Bible is our foundation, here are the 5 leadership books I find myself going back to over and over again:
Leading with a Limp - Dan Allender
Leadership and Self Deception - Arbinger Institute
21 Laws of Leadership - Dr. John Maxwell
Leading Strategic Change - J. Stewart Black & Hal Gregerson
Visioneering - Andy Stanley
Honorable mention: Axiom - Bill Hybels
Comment by Adam D - Aug 05, 2010 @ 08:57 PM