A student asked me, “What leadership books changed your life?”
I’ve read so many, but I don’t know that any books changed my life.
7 Habits laid such a good foundation of essential principles. I use Covey’s win/win concept all the time.
John Maxwell also articulated principles. I used to subscribe to his tape series when I was a growing leader. And his stuff helped me.
But along the way I discovered that just reading books, untethered to commitment, left me unchanged. Kind of like listening to sermons. Books were ineffectual without challenges and mentorship.
What did grow my leadership skills were the dreams that I committed to. Dreams that caused me to feel the consequences of those commitments – that cost me something and forced me to embrace pain.
People look at my successes and assume I’ve learned a leadership secret. But the only success secret I’ve got is to commit to the inevitability of failure as a part of the process. It will hurt and you will survive. So you might as well get started.
We all dream. But in this season of diminished trust, how many of us are willing to commit to our dreams? Yes, you may fail. But you will also learn to pivot and to honor commitments. Your life will have purpose.
And on occasion, your dreams will come true.
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Seth Barnes
I'm motivated to join God in his global reclamation project. He's on the move, setting his sons and daughters free from their places of captivity. And he's partnering with those of us who have been freed to go and free others.
I second the 7 Habits recommendation, it had a great effect on me. I attended a workshop on it when I was mid-career (several years after reading the book). The workshop woke me up. I was literally working three jobs at my employer, and as a result neglecting my roles as husband and father (Write your own eulogy is a humbling exercise). Not long after, I found a less demanding job and restored some balance to my home and family.
I think the “leadership secret” is really contained in the Gospels. Jesus showed us that successful leaders SERVE in HUMILITY. It’s so counter to what people think leadership is. Many think it is cool to be “in charge”, “have subordinates”, and the financial wealth that secular leadership brings. While it does have some rewards, often people don’t see the sleepless nights sweating over the details and impacts of the decisions leaders are trusted with. Real leaders care deeply about “doing the right thing”. This is seen in the Gospels when Jesus struggles with the burden he carries.
I too have read much information on leadership. My top recommendation for books on it are the four Gospels. Thank you Seth for carrying the leadership burdens that you do, in the humble way you do it.
-Andy
That’s good, Andy – Jesus always challenges me. I agree – humility is so key!