Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation Parker J. Palmer – 1999, Jossey-Bass Finished May, 2013 Summary/Outline: Chapter 1: Listening to Life We can get into the trap of living the life of the saints or moral codes rather than “our own lives.” Rarely do we take notes on what we […]
Systems-Sensitive Leadership: Empowering Diversity Without Polarizing the Church Michael C. Armour and Don Browning – 2000, College Press Publishing Company Finished February, 2013 Read Paperback c. 1995 College Press Publishing Co. Chapter 11 is a good summary of the systems. Preface (Armour) The 4 c’s: Change Complexity Confusion Conflict Work derived from Dr. Clare […]
Dialogue: The Art of Thinking Together William Isaacs Finished January, 2013. Forward Very simple dialogue tool: go around the room and do a “check-in” asking people what they are thinking/feeling. There seems to be a lot of power and need for simply talking and sharing stories with one another. Introduction Dialogue cannot be rushed. Chapter […]
The Cornerstone Concept: In Leadership, In Life Roberta M. Gilbert Thinking It Over sections at end of chapter are good chapter by chapter summaries. Questions at the end may be good journaling activities. Memorize the indicators of self-differentiation in chapter 7. I’m curious why Gilbert never seems to reference Ed Friedman, even in bibliographies. […]
Extraordinary Leadership: Thinking Systems, Making a Difference Roberta Gilbert Finished September, 2012. Best parts to re-read: Top level map of book at end of xvii and xviii. A fair amount of the book is looking at conflict, cutoff, distancing, triangling, underfunctioning, and overfunctioning through different lenses. The different lenses are helpful, but have diminishing returns. […]
A Failure of Nerve: Leadership in the Age of the Quick Fix Edwin H. Friedman Brilliant book for developing the emotional fortitude necessary for leadership. A little crotchety for my tastes at times, but some of that may come with the territory. Finished April, 2012. Outline/Summary: Editor’s Preface Ed Friedman died prematurely while working […]
Naked Spirituality: A Life with God in 12 Simple Words Brian D. McLaren Finished April, 2012. Helpful Chart Summary: Simplicity Right vs. Wrong Dualism Dependence Complexity Effective vs. Ineffective Pragmatism Independence Perplexity Honest vs. Dishonest Relativism Counterdependence Harmony Understanding of Purpose and Timing Interdependence of Mutuality Syntopical Learning: [Resonating with Thinking, Fast and Slow] O seems […]
How to Click with People: The Secret to Better Relationships in Business and in Life Dr. Rick Kirschner Brief Summary: Use a variety of techniques to “click” with people. Blending is the most comprehensive and powerful of these techniques. I found the first four chapters to be the most helpful. Finished March, 2012 Outline/Summary: Chapter […]
Leading from the Second Chair: Serving Your Church, Fulfilling Your Role, and Realizing Your Dreams Mike Bonem Roger Patterson Brief Summary: The core of the book is in the three paradoxes. A second chair leader is a “subordinate-leader.” They have a wide perspective (the organization as a whole), while also maintaining a deep perspective relative to […]
The New Breed: Understanding and Equipping the 21st Century Volunteer Jonathan McKee Thomas W. McKee I read the first edition in March 2012. A second edition is out now linked above. Brief summary: Empower volunteers to serve in ways they feel serve their needs as well as your needs. The New Breed wants to do it […]