Book Recommendations from my Best Reads in 2020

Here is a list of some of the best books I read this year. I will BOLD the ones I highly recommend and leave a few notes about them. So many of the non-bolded ones were fantastic too - so all of these books are recommended but I tried to highlight only 20. 

Take the Stairs – Rory Vaden : I loved this book. Simple advice on life success. 

Nine Lies about Work: Marcus Buckingham

Half Time - Bob Buford : I have read this book multiple times. It's a classic and a life changer. 

Confidence – Tomas Chomorro : Very intriguing book about how LOW confidence actually helps us. So counter-cultural! So fun!

Live Fearless – Sadie Robertson

What’s Next – Chris Hodges : I love everything this guy does. His sermons, his church (Church of the Highlands), his leadership material, his books - all so good! Fantastic material that every follower of Jesus should read. 

The Jesus creed – Scot Mcknight

Church Growth Flywheel – Rich Birch

The Jesus Experience – Bill Perkins

John Commentaries – x 5

The Jesus Life – Stephen W. Smith

Divine Direction – Craig Groeschel

Regrace – Frank Viola

The Primes

Teaming – Amy Edmundson

Who is this Man – John Ortberg

The Jesus I never knew – Philip Yancey

Jesus the King - Tim Keller : Fantastic book that will help you get to know Jesus better. 

The End of Religion – Bruxey Cavey : A great and edgy challenge. Be ready to be offended and transformed. 

Portraits of Christ – Laird (John)

Jesus is… Judah Smith : Judah Smith has a way of communicating that gets right to my heart. He shares about God's love and grace in a balanced and yet over the top powerful way. I highly recommend this book. 

State of the online church – Jay Kranda

Seeing and Savouring Christ – Piper : Everything by Piper is fantastic.

Jesus – Pure and Simple - Wayne Cordiero

Laugh Again - Charles Swindoll : Everyone should read at least a couple of Swindoll books at some point. This guy is one of my ministry heroes. Many of his sermons hit home for me like almost no one else's preaching. 

Better than Before – Gretchen Rubin

Leadership Strategy and Tactics – Jocko Willink : I was pleasantly surprised by how applicable this book is for everyone. Definitely a high recommend. 

Your New Money Mindset – Brad Hewitt and James Malone

Crushing - TD Jakes

SOAR – TD Jakes

Extreme Ownership  – Jocko Willink : I loved this book. I wish every leader could read it. I have bought 8 copies so far for others to read and handed them out. My son Joel and I had a blast reading and reflecting together on this book and the one above by Jocko. 

Success From the Inside Out – Nona Jones : This is another top book of the year for me. I literally wept and wept as I read it. The transforming power of Jesus is so evident here. I highly recommend this book for everyone. 

Phil – Commentary – Barclay

Phil – Commentary – Life Application

Phil – Commentary – Weisrbe

Phil – Commentary – Briscoe

 Real Life Discipleship Training Manuel – Jim Putman

Discipleshift – Jim Putmann

Joy – CS Lewis

The Dangerous Duty of Delight – John Piper

You’ll get through this – Max Lucado

Leadershift – John Maxwell

The Release of the Spirit – Watchman Nee

Talk like TED

Waking the Dead – John Eldredge

How to Get a Date Worth Keeping – Henry Cloud - Just to clarify. I am happily married. I read these books as I prepared for a series of sermons I was preaching on this topic. This one by Cloud really blew my mind, he had a fresh perspective that I think might be helpful for some Christians stuck in a "non-dating" mode. 

New Rules for Love, sex and dating – Andy Stanley : This is a classic that every single should read. 

Beginners Pluck - Liz Bohanon

Spiritual Leadership – J Oswald Sanders : One of the top 3 leadership books of all time. Every Christian leader must read this book. 

Apostolic Advancement – Various Victory Asia Authors

Leadership Can Be Taught – Sharon Parks

Irresistible – Andy Stanley

Happiness – Henry Cloud

Proverbs – Kroll

Get Wise – Bob Merritt : The best book on wisdom I have read. I have read this book several times and given it to many people. 

The Intangibles of Leadership – Richard Davis

Prayer: The Key to Revival – Cho : My favourite book on prayer of all time. 

Prayer is the Answer – Various (Bounds / Murray / Wesley)

30 Days of Prayer – Spurgeon

Walking in Wisdom – Dr. Raymond Barber

The Problem is You – John Burke

The Covid Advantage – 5 Trends That Will Drive Church Growth in the New Era

 The Covid Advantage – 5 Trends That Will Drive Church Growth in the New Era 

God turns all things (even evil things) for good when we co-operate with Him. 

We see this in the story of Joseph: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.” Genesis 50:20 

Joseph tells his brothers, “Even though this was an evil and terrible thing you did, God has had an awesome purpose in it all! God’s good purpose has prevailed over your evil purposes.” 

We see it again in John 9: In John 9 the disciples see the suffering of a blind man and ask Jesus who sinned to cause this? Jesus answers, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines.” (John 9:3-4 - The Message) 

Jesus invites the disciples to stop asking why the suffering is happening and start finding God’s purpose in the suffering. In both Joseph’s story and in John 9, God’s servants have a responsibility to co-operate with His purposes to bring about the good in their negative circumstances. 

So how can we find the opportunity for God’s purposes in the midst of this pandemic? How can we, like Joseph, co-operate with God’s purposes in the midst of this trial? Here are five trends that are developing as we move through Covid-19 that at first seem negative but if we will co-operate with God’s purposes, they can be leveraged to advance the gospel and grow the church. 

Trend # 1: Declining commitment to attending church.
Opportunity: Engagement is the new connector. 

People used to attend church because they “should”. But increasingly, even those who regularly attend are attending far less often. They may continue to claim a church as their “home church” but rarely darken the door. Covid has accelerated this trend. 

So how can we adjust our thinking to encourage greater commitment to attendance? 

Old thinking: “People who keep attending will eventually get involved (engaged with small groups, serving, attend ministry events).” This is no longer true. 

New thinking: People who get involved (engaged – especially in serving) will eventually commit to attending. “Engagement drives attendance” not “attendance drives engagement.” 

Why does this work? People believe they have better things to do than to “attend church”. But if they are on a team - making a difference – attending church IS the better thing that they have to do. Why? Because it’s not just attending – it’s “being a part of something God is doing, making a difference and serving”. People want purpose. They want to be a part of something that is making a difference. They want to be on a team. 

We can’t wait for someone to commit to our church before they are invited to serve. That is backwards, they will only commit to attending church once they have begun to serve. Great Sunday services are not enough to keep them connected and coming back. People need purpose! 

Engagement is the new driver of attendance. 

Thoughts about how to take advantage of this opportunity? 

1. Don’t berate people for not attending church – instead boldly invite people to get in on the mission. 

2. Don’t apologize for there being a lot of work – instead give people meaningful jobs to do and thank them for making a difference. 

3. Make sure you tie every job to meaning – “what you did today made it so we could reach people together… thank you!” Don’t tell them just how it will benefit them – tell them how they are benefitting others – Ie, “By *attending today, you encouraged me and all these people here.” *or by smiling, being welcoming, worshipping passionately, showing up on time (or just showing up…lol), saying hi, overlooking someone’s faults, crossing a cultural barrier (age, race, economic etc.), commenting, sharing, “liking”, praying, inviting, 

4. Be clear on our mission – state it every single service and every single e-mail and every single chance you get. State it not as your own but as owned together. State it as an invitation to join. 

5. Think of other ways to “engage” people – home groups, men’s and women’s ministry, etc. – we used to think of these as steps “beyond” church attendance – now we need to think of them as steps “towards” church attendance. 

Trend #2: Chaos, instability, polarization and volatility.
Opportunity: Stability is the new attraction. 

Understanding this trend: We are swimming in change. Swimming in controversy. Swimming in opinions. People are more polarized over more issues than ever before. We are longing for something to steady us – not another opinion to sway us – not even another opinion to agree with us – but a non-anxious presence. A reassurance. A strength that goes way deeper and more foundational than the shouting of protests and preachers. A compass that shows true north. Whether people know it or not, they are looking for an anchor, something that is sure and steady in the storm. So how can we adjust our thinking to help people feel grounded in the storm? 

Old Thinking: Do something bold and controversial to get people’s attention.
New Thinking: Offer people a place to be free from the chaos and find rest, peace, hope, and confidence in Jesus.

What hasn’t changed:
1. The gospel is still the power of God for transforming lives
2. God is still building His church and it will prevail against the gates of hell
3. The church still needs humble, servant-hearted, passionate, persevering leadership
4. The mission is still the great commission
5. God is still on His throne – He is in charge and we must trust steadily in Him in the storms. 

Be careful of squeaky wheels. There are a few crazy people in the world and the internet has given them a new boldness and a new megaphone – but they don’t deserve your attention. They don’t need a response. They don’t represent as large a group as it seems. If you oppose them or you join them - you will lose – they are little foxes with big barks. Focus on your calling, focus on our God. 

Trend #3: Increasing loneliness and relational voids.
Opportunity: Relational connection is our competitive advantage. 

If there is anything the church is supposed to be great at and known for, this is it. We won’t win when we compete with the world for entertainment or many other things but when it comes to loving relationships – that is our sweet spot! People are overwhelmed with crowds and even with small social interactions, but they are so thirsty for any connection at all. This was a trend before Covid and Covid has accelerated it. 

Due to Covid, services are smaller. That can be great! Due to Covid, people are stuck at home, that can be great! Due to Covid, people are online more. That can be great! It can be great IF we can find ways to take advantage of these things for relational connections. 

Here are a few ways we brainstormed in a leadership team at VCMJ: 

1. Small services: Increased opportunities for better connections and interactions. I have had conversations with people I would never have had conversations with before. There is a whole new arena of ministry opened up to us. 

2. Registration for services: We get an extra chance to greet each person who comes to our services. We get to learn and say their names. We can track attendance, newcomers, etc.. 

3. Care calling: People are more open to receiving a call and a prayer than previously. 

4. Online interactions: People are sending more e-mails, messages, texts, and online comments than before. We can use these for relationships. 

 Trend #4: Increasing challenges with emotional health.
Opportunity: Bring this conversation into the church. 

Interest in emotional health is at an all-time high. The people you think are “healthy and successful” are struggling with their own emotional and mental health. People are more willing than ever to admit their need. Therefore, speaking into the felt needs of fear, anxiety, stress, esteem, and depression with clear, compelling, compassionate GOSPEL answers is an amazing new opportunity. It is important to acknowledge that as pastors and leaders, we are grappling with the same challenges. We can offer the Answer not as ones who are superior and have it all figured out, but as fellow sojourners. 

People are hungry for good news. We can provide places where: 

- It is safe to be vulnerable, to wrestle with our challenges and not feel shamed or judged 

- We are lifted, strengthened, encouraged, built up, offered joy, etc. 

- There is hope and healing 

Trend # 5 Opportunity: Whenever you or your leaders find new things to complain about or be frustrated about, ask some questions to see if you can “flip the script”. 

This is not just an exercise in positive thinking, it is an invitation for God to take the difficult and evil things happening to us and turn them for good. 

What is frustrating me right now? (or what is making it “impossible” for us to do effective ministry?) Ask how this might be able to be used to serve God’s purposes? 

Summary: 5 opportunities from negative trends 

1. Trend: Declining attendance – Opportunity: Engagement drives attendance – Let’s get people engaged in the mission. 

2. Trend: Chaos and change – Opportunity: Stability is attractive – Let’s offer people a place to find peace in the storm. 

3. Trend: Loneliness and isolation – Opportunity: Make relational connections – Let’s make love our competitive advantage. 

4. Trend: Fear, stress, etc. on the rise – Opportunity: Bring emotional health in the church – Let’s engage the gospel to reach this felt need. 

5. Any problem you are facing – let’s invite God to turn it into an opportunity.

Self Development

Self development is one of the most joyful engagements humans have the opportunity of being a part of. God gave you potential...you get the opportunity to develop it. A friend of mine was just telling me the story of being in the car with a 92 year old lady who was telling them how God was teaching her about her attitude and what she needed to do to improve it. How cool is that? Growth may seem hard (and it is) but really the sacrifices of growing are just a clever disguise. Once you pay the big price, you find that growth is actually very, very fulfilling.

Join us for this great day of learning and development. Make the sacrifices necessary to be a part of it! Deadline for early bird is April 15. You can register online at http://www.leadercastmoosejaw.eventbrite.com/

Increasing Urgency

There is a natural inertia. A gravitational pull towards inactivity and lack of productivity. The things in life that are worthwhile take effort and just plain old hard work. What we need is an appropriate sense of urgency in each circumstance, issue and situation.
Many of the issues we face at work and at home could be solved if the level of urgency around them was increased to the right level. Too often things don't SEEM urgent when they really are. Thus, the call to "wake up." My prayer is that we will give appropriate levels of priority and energy to the right things. Any area that seems to be frustrating to you because it is not changing the way it should is likely suffering from an inappropriate urgency level and could be well served by figuring out how to increase the urgency around it.  

Leadership and Listening

One of the primary roles of leadership is listening. Not just hearing, but drawing out from people their own voices. We recently spent a day with close to 60 people from our church listening to God and then listening to each other. It was powerful. It was unifying. It was inspiring.

Our theme for the recent day we spent with our church team was, "Celebrate the past...Create the future." I think one of the ways to draw out other people's voice is to genuinely invite them to be a part of founding the future together. (Peter Drucker said, "The best way to predict the future is to create it.")

When people feel heard they feel cared for. When people feel heard they feel as if they have made a difference in the future and formation of the whole. When people feel heard they feel ownership.

How can we do a better job of drawing out others voices, hearing from them and inviting their input?

Leadership Energy

One of a leaders most powerful weapons is the energy they bring to the organization. Of course, energy is not all good. There is negative energy and positive energy. But sometimes in our efforts to get rid of negative energy we have no energy at all. Lethargy.
A leader plays a major role in delivering positive energy. This has dozens of implications, one of which is that the leader must monitor and then manage his/her personal energy.
I think about my home. What energy do I bring into my home? Lethargy? Negative energy or positive energy? How can I improve what I bring?
It really, really matters!

Books Of November

Here are some great books that I read last month.

Developing Leadership Abilities – Arthur Bell and Dayle Smith  

Tons of great and practical leadership advice. Not Christian but the principles could have come straight from the Bible. A good book for anyone wanting pure leadership development material.

The 21 Day Dad Challenge – Carey Casey   

This book was fun and challenging. Hearing from many different dads what we can and should do to serve our families. Some parts very convicting, I have a long way to go baby.

Journey to Significance – Neil Cole 

Wow, this book was chalk full of powerful nuggets. It is a review of the Apostle Paul's life and leaderhship and how we can reflect on our own journey and learn. Awesome.

The Story of My Life – Helen Keller 

Neat to hear her story from her perspective. As different as people are; we are still the same in so many ways.

 Courageous Leadership – Bill Hybels     

One of he best leadership books I have ever read. Extremely inspiring. Anyone who thinks they might be called to full time ministry should read the first two chapters. If they don't fire you up to sell all and give your best to the Kingdom well...I don't know what to say. :)

The Leadership Challenge – James Kouzes, Barry Posner   

This is the most thorough book on leadership that I know. The five core practices of leadership here are classic. So much on integrity and credibility that is awesome. Christian guys who write for the business world and have written a secular bestseller. I love it.

Christian Reflections on The Leadership Challenge - James Kouzes, Barry Posner and Various
A much easier and more fun read than the previous book and explains essentially the same stuff.

That's all for November. Not as much reading as usual (maybe because the sun isn't awake as much :)) but every bit as rich. Learning is one of the great joys of living.

Leadership: Choir Director or Soloist

Great leaders resemble a choir director more than a soloist.

We often look up to talented people. People who have a gift and can do something significant with it. These people are valuable and their gifts should be appreciated and put to good use. But leadership is not really about doing great things, it is about facilitating great things. Great soloists have an important place, but they are not the leaders among us.

Leaders are the people who can recognize talent in others and then inspire them to engage that talent with a team toward a worthwhile purpose. This means being trustworthy enough and influential enough that people will work with you and follow you. Then it means figuring out where people fit and how they can fit together. When a team of people are assembled appropriately and put forth their gifts in a unified effort, the beautiful music that leadership can provide is created.

One of My Favourite Leaders Recently Sent This Awesome Message

GOING TO THE TOP AND TAKING OTHERS WITH YOU

Lessons from David

David took his men from being cave dwellers to world changers. He took them from being problem focused to purpose driven; from below and beneath to above and beyond; and from Adullum complainers to Hebron victors (1 Samuel 22:1-2).

It’s time for everyone to get healthy and move forward…together.

Right now you might not be where you want to be, but you don’t have to stay where you are. There is a way up and out, and you can start from wherever you are!

David was a purpose driven leader and such purpose focused leaders will not stay in the cave of Adullum for very long.

To come out on top, we must learn how to behave in a Cave:

• Speak Life:You can tell what people are focused on by what they talk and pray about.
• Learn to Recognize Potential: Many of these same men became David’s mighty men of valor.
• Lead by Example: David taught them through life experience how to live life at the top.

Learning from Keilah– Under attack (23:1-5).

• David taught his men to be unselfish and be willing to help their brethren when they had the opportunity.
• He taught them the importance of inquiring of God and doing what God said and not being afraid of man. (See also Judges 5:2 “When leaders lead in Israel….”)
• He taught them how to conquer their fears and be courageous.

In doing all this David brought them all out of debt to the place where they had more than enough.

Lessons along the Way

• The Law of Honor: David taught his men how to honor someone not worthy of honor (1Samuel 24:4-7; 2:30).
• The Courage to Fight Again: He taught them how to deal with discouragement and encourage themselves in the Lord (30:1-8). This is an absolute essential if you are going to live life at the top.
• The Seed of Generosity: David taught them to be generous and fair, as he was with his men and with those who had helped him in the past (20-31). Personal success is built on the contributions of those who surround us, and those who have stood with us. To strengthen these is to strengthen self. To treat your team well is to treat yourself well.

They came to David day by day until it was a great army like the army of God (1Chronicles 12:22).

All these mighty men of war, who could keep rank, came to Hebron with a loyal heart to make David king over all Israel (38).

They attracted what they had become and they all rallied around a God given purpose:

• To unite a divided Israel
• To restore righteousness
• To take the stronghold of Jerusalem and make it the city of God
• To make David king (just as we are called to make Jesus King)

Three kinds of people in David’s army
There were three kinds of people in David’s army, and God will put these same three types of people in your life:

1. The Strategists
The sons of Issachar…had understanding of the times, to know what…to do (32).

These are people who have experienced success. Some people just seem to know what will work. If they have a solid track record, listen to them!

2. The Warriors
A God given vision attracts people who want to see the vision fulfilled. Such people are willing to sacrifice, fight and work hard to make things happen. Learn to encourage the warriors God sends your way.

3. The Providers
As mentioned above, a divine vision attracts people. Some will fight with you to make it happen, and then there are those simply called to provide resources. When God gets a hold of the heart of a business-man or woman, they find motivation to prosper and succeed because it is a means of prospering the kingdom of God (39-40). They live to give to something meaningful…to something eternal!

Get to know those who labor among you. People are your greatest resource. They are the key to the success of any God given vision. And they are the key to life at the top, both for you and for them. Life at the top is meant to be attained and maintained…together!

We believe that in serving each other we become one. And in unity there is unlimited power!



 Dr. George Hill
Founder and President
VCI International                                        

What Followers Want

What do followers ask of their leaders? Here is a simple list.
- Please show up
- Get us together
- Help us get there

Please show up. Followers want a leader who is willing to step up to the plate. They don't want you to wait on the sidelines to be picked. If the issue is important enough to you, step up and lead us.

Get us together. Leaders need to rally people. Invite them into the game. Show them that it is important and hold them accountable for being a part of the team. It is demotivating to commit yourself to a team and then see one of your teammates drifting away and not doing their part and watching the leader do nothing about it. Leaders build teams.

Help us get there. Point the way. Give us a couple of next steps that we can latch on to and simply do. Tell us what is expected of us. Keep an eye on the big picture and keep us informed of how progress is going and how our little pieces tie together with the whole.

So that's it...well almost. One more thing is super important. Be authentic.

Leaders Call People to Decisions

It's not enough to inspire people, to encourage them, to pump them up or to rally them. At some point leaders need to challenge people to take action. There must be a gauntlet thrown down. There must be a moment of decision that is brought to us. "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve." - Joshua

If we are leading a team to serve the poor, to minister effectively to children, to raise funds, to reach our friends for Christ or any other cause there is some point at which our leadership will need to call people to decision. When is the last time you were brought to a place of actual decision for action. "Who is with me? Then let's go                          "

One more thing. The challenge doesn't have to be mean or high pressure or manipulative or forced or intimidating. Sometimes leaders think that they need to get mad while making the challenge, or that they have to push people, pressure them and coerce them into action. Sometimes leaders think that without a high pressure, almost angry challenge that somehow they are compromising. But true leadership knows that there are winsome ways to challenge as well (without being too slick or gimmicky). Jesus was constantly challenging people, sometimes gently, sometimes angrily, sometimes high staked challenges and sometimes small things. But Jesus rarely left anything on the table.

I like leaders who challenge me appropriately. I want to be a leader like that. I want to follow a Leader like that.

Starbucks

I just read a couple of great leadership books by the executives at Starbucks recently. I am an easy guy to win over since I am addicted to the stuff but they really do know how to passionately engage their customers and do coffee with excellence. Their books have great advice on how to lead and influence others. If they can do it for coffee, how much more should we be giving ourselves to leading with excellence and maximum impact for Jesus!

Leadert to Leader

For years I have had a love for leadership development in my own life and a passion for developing leadership in others. I have longed for a setting where I could regularly gather people together and learn leadership with them. Three months ago, we officially began a group for this purpose. I wasn't sure if anyone would show up, or if they did show up, if they would like it. Sometimes I wonder if others enjoy the growth journey and challenges as much as I do. Thanks to over a dozen enthusiastic and engaged leadership development maniacs we are off and running and having a great time. Join us tomorrow at Victory Church at 7pm to watch a DVD of a world class leader teaching on leadership (Such as Ken Blanchard, Jim Collins, John Maxwell etc.) and then engage in some small group interaction. Cost is $20 per session and includes a book.Happens on the first Tuesday of every month.
http://www.victorymj.com/event/event2.php

Developing Myself and Others

Here is one of the frameworks I have used for years in my own personal development and in developing leaders. I have found that it is easy to focus on one area of development to the neglect of others. I see these three areas as needing to stay in balance for healthy growth. We must grow in:

1. Knowledge. The increasing of truth and information in our lives. Much of learning and development happens here. If we neglect this area we end up in huge disasters. I call this area of development "HEAD".

2. Power. The finding and forming of inner motivation  and strength in our lives. In Christian terms, this is being full of the Holy Spirit and leaning on the strength of God in our lives. It is the experiential, emotional side of development. If we neglect this area we end up passionless, powerless, useless. I call this area of development "HEART"

3. Action. This is learning by doing. At some point we have to take the knowledge and power we are given and put them into practice. We have to put feet to our faith. To grow as a leader we need to be leading something. To grow in our walk with God we need to not just know the truth (HEAD) and believe the truth (HEART) but we also must obey the truth. I call this area of development HANDS.

So there it it.
HEAD, HEART, HANDS.

Learn the truth, love the truth, live the truth.
Know Jesus, love Jesus, serve Jesus.
Learn leadership principles, develop a leader's heart, and do something with your leadership.

HEAD
This includes reading, studying, questioning, discussing, memorizing, re-learning, listening.
Developing a framework of truths and principles from which to work.

HEART
This includes developing a heart of love, a passion or motivation, forgiveness, joy, a servant's heart, humility, experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit.

HANDS
This includes obedience to God's word, applying the principles in action, executing on things that you know need to be done. This is practical application in the real world.

All head and heart and no hands? Hypocrisy. Zero effectiveness. Nothing actually happens. Just a dreamer.
All head and hands and no heart? Cold. Unloving, dispassionate. No real power to transform. Does more damage than good, destructive.
All heart and hands and no head? Crazy. Poor decisions, naive, deceived, dangerous.

All three together? Accomplishment. Forward motion.

Try using this framework for holiness, for leadership, for managing a company, for evaluating your family life (a healthy family is healthy and growing in these 3 areas in a balanced way), for your church, your ministry.

Growing Your Leadership Quotient

How do we grow ourselves as leaders? Assuming that we want to grow and that we have taken personal responsibility for our own growth, here are some things we can do:

1. Read all you can about leadership. Leaders are readers. Every great leader I have known personally is a reader. For most of us, this is a discipline; we make ourselves do it. Set a goal and challenge yourself to read a book per month, then two books per month and so on. If you don't know what book to read, start with anything by John Maxwell or ask a leader you know if she could tell you one of the best leadership books they can recommend. Order a book today.

2. Get leading something. To grow as a leader, you need leadership experience. Find opportunities to lead, whether it's your son's soccer team or your community's food drive. Volunteer yourself to lead at work, at home and in the community. Nothing can replace the value of actually leading something and wrestling with real life leadership issues.

3. Reflect on your leadership. Take time to think through your philosophy of leadership, your values, and your personal style. What mistakes do you tend to make? What are your strengths? Take time every week (maybe even every day) to reflect on how your leadership is going and what you are learning. This is often done best in discussion with a friend or mentor.

4. Get around other leaders. Do everything you can to spend time with leaders. Practice following great leaders, asking them great questions and then listening carefully. You can spend time with great leaders through biographies and books as well as in person.

5. Persevere in your leadership development. It's easy to get excited about something and do it for a week or two. It's another matter to put your heart to something for a decade or more. Take the long road approach. Lasting influence happens through lasting leadership development. Be careful of the extremes of either arrogance or discouragement that can keep you from continuing on your growth path.

I recently read "How The Mighty Fall" by Jim Collins. An excellent business book. The Appendixes alone were amazing. This is a summary of appendix 5 about having the right people in your organization. WOW! Good stuff.



APPENDIX 5: What Makes for the “Right People” in Key Seats?

The right people fit with the company’s core values
◦People often ask, “How do we get people to share our core values?” The answer: you don’t. You hire people who already have a predisposition to your core values, and hang on to them.

The right people don’t need to be tightly managed
◦The moment you feel the need to tightly manage someone, you have made a hiring mistake.
◦If you have the right people, you don’t need to spend a lot of time “motivating” or “managing” them.
◦They’ll be productively neurotic, self-motivated and self-disciplined, compulsively driven to do the best they can because it’s simply part of their DNA.

The right people understand they do not have “jobs”; they have “responsibilities”
◦They grasp the difference between their task list and their true responsibilities.
◦The right people can complete the statement, “I am the one person ultimately responsible for…”

The right people fulfill their commitments
◦A culture of discipline
◦People view commitments as sacred - they do what they say they will do
◦Equally, this means that they take great care in saying what they will do, careful to never over-commit or to promise what they cannot deliver.

The right people are passionate about the company and its work
◦Nothing great happens without passion, and the right people display remarkable intensity and passion.

The right people display “window and mirror” maturity
◦When things go well, the right people point out the window, giving credit to factors other than themselves
◦They shine a light on other people who contributed to the success and take little credit themselves
◦Yet when things go wrong, they do not blame circumstances or other people for setbacks and failures; they point in the mirror and say, “I’m responsible.”