Awaken the Leader Within: How the Wisdom of Jesus Can Unleash Your Potential

by William Perkins

Overview

Vision and motivation to become the leader God intends you to be-- whether you’re leading your family, church, coworkers, or a Fortune 500 company.You’re a leader! In fact, every time you try to get someone to do something you want done, you’re exercising leadership. This eBook will help you discover from Jesus how to lead more effectively as you understand the character traits and practical skills of a true leader. A discussion guide in the back of the book will help you integrate the principles into your life as you allow Jesus to help you learn how to cultivate and cast a vision, make wise decisions, build a team, harness opposing forces, facilitate innovation, and put others first.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780310877370
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	08/10/2010
Sold by:	Zondervan Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	914 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Bill Perkins's wit, insight, and penetrating stories make him a sought-after speaker for corporate and Christian groups. He has conducted business and leadership seminars across the country for companies such as Alaska Airlines and McDonald's. Bill has appeared on nationally broadcast radio and television shows, including The O'Reilly Factor. He addresses men's groups around the world and has conducted chapels for major league baseball teams. Bill served as a senior pastor for 24 years and is the founder and CEO of Million Mighty Men. He is a graduate of the University of Texas and Dallas Theological Seminary. Bill has authored or collaborated on 20 books, including When Good Men are Tempted, When Young Men are Tempted, The Journey, Six Battles Every Man Must Win, 6 Rules Every Man Must Break, When Good Men Get Angry, and The Jesus Experiment(forthcoming in fall 2011). He and his wife, Cindy, live in West Linn, Oregon. They have three sons and two grandchildren.

Read an Excerpt

Chapter 1
Turn Your Potential Loose
Former United States president Dwight D. Eisenhower defined leadership as 'the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.' If you accept this definition of leadership (it happens to be my favorite), then you're buying into two truths. The first is this: You're a leader. Typically when I make that observation at business seminars, I'm greeted with looks of disbelief. Undaunted, I ask the audience a very simple question: 'Have you ever been in a situation at work or home where you tried to get someone else to do something?' Immediately everyone raises their hand and nods their head.
According to Eisenhower's definition, you become a leader the moment you attempt to get someone else to do something. Given the accuracy of the definition, the issue isn't, 'Are you a leader?' You are! The issue is, 'How can you lead more effectively?'
Asking that question leads us to a second truth issuing out of Eisenhower's definition, namely, that leaders are made, not born. Because leadership is an art, effective leadership is the result of hard work --- not good genes. So whether you've recently been propelled into a leadership role and feel as out of place as a turtle at a road race, or you're heading up a Fortune 500 company, there are certain things you need to do to sharpen your leadership skills.
Learning to lead is like learning to master a musical instrument --- there are fundamental chords that can be studied, practiced, and mastered. I've discovered it doesn't matter whether I'm meeting with the chief executive officer of a billion-dollar company about business strategies, or counseling a mother or father about strategies of child-rearing --- the fundamentals of leadership are the same and must be mastered. While natural talent is a shortcut to musical excellence, to possess that talent doesn't negate the necessity of hard work. Similarly, while some men and women have a natural capacity for leadership, they too must study the art and work hard at mastering the fundamentals. Those with less innate talent can still excel as leaders if they're willing to study the basic principles and put them into practice.
Becoming an effective leader demands rigorous study and hard work. I didn't write this book for the purpose of providing you with feel-good fluff to help you make it through the day. It's not intended to serve as an injection of fantasy faith, like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, who flew home after clicking her heels together and saying, 'There's no place like home.' The leadership style of Jesus, which serves as the basis for this book's teaching, isn't based on fantasy, positive thinking, or feel-goodism. It's based on a life that demonstrated honesty, vision, sacrifice, and love.
In just three and a half years Jesus established a movement that has lasted twenty centuries and inspired billions of people. He did this without traveling far from home, writing a book, leading an army, or holding a political office.
How did one man so significantly influence the world? He did it by personally training individuals and utilizing techniques we can study, practice, and eventually master. His strategy wasn't the result of a lucky toss of the dice but of a well-thought-out plan by a man with sterling character and finely honed leadership skills. He didn't succeed because he recruited a team of superstars, but because he passed on to his team the character traits and skills they in turn would need to pass on to others.
Jesus didn't sanction the separation of character and competence in a leader. In fact, his harshest words were aimed at leaders who looked competent on the outside but were rotten on the inside.
Having said that, I want you to know I'm not writing this book from the perspective of someone who has reached the pinnacle of success and from my lofty vantage point am telling you how to get where I am. I know what it's like to lead a fast-growing organization --- and I know what it's like to lead with failure staring me in the face. In most respects I'm still looking forward to the realization of my dreams. It is in this sense that I've become at least somewhat skilled at leading when times are tough and rewards are minimal.
This book is written for the man or woman who wants to lead like Jesus --- those who believe that character counts just as much as competence and who consequently want to develop both. If you're that kind of a leader, then buckle your seat belt because you're in for a ride that will unleash your potential. In the first half of the book you'll discover how the wisdom of Jesus can awaken the character of a leader within you; in the remainder of the book you'll examine how Jesus applied six crucial leadership skills and how you can learn to practice and master them.
I've tried to draw on the best leadership literature available to translate the wisdom of Jesus into practical and usable terms. I'm going to share insights I've gained as I've conducted leadership seminars around the country, met with business leaders, and served as pastor of a church.
As you read, search for a few principles you can immediately put into practice. Remind yourself each time you pick up the book that small changes over a long period of time will take you in the end to a radically better place. Each of us is like a plane leaving an airport --- a mere two percent change in trajectory at takeoff in Los Angeles will take the plane to a radically different place two thousand miles away. And if the wisdom of Jesus enables you to become two percent more like him in your leadership style, you will surely take those you lead to a better place over the course of the next year.
The Wisdom of Jesus
* Jesus led with honesty, vision, sacrifice, and love.
* Jesus intentionally utilized leadership techniques we can study, practice, and master.
* Jesus urged his team to follow his example.

Table of Contents

Part 1	Awaken Your Character
Chapter 1	Turn Your Potential Loose: Insightful leaders recognize their potential and learn how to turn it loose	13
Chapter 2	Wear No Masks: Trustworthy leaders are the same on the inside as they appear on the outside	17
Chapter 3	Look Ahead: Visionary leaders are convinced today's dream will become tomorrow's reality	32
Chapter 4	Lead the Charge: Courageous leaders bust through fear and take others with them	45
Chapter 5	Depend on God: Humble leaders rely on God for his strength and guidance	57
Chapter 6	Finish What You Start: Accomplished leaders know that commitment eventually leads to success	72
Chapter 7	Bridle Your Appetites: Prudent leaders know their weaknesses and fortify them	85
Part 2	Awaken Your Skills
Chapter 8	Keep the Vision Alive: Inspirational leaders infect their team with a compelling vision of the future	103
Chapter 9	Flesh Out Your Values: Wise leaders consistently make good decisions	118
Chapter 10	Develop We-ism: Victorious leaders know how to build a team that's greater than the sum of its parts	128
Chapter 11	Keep the Team United: Skillful leaders know how to harness opposing forces	143
Chapter 12	Be a Change Master: Creative leaders know how to facilitate innovation	160
Chapter 13	Put Others First: Great leaders know how to give away honor	175
	Epilogue	191
	Discussion Guide	192
	Notes	202