The best leaders not only lead well but also reflect on their leadership long enough and thoughtfully enough to articulate the philosophies that cause them to do so. Whether serving in the marketplace or in ministry, as executives or rank-and-file employees, as salaried staff or volunteer servants, good leaders can pinpoint the rationale for their actions and decisions with the ease of reciting their home address. In Axiom: author Bill Hybels divulges the God-given convictions that have dictated his leadership strategy for more than three decades as senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church. Oriented toward four key leadership categories ... 1. Vision and strategy ('Promote Shameless Profitability,' 'Take a Flyer') 2. Teamwork and communication ('Obi-Wan Kenobi Isn't for Hire,' 'Disagree without Drawing Blood') 3. Activity and assessment ('Develop a Mole System,' 'Sweat the Small Stuff') 4. Personal integrity ('Admit Mistakes, and Your Stock Goes Up,' 'Fight for Your Family') ...Axiom brokers accessible wisdom from one leader's journey, as well as emboldens you to nail down the reasons why you lead like you lead.
Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
'Toss out all your texts on leadership by theorists and read this masterpiece again and again. Bill serves up solid content, not cliches; axioms, not merely anecdotes. I love this book! The distilled wisdom is pure gold---classic Hybels.' -- Rick Warren, Founding and senior pastor, Saddleback Church <br><br>
From the Back Cover
The best leaders not only lead well but also reflect on their leadership long enough and thoughtfully enough to articulate what philosophies cause them to do so. Whether serving in the marketplace or in ministry, as executives or rank-and-file employees, as salaried staff or volunteer servants, they can pinpoint the rationale for their actions and decisions with the ease of reciting their home address. In Axiom: The Language of Leadership, author Bill Hybels divulges the God-given convictions that have dictated his leadership strategy for more than three decades as Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church. Oriented toward four key leadership categories—vision and strategy (“Promote Shameless Profitability,” “Take a Flyer”), teamwork and communication (“Obi-Wan Kenobi Isn’t for Hire,” “Disagree without Drawing Blood”), activity and assessment (“Develop a Mole System,” “Sweat the Small Stuff”), and personal integrity (“Admit Mistakes, and Your Stock Goes Up,” “Fight for Your Family”)—Axiom brokers accessible wisdom from one leader’s journey, as well as emboldens you to nail down the reasons why you lead like you lead.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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More About the Author
Bill Hybels is the founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Ill., and chairman of the board for the Willow Creek Association. The bestselling author of more than twenty books, including Axiom, Holy Discontent, Just Walk Across the Room, The Volunteer Revolution, Courageous Leadership, and classics such as Too Busy Not to Pray and Becoming a Contagious Christian, Hybels is known worldwide as an expert in training Christian leaders to transform individuals and their communities through the local church. Hybels received a bachelor's degree in Biblical Studies and an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Trinity College in Deerfield, Ill. He and his wife, Lynne, have two adult children and one grandson, Henry.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Bill's latest book is a kind of distillation of his learnings, values, and leadership principles from 30+ years at Willow. Written in 76 short, concise chapters, "Axiom" is both inspiring and instructive. Each chapter contains a principle, wrapped in a slogan (or "Axiom") that Bill has coined to summarize a specific facet of leadershipo. The chapters are self-contained, like Proverbs. You can read one, put the book down and go apply the principle. No chapter takes more than 10 minutes to read, but each will take months (if not years) to fully implement.
Axiom is one of the most practical books on church leadership in our day. I found myself putting most chapters into practice the same day I read them. Those familiar with WillowWorld will recognize many (if not all) the book's principles from previous Leadership Summits or Hybels' sermons. For me, the book was both a great review and a kick in the seat to go lead better, and lead better in specific ways.
Axiom reminded me once again of the importance of leading daily, improving myself and my church regularly, not settling for incremental growth, and the absolute necessity of church leaders fighting for the advancement of the kingdom. I recommend this book to all churchworld leaders.
Axiom is one of the most practical books on church leadership in our day. I found myself putting most chapters into practice the same day I read them. Those familiar with WillowWorld will recognize many (if not all) the book's principles from previous Leadership Summits or Hybels' sermons. For me, the book was both a great review and a kick in the seat to go lead better, and lead better in specific ways.
Axiom reminded me once again of the importance of leading daily, improving myself and my church regularly, not settling for incremental growth, and the absolute necessity of church leaders fighting for the advancement of the kingdom. I recommend this book to all churchworld leaders.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Bill Hybels revs up in chapter one--and the good stuff is still kicking in chapter 68, "Read All You Can." He writes, "I have little patience with leaders who get themselves into leadership binds and then confess that they haven't read a leadership book in years. If you're a serious-minded leader, you will read." In the book's foreword, Henry Cloud writes, "Great leaders do their homework so that weariness and unsteadiness are kept at bay."
Amen to that vote for lifelong learning, also affirmed in the "Book Bucket" one of 20 buckets in my book, Mastering The Management Buckets: 20 Critical Competencies for Leading Your Business or Non-profit. Consequently, I was eager to read the latest book from Bill Hybels, one of the most gifted leaders I've ever met. Axiom, with 76 pithy leadership proverbs, doesn't disappoint.
"Speed of the leader, speed of the team," was and is one of Bill's oft-mentioned axioms. Few leaders make this pronouncement because the camera immediately focuses in on them. As the first president of Willow Creek Association, I watched Hybels up close and he always shared that core value confidently, yet humbly. His walk and his talk backed it up. He writes, "If you cannot say, `Follow me,' to your followers--and mean it--then you've got a problem, a big one."
He elaborates. "Follow my values. Follow my integrity. Follow my work ethic, my commitment, and my communication patterns. Fight as I fight. Focus as I focus. Sacrifice as I sacrifice. Love as I love. Repent as I repent. Admit wrong as I admit wrong. Endure hardship as I endure hardship." Then he concludes this one-page proverb with the whole point of it. "When requisite actions back them up, these are the words that set followers' hearts soaring."
Scan the 76 mini-chapter titles and you'll be pulled into the street-smart, God-smart wisdom. They include: Language Matters, Make the Big Ask, Hire Tens, The Dangers of Incrementalism, Never Say Someone's No for Them, The Tunnel of Chaos (a key idea in my Culture Bucket), Disagree Without Drawing Blood, Admit Mistakes and Your Stock Goes Up, and Arrive Early or Not at All.
Warning! Don't carelessly toss these axioms into your repertoire without understanding the biblical and leadership context. In my days at Willow, "Don't Screw Up" was a common benediction at meetings--but it created anxiety, not blessing. The leader knew how to communicate it, but the lieutenants didn't.
Amen to that vote for lifelong learning, also affirmed in the "Book Bucket" one of 20 buckets in my book, Mastering The Management Buckets: 20 Critical Competencies for Leading Your Business or Non-profit. Consequently, I was eager to read the latest book from Bill Hybels, one of the most gifted leaders I've ever met. Axiom, with 76 pithy leadership proverbs, doesn't disappoint.
"Speed of the leader, speed of the team," was and is one of Bill's oft-mentioned axioms. Few leaders make this pronouncement because the camera immediately focuses in on them. As the first president of Willow Creek Association, I watched Hybels up close and he always shared that core value confidently, yet humbly. His walk and his talk backed it up. He writes, "If you cannot say, `Follow me,' to your followers--and mean it--then you've got a problem, a big one."
He elaborates. "Follow my values. Follow my integrity. Follow my work ethic, my commitment, and my communication patterns. Fight as I fight. Focus as I focus. Sacrifice as I sacrifice. Love as I love. Repent as I repent. Admit wrong as I admit wrong. Endure hardship as I endure hardship." Then he concludes this one-page proverb with the whole point of it. "When requisite actions back them up, these are the words that set followers' hearts soaring."
Scan the 76 mini-chapter titles and you'll be pulled into the street-smart, God-smart wisdom. They include: Language Matters, Make the Big Ask, Hire Tens, The Dangers of Incrementalism, Never Say Someone's No for Them, The Tunnel of Chaos (a key idea in my Culture Bucket), Disagree Without Drawing Blood, Admit Mistakes and Your Stock Goes Up, and Arrive Early or Not at All.
Warning! Don't carelessly toss these axioms into your repertoire without understanding the biblical and leadership context. In my days at Willow, "Don't Screw Up" was a common benediction at meetings--but it created anxiety, not blessing. The leader knew how to communicate it, but the lieutenants didn't.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Axiom is the my favorite of all Bill's work!
This book is jam-packed with profound leadership insight. Each short, yet powerful chapter, speaks directly into daily issues and challenges every leader faces.
Some of Bill's axioms ministered to me, some thoughts inspired me, some challenged me, and some drove me to prayer.
I took so many notes and journaled so many ideas, it will take weeks to process all I learned.
This is a book I'll re-visit for years to come.
This book is jam-packed with profound leadership insight. Each short, yet powerful chapter, speaks directly into daily issues and challenges every leader faces.
Some of Bill's axioms ministered to me, some thoughts inspired me, some challenged me, and some drove me to prayer.
I took so many notes and journaled so many ideas, it will take weeks to process all I learned.
This is a book I'll re-visit for years to come.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Like being mentored by Bill Hybels
Hybels himself claims to have been mentored by many great leaders, most of whom he has never met. He was mentored by them through studying their books. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Jeff Tell
A legacy from a great leader
The last chapter of this book is titled FINISHING WELL. And it does. This is a fantastic book.
The book is written by Pastor Bill Hybels, senior pastor of Willowcreek,... Read more
The book is written by Pastor Bill Hybels, senior pastor of Willowcreek,... Read more
Published 2 months ago by T. Pryor
Buy Ten Copies!!
This book is so filling, you'll have to push away from the table and take a walk to digest.
Running over the brim with inspiration and crystal clear insights. Read more
Running over the brim with inspiration and crystal clear insights. Read more
Published 3 months ago by 5watchman5
Great for Christian Leaders!
One of the best books I have ever read on leadership! Very practical advice on the specifics attached to the principles!! You won't be sorry that you read it!
Published 4 months ago by Greg Davenport
Amazingly good book
Great read and I love this author. Ordered this easily on Amazon, and it shipped timely and in perfect condition.
Published 5 months ago by P. L. Wright
Good Resource
This book is a good resource for churches. Also usful in business life. i bought a copy for my boss to read besides the one I bought.
Published 12 months ago by Natalie Mansell
Everyone should own this book!
I enjoyed reading this book so much it was hard to put it down. Each axiom is very insightful and addresses so many current leadership issues.
Published 14 months ago by Tee
More leadership gold from Hybels...
Candidly, I am a big fan of Bill Hybels, especially his stuff on leadership. Not only are his heart and mind firmly committed to Kingdom work through the local church, but he is... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Chad Oberholtzer
30+ Years of Leaders Distilled as Proverbs
Twenty years ago, I attended Willow Creek Church for the first time. My first impression wasn't positive. The church was large, the campus sprawling, and the service a performance. Read more
Published on April 14, 2010 by George P. Wood
Proverbs for leaders
"Seasoned leaders ought to be able to pinpoint their guiding principles on the important stuff of leadership and distill them down to memorable sound-bites that can be called upon... Read more
Published on December 4, 2009 by John Gibbs
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