The Catholic Vision for Leading Like Jesus: Introducing S3 Leadership - Servant, Steward, Shepherd [Hardcover]

Owen Phelps (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2009

Follow the Path of the Greatest Leader of all Time

Each of us is not only called to be a leader, but we are all leaders by default. How effective are you at making a positive impact on the people around you? Discover the power of Christ's personal and practical example and make a measurable difference in the lives of those around you -- at home, at work, in the community or in your parish. Transform your leadership style in light of Jesus' compelling combination of servant, steward, and shepherd.

---Who do you influence in big or small ways?
---How will you be remembered? What is your legacy?
---What is the source of true power and influence over others?
---How do you fit into Christ's mission and message for the world?

"I have been waiting more than a decade for S3 Leadership. This is the approach to leadership that can help us as Catholics to build the future that God desires for the Church. Read it, then read it again, and then give a copy to every Catholic leader you know."
Matthew Kelly - NYT best-selling author of Rediscovering Catholicism and The Rhythm of Life

"Its purpose is not to revise the principles we present in the Lead Like Jesus movement, but only to enhance them for a particular audience. I am pleased that we have found a member of the Lead Like Jesus movement who is a Catholic family man to step up and take on this task."
Ken Blanchard, Entrepreneur, Speaker and Co-Author of Lead Like Jesus and The One-Minute Manager

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Owen Phelps is a writer, college professor, master catechist and trainer. He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Communications Committee and as Director of Communications & Publications for the Catholic Diocese of Rockford, where he was also associate publisher of the diocesan newspaper, The Observer. Dr. Phelps is the author of two books, The Believer s Edge and The Secret of Wealth. He is the publisher of The Catholic Leader e-newsletter and writes a column on leadership in The Catholic Journalist. He and his wife, Jane, live in Illinois.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Our Sunday Visitor; Original edition (May 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592766056
• ISBN-13: 978-1592766055
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #269,671 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Owen Phelps is Director of the Yeshua Catholic International Leadership Institute and author of "The Catholic Vision for Leading Like Jesus: Introducing S3 Leadership--Servant, Steward, Shepherd," as well as two other books: "The Believer's Edge" and "The Secret of Wealth."

He has been a consultant on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Communications Committee since 2003. In 2008 he was accorded the papal honor of Knighthood in the Order of St. Gregory the Great. Owen is an adjunct faculty member in Cardinal Stritch University's College of Business & Management and on the faculty of the Rockford Diocesan Theological Institute.

From 1983-2007, Owen served as Director of Communications & Publications for the Catholic Diocese of Rockford, where he was also associate publisher of the diocesan newspaper, The Observer. For several years he was a member of the diocese's Justice & Peace Commission and an ex officio member of the Diocesan Pastoral Council. He continues to co-host a weekly live, call-in radio program with Bishop Thomas G. Doran, head of the Rockford Diocese. Owen was certified as a master catechist by the Rockford Diocese in the 1980s and was awarded the Bishop O'Neill Award in Catechetics for "distinguished service to the Word of God in religious education programs."

Owen has offered programs to faith-based professional organizations in Baltimore, Boston, Brooklyn, Burlington, Cleveland, Chicago, Dallas, Green Bay, Lexington, Little Rock, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Rockford, Santa Clara, Wichita and several other smaller cities in the U.S. He has written several articles and contributed to two books dealing with faith-based organizational performance: "Mission, Marketing & Management: Development Guide for Diocesan Newspapers" (1991) and "The Mission and Future of the Catholic Press" (1998). He currently writes a leadership column for The Catholic Journalist, a general interest column for The Observer, and he serves as publisher of The Catholic Leader e-newsletter.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Preach The Gospel Always, Use Words When Necessary, April 8, 2009

By 

annie "grannieannie" (Mid-MI) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Catholic Vision for Leading Like Jesus: Introducing S3 Leadership - Servant, Steward, Shepherd (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

The Catholic Vision for Leading Like Jesus introduces us to S3 Leadership: Servant, Steward, and Shepherd. There are several chapters in which the author goes into detail on servant leadership, as well as a chapter on steward leadership and one chapter on shepherd leadership.

In Chapter One, "Catholicism's Two Leadership Challenges", the author discuss the leadership challenges concerning the laity and the clergy. He relates some very interesting facts about the changes in the demographics in the Catholic Church here in United States. In the last 50 years the Catholic Church has gone from being mainly composed of urban working poor to members who are leaders in all sectors of society. It is estimated that Catholics make up as much as 40 percent of the nation's white collar population.

In Chapter 3, "Who Is A Leader", we learn that when it comes to having an impact and lasting influence on people, we are not influenced as much by money, fame,or position, as we are by the people who love us. We are influenced not by what they say, but by what they do. We don't always realize we are leaders, but whenever someone observes our behavior and imitates it, we are leaders.

Reading this book made me realize that I lead in ways I hadn't really thought of, and that there are opportunities to be a leader in my life every day. Each chapter ends with Reflection Questions designed to help us look at our lives and learn how we might become better Christian leaders. I really didn't find any new earthshaking info in this book, but these questions are my favorite part of the book because I think these questions can be very helpful. An example is: "What things did I learn in the past to help me develop spiritually that I've since come to neglect? Which ones might help me to lead more like Jesus in the days ahead?'

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Was expecting something new, and was disappointed, December 13, 2009

By 

Mad Max (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Catholic Vision for Leading Like Jesus: Introducing S3 Leadership - Servant, Steward, Shepherd (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Please don't shoot the messenger - I'm trying to give an honest, helpful review. I read a lot of books on leadership. I tried reading this book several times. I gave it a sincere effort. I got through the first couple chapters, then thought I would jump ahead to find something more meaty. I never found it.

I agree with many of the other reviewers here - there just wasn't much substance, and nothing new at all. It's nice to know I'm not the only one. There were some great quotes, but if you've ever read anything by Ken Blanchard, Jack Canfield, etc., you've already been introduced to all the concepts in this book.

If you are interested in a primer / introduction to leadership (Christian, business, or otherwise), I'd recommend starting with Steven Covey's stuff, particularly the 7 Habits or Principle Centered Leadership. His more advanced stuff is on synergy, which is really good.

If you're already read those things, then move on to something more advanced (and skip this book). It wasn't bad or awful, it was just "blah". Very heady, very stuff writing - not very passionate at all, and certainly not from the heart. If you really, really need someone to apply Catholic-specific ideas and quotes to the servant-leadership model, then maybe this is the book for you. Otherwise, I'm not sure who else would benefit from this book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Works in the classroom too!, May 21, 2009

By 

DSB - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Catholic Vision for Leading Like Jesus: Introducing S3 Leadership - Servant, Steward, Shepherd (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

The leadership strategies in this book are perfect for the high school classroom too. I have read many books on classroom management, but none are as effective as this little book. It helps me to put things in perspective. Jesus is a model of leader and teacher for all of us. How could I do any better for my students than to model myself after Jesus? The authors admit that leading like Jesus is not easy for us because first we recognize our fundamental self-centeredness and commit ourselves daily to becoming ever more God's servant. That's not easy. When challenged by an arrogant teenager, it's so easy to reply because I said so or because I'm the teacher and you're not. I have said those things more times than I like to admit. Following the S3 strategies (servant, steward, and shepherd), I have turned things around in my classroom. And best of all, what I model for the students, I notice them doing with each other. I end my days now without stressful headaches and that is a great improvement. The reflection questions at the end of each chapter are invaluable for providing a way to assess where you are in your leadership style and where you need to go. I highly recommend this book.