Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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?'

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.

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.

"'Laymen should take up as their own proper task the renewal of the temporal order....It belongs to the laity, without waiting passively for orders and directives, to take the initiative freely and to infuse a Christian spirit into the mentality, customs, laws and structures of the community in which they live.'"--Pope Paul VI from '...Leading Like Jesus'

We are all role models. This has been the premise of discussion and debate ever since Michael Jordan and other members of the NBA have made it to the top of our national consciousness. Instead of being like Mike, author Owen Phelps writes about what it is to be like Jesus.

Drawing heavily from `Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time' by Phelps' own mentors Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges, `The Catholic Vision for Leading Like Jesus' creates a formula for Catholics to follow based on the idea that we all lead by example: It is called "S3 Leadership: Servant, Steward, and Shepherd"

The book begins with an anecdote about an ex-marine who becomes a priest. His leadership abilities are so exceptional that he is almost relocated every year, so he can organize and build up the communities at every parish he encounters. I thought, `This is great, so maybe assertiveness and charisma are all that we need,' but this is not the case.

One of the cornerstones of his work is when he quotes Pope John Paul II's idea of the hierarchy turned upside-down: The leader is the servant of all, and the served are at the top of pyramid. Humility is the prescription for the human touch where Phelps reminds us of St. Francis's words, "Go and preach the Gospel, and if you must, use words." In other words, most of his writing, backed up by scripture, saints, and scholars, centers on the task and responsibility of leading others by example.

Often when reading Phelps' book, I felt as though it was an average read for a book on theology. His examples and anecdotes are timely, and the concepts solidify themselves with each proceeding chapter. The presentation is concrete, and his ideas are nicely woven together. The meditations and reflections are meant to be transforming--a way of reforming oneself inside out.

While I'm always tempted to give a full five-star rating for the subject matter, I feel that his work doesn't resonate with the insight of works by Peter Kreeft, Thomas Merton, Benedict Groeschel, or Sebastian Moore, or some other theologians, but if you like the idea of a book about a pilgrimage where each of us influences the lives of others, then `...Leading Like Jesus' will be essential reading indeed.

Owen Phelps gives us a refreshing new leadership book. This treatise applies principles of The One Minute Manager, Servant Leadership, and Lead Like Jesus to the Catholic church. As an experienced manager and trainer, I am impressed.

Some background: In the 1980s, when I was teaching management skills, I praised the One Minute Manager as an example of simple but highly effective leadership. In the 1990s I became aware of servant leadership when I attended a League of Women Voters seminar and when my parish leadership learned effective management from Trustee Leadership Development. The Servant Leadership became our byword and Robert Greenleaf our mentor. Recently the Leading Like Jesus movement has successfully applied the techniques of The One Minute Manager and Servant Leadership to The Holy Scriptures for use by Christians. Phelps, in The Catholic Vision for Leading Like Jesus, has carefully applied the lessons to the Catholic Church.

This text is competent. Starting with the scriptures of the Last Supper, Phelps uses the actions and words of Jesus to teach wonderful leadership principles. What results are the three "S's": Servant, Steward, and Shepherd. This may be a perfect fit for the Catholic Church where there are two separate "leadership challenges", clergy and laity. Phelps suggests, because of our priest shortage younger priests, with little previous experience, are put in charge of parishes. In addition, our lay people have higher expectations and have become more involved in the church.

Phelps helps us discover what Jesus would do as a leader and what we can do to follow His example. His meditations and exercises make this an excellent study guide for parish groups wishing to improve their service to the church.


For further study see:
The One Minute ManagerThe One Minute Manager,
Servant LeadershipServant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness 25th Anniversary Edition
Lead Like JesusLead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time

This slim volume is built upon the foundations laid by the Lead Like Jesus movement. It introduces the three S's of leadership: servant leadership, stewardship and caring like a shepherd. The book (obviously) describes these aspects from a particularly Catholic point of view. It is this part of the book that I particularly enjoyed.

Though it is a slim volume (about 150 pages), there is a lot of information in the pages. This is not a book to be read in one setting. Rather each section needs to be read a couple of times and reflected upon. There is a set of questions at the end of each section that will help you find ways to apply what you have just read into your daily life.

I particularly liked the section the emphasized the need to be an active participant in the Sacramental life of the Church. You cannot expect to be able to put these theories in place and have them impact your life if you are not actively deepening your Faith. It is nice to see this so clearly spelled out.

Like leadership itself, this book is not confined to the workplace (though there is a lot of good applications for the work environment). If you take this book seriously and try to apply the principles outlined in the book (along with an active Sacramental life), you will see results. If you want to think about leadership from a Catholic perspective, read this book. Enjoy!

Dr. Owen Phelps takes Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges' non-denominational Lead Like Jesus program and focuses its fundamental elements on a Catholic audience in "The Catholic Vision For Leading Like Jesus."

Each chapter opens with quotes from both the Bible and other sources, including many key Catholic leaders. Also scattered throughout each chapter are "In The Church" and "In The Family" sections that highlight specific points of the chapters they happen to be in. At the end of each chapter (and in some case, in chapters), reflection questions are offered for further study and thought.

Phelps opens up with a key problem for Catholics that most Protestant and non-denominational churches do not have: Who's supposed to lead? For most lay Catholics, priests, bishops, cardinals and the pope are responsible for leading the flock, but Phelps takes the ideals of leadership a step further and shows the laity that their leadership is just as important and, in some cases, even more influential.

From there, Phelps goes into a brief discussion of what makes a leader, what exactly makes up S3 leadership, and how one can go about being a better leader.

He relies heavily on the works of Blanchard and Hodges, but that's expected. He also draws information from sources as varied as the Second Vatican Council to Pope Benedict XVI and books such as "Witness To Hope" and "Managing The Non-Profit Organization: Principles and Practices."

This book is a good study guide for anybody hoping to be a better leader, but it is especially good for Catholics. While I'm personally not familiar with the Lead Like Jesus program, I'd bet that this book would serve Catholics who have been through the program very well as supporting material.

I'd also like to mention the use of a quote from Ghandi which appears to have drawn the ire of some reviewers. This quote has been used on numerous occasions by Christian and non-Christians alike. When taken at face value, the quote simply states that many people who claim to be Christians do not reflect Christianity in their day-to-day lives. Christian writers and speakers use this quote to emphasize how important "walking the walk" is. Non-Christians writers and speakers use the same quote to prove that many, if not most, "Christians" are nothing more than hypocrites. The way that Phelps uses it in his book neither adds to nor takes away from Catholicism or any of the branches of Christianity.

I am Christian, but not Catholic and I have to say, I am getting quite a bit out of the Work book. The book is practical in it's design in that it is for all Christians. Not just Catholics.

The premise of the course work is to ultimately mold yourself in the image of Christ via his leadership abilites. The authors refer to it as "S3 Leadership": Servant, Steward, & Shepherd.

The book itself is not very long, yet it is profound. The exercises really encourage you to re-evaluate yourself. I won't lie - a lot of the things I have been asked to consider have left me feeling selfish and unaware of those around me. Fortunately, I do want to change.

This is not a book you will read and put away. This is a reference workbook that in the hands of those of us seeking greater awareness and satisfaction via a spiritual life, will come back to repeatedly.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, and I was well pleased and liked what I read!

Within the Catholic Church, the leadership idea became very popular with the laity because of the shortage of Catholic priests that we've seen in recent years. So, now in our churches, we see many men and women assisting with our religious services. Also, parishioners can be found leading Bible study groups and prayer sessions. This book is not only aimed at them, it's for all of us. Anyone who lives their life with honestly, integrity, love of God and respect for life, is someone to be admired and a great role model!

Each of the Eleven chapters begins with a quote or a Bible reading. Chapter Eight, Cultivating A Servant's Habits--St. Peter of Alcantara says, "Truly, matters in the world are in a bad state; but if you and I begin in earnest to reform ourselves, a really good beginning will have been made."

Chapter Nine, Called To Be A Steward - I Peter 4:10 "Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received."

There's a lot of good advice in this book which is backed up with Bible quotations and words from spiritual leaders. I plan to read it again, but slower this time!

Suitable for group or individual use, this user-friendly book includes real-life examples, quotes from the Bible as well as Catholic tradition, and Reflection Questions at the end of each chapter. The Reflection Questions bring the concepts discussed in each chapter into daily living and personal choices.

Chapter Two poses the question, "What Is Our Purpose?" Phelps replies that "Our greatest power is to have lasting influence on the people around us." This power is "rooted in our everyday behavior." He goes on to say that a hunger exists for many of us to integrate our faith with our day-to-day lives, and we can do so in how we act. He acknowledges that our deeds are so very powerful when it comes to answering the call to evangelize today's world.

Chapter Eight is about the habits of a servant. Some of the habits included are: Prayer, Reading Scripture and Build Community. Each of the nine habits he suggests are explained using references from Scripture or additional resources. An example of a Reflection Question from this section is: "How might I benefit more from the opportunities my Church provides me to worship and receive the Sacraments?"

The final pages of the book give resources to continue learning about leadership and the Lead Like Jesus movement. The well-balanced Conclusion empahsizes that leadership is a process and it takes time to grow and flourish as it develops. This book is a "signpost" to guide you along the journey as a Catholic leader in your home, work or parish.