The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham [Paperback]

Harold Myra (Author), Marshall Shelley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 12, 2008

A behind-the-scenes analysis of 21 essential leadership principles from the life of Billy Graham Billy Graham looms large as one of the twentieth century's most influential and innovative leaders. Most people are unaware of his remarkable effectiveness as not only preacher and pastor, but as a CEO and a global leader as well. The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham is full of transferable applications for leaders in the church, parachurch, academia, government, and business. Lively interviews with his closest associates illustrate 21 principles that have driven six decades of visionary impact. First-hand accounts reveal stories of courageous leadership and growth through painful lessons. Graham's relentless application of core beliefs and leadership principles have resulted in, among many honors, being listed in Gallup's ten 'most admired men' thirty times, more than anyone else. Time magazine named him one of the top ten leaders of the twentieth century. This book asks: How did this happen? What are the essentials he embraced to achieve such extraordinary results? What can we learn from him and apply to our own leadership roles? This book is dedicated to those readers . Who sense the pressing need in today's world for inspired leadership . Who rise to leadership's high calling and are willing to carry its weight . Who are determined to deepen and expand their capacities and effectiveness

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Business leadership is not necessarily the first word one thinks of to describe Billy Graham, as authors Myra (president and CEO of Christianity Today, Inc.) and Shelley (executive editor of Leadership Journal) admit. But they demonstrate convincingly that Graham has been an amazingly effective "business" leader for more than 50 years. In a project that draws together interviews with Graham's colleagues, written materials both by and about Graham and the insights of leadership classics such as Jim Collins's Good to Great, they provide an intriguing exploration of his skills. They begin by examining the foundations of Graham's organization, covering topics like team formation and mission. They then look at periods of growth and development, including financing, vision casting and expansion. The section on the challenges and difficulties Graham and his organization have faced contains inspiring discussions of handling failure and criticism. The authors then look at how Graham's ministry became networked with many other ministries, movements and businesses, while still maintaining a focused mission. They conclude by revealing what Graham and others feel are the true roots of his leadership abilities—humility, prayer, love and openness to innovation. This book will prove a tremendous resource for churches and many businesses, distilling much-needed leadership wisdom and weaving it into the life example of a trusted and beloved man. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Business leadership is not necessarily the first word one thinks of to describe Billy Graham, as authors Myra (president and CEO of Christianity Today, Inc.) and Shelley (executive editor of Leadership Journal) admit. But they demonstrate convincingly that Graham has been an amazingly effective 'business' leader for more than 50 years. In a project that draws together interviews with Graham's colleagues, written materials both by and about Graham and the insights of leadership classics such as Jim Collins's Good to Great , they provide an intriguing exploration of his skills. They begin by examining the foundations of Graham's organization, covering topics like team formation and mission. They then look at periods of growth and development, including financing, vision casting and expansion. The section on the challenges and difficulties Graham and his organization have faced contains inspiring discussions of handling failure and criticism. The authors then look at how Graham's ministry became networked with many other ministries, movements and businesses, while still maintaining a focused mission. They conclude by revealing what Graham and others feel are the true roots of his leadership abilities---humility, prayer, love and openness to innovation. This book will prove a tremendous resource for churches and many businesses, distilling much-needed leadership wisdom and weaving it into the life example of a trusted and beloved man. (Aug.) -- Publisher's Weekly

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (February 12, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031028788X
• ISBN-13: 978-0310287889
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #322,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Harold Myra served as the CEO of Christianity Today International for 32 years. Under his leadership, the organization grew from one magazine to a communications company with a dozen magazines, copublished books, and a major Internet ministry. Myra started his journalistic career with "Youth for Christ" magazine, which under his leadership became "Campus Life" magazine. Author of five novels, numerous children's and nonfiction books, and hundreds of magazine articles, Myra has taught writing and publishing at the Wheaton College Graduate School in Illinois. He holds honorary doctorates from several colleges, including Biola University in California and Gordon College in Massachusetts. Myra has received various awards, among them the prestigious Magazine Publisher's Award and the James Deforest Murch Award from the National Association of Evangelicals. The Evangelical Press Association presented him with its highest honor, the Joseph T. Bayly Award, for his triple career as an editor, author, and publishing executive. Harold and his wife, Jeanette, are the parents of six children and grandparents of five. They reside in Wheaton, Illinois.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of illustrations and nuggets, September 11, 2006

By 

Stephen Northcutt (Kauai, HI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham (Hardcover)

I teach a leadership course and tell my students I will read and review the business or leadership books they recommend. I was skeptical at first, most attempts to create Bible oriented business books fail. However, in this case the authors chose to use Good to Great, one of the best business books of the decade, as a primary focusing lens and there is a single Bible verse at the end of each chapter.

The story begins with the observation leaders are often forged in the furnace of life. Billy got off easy this once. His furnace experience was being rejected for marriage by Emily, saying "I just don't see any real purpose in your life yet." The statement stung and after months of consideration, Billy decided to be fully committed to God. The story then moves to Theodore Roosevelt, who was also pursing his life's true love. He got the girl, but only for three years, soon after his father passed away, his mother and wife died at his home within hours of one another.

Billy's calling as an evangelist was tested, he was offered movie contracts, even a million dollars a year, ( this is the 1950s, so that would be more like 6 million today using the Consumer Price Index).

The book pours you through history, not just Billy's experiences, but those of his friends. Billy had to face the growth pains of the nation, trying to serve both Catholics and Protestants in divided cities like New York and Boston. They discuss the civil rights movement where he was pressured to hold segregated meetings; he did not. I am not overly emotional, but I cried during many of the historical passages as I remember this nation's history, the author's tell the story well.

He was friend to Presidents and others in power including friends that fell including Nixon and evangelist Jim Bakker. He gave Nixon's Eulogy and conducted the memorial service for the Oklahoma City Bombing and the National Cathedral service for the 9/11.

The book does a great job of covering his management style; he built a great team and gave them a lot of freedom to act. If there is one place a bit more depth would have helped, it would have been more information on his health struggles, how did Billy Graham balance life and mission.

The bottom line, this is a good book whether or not you believe in the Christian faith. It deserves at least two readings, there are so many illustrations and nuggets it is impossible to get them all the first time through.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who Knew? Though maybe we should have ...., November 4, 2005

By 

B. Breen "Canuckster1127" (Sterling, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham (Hardcover)

Billy Graham is not thought of as an organizational leader first and foremost, but then again, without the ability to organize and lead, the message for which he will be known as one of the foremost purveyors of in the 20th century would not have gotten out.

What organizations take for granted today, Graham intuitively seemed to know and understand well before terms such as "team-building and "organizational mission" become catch-phrases.

More than just a study in management though, this book is a study in character and deals not just with the triumphs but also the failures and struggles. In that way it reads as easily and as honestly as the subject matter himself.

Especially helpful are the sections that deal with how crusades and cooperative efforts were accomplished without making key compromises. That is as much an art as any science one could offer.

This book has a lot to offer for ministries and Christian organizations, but the principals hold true in businesses of any size.

A very profitable read!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We all lead someone, so read this book!, October 7, 2005

By 

Douglas S. Duncan "Professional speaker" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham (Hardcover)

Billy Graham's secrets are drawn from a foundation of eternal principles and truth. The book is refreshing in that it is not just another collection of management principles recycled from the best business schools. It is an honest evaluation of life and can be applied to leaders of all descriptions, whether they be business, political, church or military leaders. It is equally valuable for the person who is leading his/her younger sibling by example. Some of the principles include the value of laughing at oneself and one's failures, as well as recognising the fact that we all fail at different times and need to be prepared for failure when it comes. But read it for yourself. It will quickly become #1 in your self-improvement library.