Leadership Wisdom from Unlikely Voices: People of Yesterday Speak to Leaders of Today (Hardcover)

by Dave Fleming (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Just when you thought that nothing more could possibly be wrriten about leadership, Fleming delivers a refreshing and insightful look at how the words of Mother Theresa, St. Augustine, and others can guide us… Not to be missed." "… it stretched me in a way few books do. Worth reading devotionally, even if you're not a leader." — YouthWorker Journal

(YouthWorker Journal )

Product Description
In a postmodern world, it is ironic that the lessons of "yesterday" often resonate more with leaders than those of the countless modern-day leadership "prophets."

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan/Youth Specialties (September 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310258006
• ISBN-13: 978-0310258001
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,225,190 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unlike Yours, April 25, 2006

By	Bonnie K. Davis (Plymouth, MI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The read is brisk and sensible. Fleming does well to qualify himself as an established follower of unlikely voices. Analogies by way of jail cells, salad bars and dog poop (not metaphorically speaking) invite the reader to ease into reality of the past and the humor and hope of today. Fleming's work and reflective technique are such that the inspired leader takes up his pen and renders poetically the lessons gleaned, accessible, now owned, and the worth therein, steadily approaching the forte of a new unlikely voice...one's own.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars OK Content But Style is Distracting, April 18, 2006

By	Josh Moffit (Philippines) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The introduction to this book criticizes the bulk of leadership books accusing them of predictability and staleness. This introduction promised new and important ideas that narrow, popular leadership books miss. The author does not really deliver on his promise, writing a leadership book that is in many ways hard to understand and in other ways doing the very thing he ridiculed- writing predictably.

The author is clearly writing to a postmodern audience, a characteristic of the book which is truly original. The book is littered with negative references to `modernism' and traditional 20th century thinking. In the author's effort to avoid modernism and logic, he writes in a lot of code. In one sense this can be refreshing, but in another sense it can be frustrating, I found myself thinking, "Stop the verbal vomit and just say it!:" Here is a sentence which reflects this `code', "For the story of creation continues to this day as the invitation from the Divine Mystery, calling us forth as creators to enter his dream." Some of the chapters lacked any kind of coherence, which I consider a fault, but which was probably done purposefully.

Having said this, there are parts of the book that are truly insightful and understandable. Chapters 3,8 and 9 all have good insight into leadership, the topics of these chapters being; maintaining proper focus as a leader, the importance of a leader's authentic relationships, and the value of a leader's education (not necessarily formal). While excellent, two of these chapters are not really original (8 and 9), these are rehashed leadership insights that this book puts into postmodern garb. However, I found chapter 3 regarding `proper focus' very helpful. The author suggests that the leader should step back from the details and daily schedule of his life and take a look at his overall `big picture'. Visualizing our lives and ministries as a narrative can really help us see our lives in focus of eternity.

I would not recommend this leadership book unless the reader thinks through a heavily postmodern framework. While there are some great truths in this book, it is not worth the frustration trying to read through it all.

2.0 out of 5 stars A struggle to read., April 28, 2008

By	Hamish Baxter - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Flemming's book is easy to dismiss for it's ethereal approach to modern, or more accurately post-modern, leadership. I found myself feeling angry and frustrated that he was wasting my time as I forced myself through early chapters of this book. Occasionally Flemming wrote something that coincided with my own experience and I was able to compare my own interpretation of this with his. This process was helpful as it critiqued my own ideas and allowed me to refine them. Sometimes Flemming gave voice to something I felt but was unable to articulate and I appreciated the validation this offered to my developing leadership. Finally I appreciated the focus Flemming put on people and relationships while still retaining the value of output. This initiated much reflection about what I focus on in my own leadership.