The Paradox of Power: A Transforming View of Leadership [Hardcover]

Pat Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 18, 2002

As Senior Executive Vice President of the Orlando Magic, Pat Williams is known throughout the sports world as a consummate promoter and a keen talent scout. His boundless imagination and zany antics have led his team to victory since their very first season. But Williams' leadership philosophy is untraditional, to say the least. Now, he shares that unique philosophy, which bucks conventional management wisdom and is founded instead upon the Scriptures, using Jesus Christ as a leadership model. Examining the paradoxes that made Christ an exceptional leader, he then offers fascinating and instructive examples that make those principles relevant today. Successful leadership is not a matter of simply maximizing profits, but of striving to make this world a better place, and Williams shows how the paradoxical approach is so much more powerful than traditional leadership based on common sense.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

That the last shall be first is just one of the paradoxical teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, "the greatest leadership model of all time" and the inspiration behind Williams's readable but somewhat shallow management primer (and 20-somethingth book). In addition to Gospel stories, the author invokes wave-particle duality and an eclectic array of thinkers from Patton to Baudrillard to illuminate the qualities and the contradictions of leadership. But paradoxes like "A Wise Leader Dares to Be a Fool" and "To Live, You Must Die" are just mystical window-dressing for familiar rules of managerial good behavior, including "when you're wrong, admit it," "keep your cool," and "do not micromanage." What counts are the anecdotes-the heart and soul of leadership manuals-and Williams's are engaging, if sometimes off base. An NBA executive and author, most recently, of How to Be Like Mike (as in Jordan), Williams adroitly mines the sports world's mother lode of leadership anecdotes; but his historical anecdotes-Robert E. Lee, instigator of some of history's bloodiest battles, exemplified "absolute love," while Auschwitz commandant Rudolph Hoess's failing was his lack of "integrity"-will confound many. Still, the numerous small homilies on humility, empathy and listening skills sprinkled into his smooth story-telling will give business managers much to reflect upon.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Offers an intuitive and insightful exploration into the qualities and principles of leadership." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Warner Faith; First Edition edition (November 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446529389
• ISBN-13: 978-0446529389
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #779,666 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars humility of a visionary wins followers, November 17, 2002

By 

Dr. Narendra Prasad Das (252,Sahidnagar,Bhubaneswar(Orissa), India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Paradox of Power: A Transforming View of Leadership (Hardcover)

The Paradox of Power has actually transformed the ideas about a leader. Pat has mentioned of seven paradoxes, most important of which are certainly absolute love for your followers as Jesus had for his twelve non-schooled disciples, a vision and preparedness to 'accept inaction as the best form of action' and 'silence as the most powerful speech' at the appropriate time.His examples selected from the life of John F. Kennedy (talking to a mines worker), Robert Lee make his musings on desirable traits of a true leader as given in the book, more acceptable and laudable,

5.0 out of 5 stars Leadership, December 27, 2008

By 

M. Fick (Rockwall, TX) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Paradox of Power: A Transforming View of Leadership (Hardcover)

Pat Williams is a great author and leader himself. Each book that he writes helps one build on the great principles of life and success. Paradox of power teaches us about the paradox's of life and how they lead us to success. Simple but hard to apply principles, but if we take heed to them, we can plan on a successful productive life.

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fresh Perspective on Timeless Leadership for Everyone, November 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Paradox of Power: A Transforming View of Leadership (Hardcover)

At a time when America can use it most comes a perspective on leadership delivered by someone who has lived his own words and succeeded. While many influential leaders throughout the ages are cited as examples and role models in this book's 230+ pages, the central figure is a man who would not be seen as power figure by today's definition. Yet his methods, when sought with sincerity and applied as though part of our reasonable responsibility, always work. The author has spent his professional life in the world of professional sports, but this book is not just for sports fans or corporate leaders (although that latter can and will certainly benefit from the wisdom of Mr. Williams). Anyone in a position of influence over others (who doesn't qualify there?) will find life-changing advice from time well spent in this book. Read slowly for more effective processing!