The Mentor Leader: Secrets to Building People and Teams That Win Consistently [Hardcover]

Tony Dungy (Author), Jim Caldwell (Foreword), Nathan Whitaker (Contributor)

Book Description

Release date: August 3, 2010

“Your only job is to help your players be better.” That single idea had a huge impact on Tony Dungy when he heard it from one of his earliest mentors, and it led him to develop the successful leadership style so admired by players and coaches throughout the NFL. Now, a storied career and a Super Bowl victory later, Tony Dungy is sharing his unique leadership philosophy with you. In The Mentor Leader, Tony reveals what propelled him to the top of his profession and shows how you can apply the same approach to virtually any area of your life. In the process, you’ll learn the seven keys of mentoring leadership—and why they’re so effective; why mentor leadership brings out the best in people; how a mentor leader recovers from mistakes and handles team discipline; and the secret to getting people to follow you and do their best for you without intimidation tactics. As a son, a football player, and a winning coach, Tony has always learned from others on his path to success. Now you can learn to succeed for your team, family, or organization while living out your values—by becoming a mentor leader.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale Momentum; 1 edition (August 3, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 141433804X
• ISBN-13: 978-1414338040
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #55 in Books > Business & Investing > Management & Leadership > Teams

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book by and for the Mentor Leader August 17, 2010

By Laurence T. Baxter VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

The Mentor Leader is an excellent book that is both inspiring, challenging, and practical. Coach Dungy offers a truly unique perspective as a Super Bowl winning football coach, a devoted Christian, and a man who has benefited much mentoring and who has intentionally sought for years to have a positive influence on the lives of those he touches. The book is certainly not shy of principles and thoughtful teaching on the topics of mentoring in leadership, but it really shines as a practical and wise approach that has been borne in the laboratory of life rather than taught in a business school. Author of best-selling book Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices, and Priorities of a Winning Life, he has seen firsthand "that the way to bring the best out of an individual or a team is to teach-by example and through one-on-one, step-by-step mentoring." The book is packed full of stories and anecdotes, but it is not just a random assortment of anecdotes. Dungy actually covers a lot of material, and arranges it thoughtfully.

Table of contents
Chapter 1. The Mandate of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 2. The Mind-Set of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 3. The Maturity of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 4. The Marks of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 5. The Moments of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 6. The Model of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 7. The Means of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 8. The Methods of a Mentor Leader
Chapter 9. The Measure of a Mentor Leader

If you're a fan of leadership books, you'll recognize ideas and quotes by leadership experts such as Ken Blanchard, Steven Covey, John Maxwell and others.... If not, that's ok too, as he weaves these in naturally along with stories and real-life illustrations. Dungy also does a great job at pointing out where ideas like mentoring and servant leadership are taught and modeled in the Bible, especially in the life of Jesus.

Some of the topics or concepts that I thought were particularly interesting: focusing on strengths, the preeminence of character and integrity in the live of a leader, building a team whose strengths complement yours and each others, the importance of just hanging out and being present in the lives of those you hope to influence, the need to create a culture to effect change, and the idea of treating those you lead as volunteers. Now, there's nothing ground-breaking in any of this, but Dungy does a great job of modeling all of this, and of explaining it in a down-to-earth way.

Towards the end he finishes by acknowledging that a lot has been covered, and the idea of being a mentor leader might be a daunting one, a lot to remember. So he encourages us with this advice: "Don't worry about remembering it. Think instead about beginning to live what we've talked about - each and every day, in every setting of your life. And let me encourage you to start right where you are, with the people right around you, doing something as simple as engaging with them and talking. Sometimes the smallest things we do have the biggest impact. Just start."

Being a mentor leader is being about the journey, adding value in the lives of other people in every moment. The Mentor Leader should be of great interest for fans of leadership and football alike. Read more ›

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Leading by giving August 14, 2010

By John Zxerce

Format:Hardcover

If you've been put off by leaders who leave a wake of wreckage behind as they bulldoze towards objectives, then Dungy's writing will be fresh air to you. His conviction is that the focus of a great leader should be not on outcomes, but on the good of those being led. His purpose is clear, people first, and then objectives.

Dungy makes a clear distinction between a position of leadership and a person of leadership. Even without a formal leadership title, people can still make a difference as they influence those around them. Additionally, Dungy doesn't believe leadership is something a person is born with, but rather it's a trait to be developed. A person does this by committing to those around them.

Unlike many books on leadership, particularly business books, this biographical account comes across sincerely, warmly, and compellingly. Dungy's focus on people is exemplified in his writing style - it's encouraging rather than demeaning.

As one might expect, many of the anecdotes and the immediate context in which leadership traits are conveyed is couched in football. Dungy is, after all, a football coach. So, be prepared to hear about situations, and circumstances, and even conflict that has surrounded his many years of coaching.

In short, if you're not afraid of the pig skin and if you could use some encouragement - this just might be the book you're looking for.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I have read them all and Dungy's take on this is Spot On! September 30, 2010

By James D. Renfro

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was Looking for a book that was about LEADERSHIP from a SPIRITUAL persective. Tony Dungy nails that query with this book, Mentor Leader. Previously I avoided his books because I am not a big fan of football and assumed it was all related to touchdowns and tackling. I could not have been more wrong. This book is about mentoring and leading. Good title them huh?

He takes his experiences and that of others and tells how he was mentored what he does to mentor and all in the line of being a leader. Far from an in the ivory tower manager Dungy shows us how to impact others as the main idea in leadership.

Growing others to be leader even more Spiritual Mentors. He uses the Bible to explain his motivation to help others and shows his weakness and how he overcame them to become the Mentor leader he is today.

This book was for someone looking to help others a goldmine. I found this book to be informative, entertaining and Spirit Led. Not only should every manager who wants to step beyond "manageing" to leadership read it, every pastor, teacher and mother and father should grab a copy.

The message Tony wants us to get is that a leader cares little about personal gain and cares everything about doing what they do to help another find Gods direction in their lives.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A useful resource! December 29, 2010

By M. Teresa Trascritti

Format:Hardcover

In his introduction, Dungy outlines the "essential traits of a mentor" (p. xvii-xviii):

* Mentoring "can be taught and learned; but in order to be absorbed, it must be practiced"
* Mentoring "focuses on developing the strengths of individuals"
* Mentoring "works best" when there is "genuine concern" shown
* Mentoring is about "shaping, nurturing, empowering, and growing"
* Mentoring is "about relationships, integrity, and perpetual learning"
* Mentoring is "about changing lives" (p. xvii-xviii)

Although all 9 chapters of Dungy's book relates to the "mentor leader," there were 3 chapters that seemed to prepare the heart of the mentor: Chapter 3, "A Look Within," Chapter 4, "Characteristics That Matter," and Chapter 6, "Living the Message" (p. 45, 67, 123). In chapter 3 Dungy explains, "In order to become an effective mentor, in whatever setting, it is important to take a look inside yourself" (p. 45). He suggests that potential mentors take a "personal inventory" to assess what makes them "think, react, and respond the way they do" and what makes them "do the things they do" (p. 46). An honest self assessment will reveal personal strengths and weaknesses, unresolved issues from the past and meaningful priorities (p. 64-65).

"Character" is described as "the person [others] view as the most trustworthy, who cares the most and who is willing to always do the right thing," and according to Dungy, it is the "glue that bonds solid and meaningful relationships" (p. 71). In chapter 4, Dungy presents the characteristics he believes are "marks" of a good mentor. These "marks" include competence, integrity, authenticity, courageous, faithfulness, accountable, available/approachable, loyalty, and protectiveness (p. 72-91).... Throughout this chapter (and the whole book), Dungy uses Biblical references to support his points. For example, Dungy states, "a genuine sense of self-worth is best obtained through a relationship with God" (p. 74). In another part of the chapter, Dungy discusses the parable found in the book of John, chapter 10, to illustrate the "mark" of protectiveness--"When a wolf comes and threatens the flock, the hired hand runs away. . . . the shepherd on the other hand, rises to the defense of his sheep" (p. 94).

Dungy starts chapter 6 with a Scripture verse from the book of Matthew: "Jesus said, `It's not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth. . . . The words you speak come from the heart--that's what defiles you'" (Matt. 15:11, 18). He uses this Bible passage to show that mentoring starts in the heart of the mentor--basically, what is inside determines what will come out (p. 123). Dungy claims that people will notice various things about other individuals: their faith, their words and actions, and their legacy (p. 124-135). When discussing faith, Dungy says, "Faith is the foundation and strength of the mentor . . . . the guiding principle behind everything we do . . . . Faith will go a long way toward giving others a reason to follow you" (p. 134-135). Dungy believes that the "many things that guide the daily steps of mentors" (relationships, impact, involvement, character, faith, and actions) shape one's legacy; "legacy" results in "changed lives" (p. 136, 138). In other words, a mentor is successful if he or she contributes to the positive changes in other people's lives. Dungy's use of the Bible shows that God's Word is important to him. It also shows that even if a mentor has all the necessary traits necessary, it is God who ultimately changes people-- "with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26).

Review by M. Teresa Trascritti Read more ›