Ironies Leaders Navigate, Second Edition
What the Science of Power Reveals about the Art of Leadership and the Distinct Art of Church Leadership
- Church Leadership & Ministry
- Publisher: Resource Publications (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2018
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Publisher's Description
[EPI] ". . . just as one cannot not communicate, you do not have the option of not using power." [/EPI] For every definition of leadership, you can find a definition of power that makes the same statement. Hence, every act of leadership is an act of power, and the better we understand power, the better we understand leadership. And we misunderstand power, scholars lament, in part by under-understanding power. We equate it merely with coercion and competition, but miss how power dynamics define leadership, education, coaching, teamwork, parenting, etc. Here is a brief, contextual, synergistic, occasionally ironic study of power, which provides numerous lenses through which to examine leadership settings, including how they differ. This study (in specific, framed pages) ultimately focuses on a unique leadership setting--the local church. It ponders distinct challenges faced by church leaders, and by The Church's Leader, Jesus Christ.
Endorsements (4)
“Power and leadership go hand-in-hand, but are leaders to be trusted with power? Critical to getting leadership right is a proper view of power. In Ironies Leaders Navigate, Schuyler Totman examines the dynamics of power. By identifying a series of ironies inherent in the exercising of leadership, he gives clarity to the issues that should inform our self-awareness and self-regulation of power. Along the way, he delves into unique challenges faced by church leaders and the church’s leader, Jesus Christ.”
“A mentor once told me “Decisiveness is not a virtue. When you feel the pressure to make quick decisions or actions, it is usually unwise and will produce more problems than it solves.” Ironies Leaders Navigate helps me to understand better why my mentor was correct in how to navigate the wonderful and bewildering complexities of leading people with truth, goodness, and beauty.”
“Focusing on issues of leadership in the church, Schuyler Totman offers us a slim first book that's thick with significance . . . Ironies Leaders Navigate analyzes the many connections between power and leadership, and not only the ironies involved, but the paradoxes and puzzles as well--in the church and in families, business, and politics, too. Don't just read it once!”
“Schuyler Totman bravely analyzes how power works, and all leaders lead, within relationship. Totman simplifies and elevates our awareness of power--as complicated and contextual, as constant and constantly multi-faceted. I especially appreciate his creative description of how leaders often combine vastly different kinds of power, and how different settings, including churches and 'The Church,' affect power dynamics. This book will inspire leaders with integrity.”
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