Next Generation Leader: 5 Essentials for Those Who Will Shape the Future by Andy Stanley

Next Generation Leader: 5 Essentials for Those Who Will Shape the Future Reviews

• 
  Mark Jr.

  
  Stanley offers a summary of his views on leadership at the end of the book:
  
  
  •Play to your strengths. Delegate your weaknesses.
  •Be courageous.
  •Be clear in the face of uncertainty.
  •Find a leadership coach.
  •Maintain your character.
  
  
  I listened to the book from Christian Audio (thanks to them for the review copy), so I'll just record most of the thoughts that struck me and interested me enough to pause and write them down. They'll track more or less with the outline above.
  
  
  •Do what you're gifted to do and, as soon as possible, nothing else. You may think you're doing others on your team a favor when you do the hard tasks you don't like doing—for Stanley, that's event planning. But someone on your team may be gifted at event planning and may actually enjoy it! So let him/her do it!
  •Learn to say no to the many opportunities that, while good, simply aren't allowing you to focus on the one thing you are most gifted to do.
  •A leader who communicates clearly, even if he's occasionally wrong, is better than a leader who is always right but doesn't give clear signals.
  •Have courage to initiate change. It's usually fear that keeps leaders from doing what they know needs to be done. They disguise it by calling it carefulness. But carefulness is based on knowledge; fear is based on imagination. (I did feel as if Stanley gave insufficient acknowledgment to the clear fact that a lot of ideas are dumb. I sure hope some of the people I've met don't take initiative to act on their plans. I'm sure glad I haven't been allowed to do everything I've wanted to do, even in groups I've led.)
  •Leaders must remember that their moral authority is more important than the institutional authority they hold. People will obey a leader to a degree just because he has his position, but they will not really follow him or buy into his vision. Hypocrisy kills leadership.
  
  So far so good. A bit platitudinous I suppose, but a platitude achieves its status hopefully by holding on to an obvious truth, right?
  
  However, I can't really recommend this book, I'm afraid, unless you get it for real cheap. And that's because Scripture simply doesn't take a guiding or controlling role; it's mainly a resource for illustrations. That's not necessarily bad. I wouldn't want a dentistry textbook which somehow managed to twist the Bible into determining which brand of anesthetic I ought to buy. Scripture provides general guidance about everything and specific guidance about a more limited number of topics. But people-to-people interaction is something the Bible says a great deal about. And leadership—church leadership in particular—is a major concern of significant portions of the New Testament. This does not come across in Andy Stanley's book.
  
  There's a law in Internet discourse 
  formulated by Mike Godwin: the longer a discussion goes, the more likely the combatants are to invoke Hitler and compare him to their opponents. Well, perhaps a new law may form some day in the doctrinally serious portion of the blogosphere, the portion I try to inhabit: the longer a book review of a mainstream evangelical book goes, the more likely the reviewer will invoke Joel Osteen. And I'm afraid I must. I frequently felt as if I were listening to the smiling preacher. My visions and dreams are not questioned in this book; they're simply stoked. The larger purposes of God into which my dreams are supposed to fit—and to which my dreams are supposed to adjust—are pretty well absent.
  
  
  For example, Stanley affirmed that it's the scorecard, not the playbook, which determines success. And I believe I could read him charitably enough to see value in that statement. It's ambiguous; he could be saying, "The scorecard of faithfulness to God's word is more important than maintaining the traditional methods you've inherited from the Baptist/Methodist/Presbyterian playbook." Amen to that. But since quite a few of his illustrations have to do with the successful growth of his own church (a success I don't begrudge him, but which doesn't guarantee that he has "held to the pattern of sound words" found in Scripture), I first read the illustration as a pretty dangerous endorsement of American evangelicalism's love-affair with numbers. I hear him saying, "The scorecard of church attendance figures is more important than maintaining the old way of doing church." (Stanley does acknowledge in chapter 14 that numbers don't tell the whole story, otherwise Jesus at the end of His ministry would have to be accounted a failure. But I think my analysis of the previous section of the book stands.)
  
  I'm glad I listened to this book, because it was free and it was super easy-going for my commute. Insofar, again, as platitudes encode truth, I got some truth I needed as a budding leader of small church ministries and one work team. But there have to be better books out there which teach leadership without shunting Scripture to the sidelines or, ironically, giving it the wrong kind of first place (as if the book of Nehemiah, for example, were mainly about leadership).
  
  Anybody wanna suggest such a leadership book to me?
• 
  John

  Andy Stanley is a gifted communicator, leader, and I am a fan. I have heard him speak several times and he continues to carry himself humbly and like one of your close friends. 5 Essentials is another in the long line of books he has put out on practical leadership. He bases the fundamentals on Christian values that he has gain in his time leading a church in Atlanta, GA. I especially appreciated the "face the gorilla" example he gives about owning up to your mistakes.
• 
  Shawn Thornton

  Best book on leadership I have ever read. Perfect for young pastors and ministry leaders. First book I recommend to others when they ask me about leadership in ministry.
• 
  Travis

  Andy Stanley is at his best when he is helping leaders know how to lead. This is why Next Generation Leader has so much to offer. In this simple work, Stanley shares five important principles of leadership that he has gathered over his years of, well, leading.
  
  The strength of the book comes in its simple, straight-forward, and encouraging counsel on how to lead. For example, Stanley reminds us that, as leaders, it is wise for us to spend our time doing what we are naturally shaped and gifted to do. We dramatically do ourselves harm as leaders when we focus our energies on doing things that we dislike and are not good at. While such tasks are destined to be part of our work, we should find ways to minimize our time spent on tasks that drain us rather than fulfill us. This also means we must find ways to delegate the tasks that do not fit us to others who enjoy what we do not.
  
  One more example that I will share is Stanley’s reminder that coaching is crucial for the development of any leader. If you are going to grow in your role as a leader, you need to have someone who can see what you do and offer suggestions and encouragement. A coach does not have to be somebody who can do what you are trying to do. A coach merely needs to be an observant, honest, and helpful person who is willing to invest in you.
  
  Stanley occasionally uses biblical passages, generally Old Testament narrative, to illustrate the principles of leadership that he is attempting to share. This, to me, is the weakest point of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I am a pastor, and I love the Bible with all my heart. However, I do not think that the use of biblical illustrations actually strengthens Stanley’s points. He is not using the passages in their original context to teach their original intent. I would prefer to simply have Stanley teach these true principles with modern-day life examples rather than stretching the biblical text to fit a modern leadership paradigm.
  
  I would happily recommend Next Generation Leader to any person who is interested in studying and growing in the field of leadership. Stanley has much to offer in this work, and we can all glean some great insights from what he has put together.
  
  I received a free audio copy of this work as a part of the reviewers program of ChristianAudio.com. The narration of this book was perfect for the topic. It was engaging and never dull.
  
• 
  Kristie

  3.5
  
  Not bad. I really benefited from a few of the chapters and I enjoyed the biblical examples he gave. I also liked the questions at the end of each chapter - that's the strongest point of the book.
  
  This is a good book for people who may have not attended many leadership seminars, trainings, etc. I say this because I felt like some of it was obvious, but I recognize some people may not have considered some of these things before.
  
  Some of this book made me roll my eyes, specifically when he would condense his points into little catchy sound bytes, along with some of his examples. I feel like rolling my eyes is a necessary part of my reading any leadership book, though :)
• 
  Nate Sayed

  3.5/5
  
  I read this book for a Leadership training that I am apart of at work. I was little hesitant to read it since I feel like so often pastors writing about leadership don’t bring anything new to the table. While this book didn’t bring anything brand new to the table, there was some really good reminders of what it takes to be a leader. It wasn’t overtly biblical, but had real life examples of leading.
• 
  Bela Soria

  Rlly liked! A ton of practical application, think that’s what I appreciated most! Delegation has always been hard for me, not wanting anything to seem below me; but the way Stanley articulated delegation was SUPER insightful for me! Overall recommend especially for ppl in leadership positions now! Walking away with deeper love for leadership, raising up leaders, && also no in search for a leadership coach so if u know of one go ahead and send them my way
• 
  Evan

  Quite possibly the best book on leadership I have ever read.
• 
  Jonathan Adams

  Extremely practical. It will leave you with more than something to think about but something to do.
• 
  Радостин Марчев

  Имах намерение да дам на книгата 3 звезди. По-голямата част от нея е много практична, но материалът не се различава съществено от това, което би написал всеки успешен (да кажем) бизнес лидер. Последната част посветена на характера ме накара да си променя мнението, заради което получава една допълнителна звезда. Тук Анди Стенли се е справил добре и материалът определено заслужава внимание - не толкова понеже е с нещо революционен, а понеже е верен и важен за всеки християнски водач.
  Като цяло кратко, ясно и точно написана книга, подплатена с много практическа мъдрост, често изказана под формата на удачни, впечатляващи и лесно запомнящи се аксиоми. Заслужава си прочита.
• 
  David Eversole

  This was a good, quick read. Nothing really earth-shattering here, but good reminders about basic leadership stuff. Just like a good preacher, he made his points fit into 5 'C' words - just have to be alliterative. Good stuff and worth the quick read. I appreciated that he said what was important and kept moving. He did not dwell on any of the topics for too long.
• 
  Marc Arlt

  I love how Andy is able to open up Biblical stories and bring them home so powerfully and with great clarity and insight. This book is an example of that. The only "problem" is that this book is such an easy read that one can easily be tempted to forego the challenge that it places on us. Don't make that mistake. Would be great to take a group through this material.
• 
  Nathan Farley

  This is a really good introductory book for those who are moving into leadership. I read it as an intern at my church, and it is an incredible conversation started. If you're wanting to invest in the next generation, buy two of these books and give one to someone else. Read it together. Meet up. And watch where the conversation goes.
• 
  Rat Barrel

  If you are a power wielder or into transactional or pseudo-transformation leadership, you will not like this book. This book is written with character and integrity in mind. There is much to Stanley's leadership style and ideas, and this book is well worth the price.
• 
  Nathan Schneider

  I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast, simple read, but was full of wisdom for the next generation leader. Andy's emphasis on the five characteristics for leaders was easily translatable into all leadership situations.
• 
  Thomas Kinsfather

  A powerfully written and enabling look at leadership. Stanley's writing is clear and practical. Next Generation Leader helped me become more intentional in my leadership.
• 
  T.F.

  A good self help book. Very clear and lucid. Nothing out of the world or new. But reinforces some of things we know but we usually forget. Definitely worth a read.
• 
  Viraj Almeida

  This book, ‘The Next Generation Leader’ is a gem of a book by Andy Stanley. I had come across Andy’s powerful one-liners in the past, but first time I was reading his book.
  This 133-pager is full of insights drawn from author’s personal experience as a leader and also as a leadership Mentor. I found his style of writing simple, straightforward and very engaging. The book is full of stories, anecdotes from real life and also from scriptures!
  
  In those pages, Andy is putting on table 5 essentials of leadership for us - Competence, Courage, Clarity, Coaching, and Character. We could say 5 Cs of Leadership. While some of these essentials seem pretty obvious leadership ingredients, it was like knowing them anew and to some extent, knowing them for the first time. That’s the kind of fresh and powerful perspectives author has been able to lend to those essentials.
  Of the five, Courage and Character have been two hot takeaways for me! However, all 5 are at par, both in terms of relevance and high impact narration. I strongly recommend this handy book (yes, handy! I read it on my two flights between Mumbai & Chennai) to all current and future leaders.
  
  A pick of 5, from many quotable lines from the book:
  
  • In Leadership, Success is succession
  • Only do what only you can do
  • The cost of success as a leader is greater uncertainty, not less
  • When we quit asking; we quit learning
  • Your talent and giftedness have the potential to take you farther than your character can sustain you.
  
  
• 
  Matt

  I've read and listened to a LOT from Andy Stanley. He has an amazing voice when it comes to logical, sensible communication, especially on the topic of leadership. He introduces five main points to keep in mind as you grow and look ahead as a leader. Ive been in full-time church ministry for eight years now, and I found several helpful nuggets from this book.
  
  One of my favorite quotes is: "Keep in mind that everything you loathe about your current environment or organization was originally somebody's good idea." I think working anywhere, it's always healthy to remember all those foundations that might not seem the best now, were laid in place for good reason or at least good intentions.
  
  I suggest this book to anyone, especially young leaders. This book isn't exclusive to Christian ministry leadership, although many examples come from the bible or church world examples. Andy weaves a lot of tangible leadership principles in here as well as some really nice historical threads to drive home his points. This is a quick and effective read.
• 
  Melsene G

  Good stuff and easy to read. The 5 C's are competence, courage, clarity, coaching, and character.
  
  Some takeaways for me: Only do what you can. Identify areas in which you're most likely to add unique value to your organization and leverage your skills. Well rounded is a negative. Focus and delegate to others those things that you're not great at or don't wish to be.
  
  Eliminate stuff you're not good at. Play to your strengths. Find your groove.
  
  Need courage to be a good leader, and to have followers. You need the courage to say no, to face current reality, and to dream big. Express your uncertainty with confidence. Don't lie or pretend. Get a coach, listen and learn. Be teachable. Character is not essential, but it will give you the moral authority and influence over others. Do what's right even when it's hard.
  
  Good examples throughout the book. Biblical as well as US presidents and others.
  
• 
  Alex Lee

  This is a fairly straightforward next. Stanley discusses some aspects of leadership and self development that were not often obvious, such as the image of a leader who knew everything, or a the image of the infallible leader. Instead he talks about how leadership is one who acts as a conduit for both group coordination and direction under God.
  
  One of the critical aspects of this text include always wanting to self improve, being unafraid to have a mentor (who can guide you just as a trusted "another set of eyes, not even someone who knows more than you). This is a fairly compelling book but deciptively simplistic as it is straight forward and small. This book is maximum on achieving clarity so it is super clear. All in all a great book for anyone looking to develop as a leader in some capacity.
• 
  irish乁⁠|⁠ ⁠･⁠ ⁠〰⁠ ⁠･⁠ ⁠|⁠ㄏ

  I don't know why I read this (and actually finished it) but this is a good guideline for those inspiring leaders out there.
  I like the way this book brings something new for me since I am not someone who can be a leader or wants to be a leader in their specific field. And it definitely evokes the desire that 'what if I can be a good leader too?'
  
  Because, leadership is not defined by talent. Leaders are discovered and afterwards, defined by their good characters and certainty. Talent can determine your potential but character is what makes you unique as a leader (and as what the book says, character can determine your legacy).
  
  
  ps. i'm not a self help/inspirational book reader. i just grabbed this on my shelf and decided to take a look. but this is great whether you want to be a leader or not.
• 
  Jonathan McCarthy

  This book has some really great pragmatic advice in it and Stanley writes in a very accessible style. However, I think most of it could be reduced to a bullet-point three-page article. Stanley's advice is very solid when it comes to basic leadership principles. His method of approach to the Bible as a backdrop for these principles, however, is at times concerning. Most troublesome is his usage of the David and Goliath story. Stanley states that "David's leadership was established through his courage - not his talent or even his calling by God." (p. 58). Stanley ought to know better. The real hero of the Bible is God, not any of the flawed characters He chose to use. Still a decent quick read. Some good principles.
• 
  Miguel Serrano

  The Next Generation Leader is a great wake up call for those who are bestowed the load of leading a pack. Though written by a Christian preacher, the Biblical philosophies incorporated in this book didn't overpower the main point of discussion - leadership - but rather enhanced it even more after being carefully placed as examples for the topic at hand. Convincing. Concise. Straight to the point. This book has the power to make you step up and change the way you see leadership. A mentor compacted in every turn of a page.
• 
  Andrew Cowart

  A good guideline for leaders. It marks out areas where leaders most often fail and teaches to the actions that can be taken to get ahead of such mistakes. This is NOT just a book for christian leaders. In fact, if you are looking for a book that teaches from a *primarily* biblical standpoint this is not it. That is not to say that the book doesn't line up with scripture, just that it does not use scripture heavily throughout, really until the last chapter. Overall a good book and easy read.
• 
  J.J. Hanna

  This book is a must-read for anyone who finds himself in a leadership position. Whether you chose to lead or were pushed into leadership, or if you're aiming to have people follow you but also don't want to let them down, this book will make you think about your intentions, your convictions, and if you're really meant to be a leader.
  
  The best part? It's aimed at new leaders, young leaders, those who will shape the future.
• 
  Karen

  This is one of the best leadership books I have ever read-- it lays out leadership in a way that it is so simple-- Competence, Courage, Clarity, Coaching, Character-- there really isn't anything else you need to be an effective leader.
  
  As a Christian, the references to Andy Stanley's journey in ministry leadership were relevant to me and spoke to my heart, but even if you are not a follower of Jesus-- you will learn and grow so much as a leader from this book!
• 
  Alwyn Foster

  The chapters of Clarity are worth the price of the book by its self. Clarity is something I have always struggled to have as a leader. Andy gives clear example of why it is so important, while also stating how to clarify your vision, mission, communication, etc. Anther thing I love about this book is the emphasizes on coaching. He highlights the value of being coached while at the same time providing coaching.
• 
  Klein Malate

  This book is your gateway to the future.
  
  Every New Generation Born Individuals need to read this book.
  
  I know just hard it it is to stay in your game. Especially when you yourself don't know how to properly lead and handle people without the fear of failing.
  
  But Andy Stanley does the explaining for you!
  
  I highly recommend this book not just for Young Adults like me but also for the coming of ages.