I recently finished reading Seven Lessons for Leading in Crisis by Bill George. This is a short book that explains basic leadership lessons as described in the names of each chapter:
- Face Reality, Starting with Yourself
- Don’t Be Atlas; Get the World Off Your Shoulders
- Dig Deep for the Root Cause
- Get Ready for the Long Haul
- Never Waste a Good Crisis
- You’re in the Spotlight: Follow True North
- Go on Offense, Focus on Winning Now
I found the first three chapters to be particularly helpful. I have a tendency to try to take all the responsibility for getting things to turn around if I am part of a team that is facing a crisis. It was helpful to be reminded to be honest with myself, share responsibility and look for the root of the problem. While the focus of this book is on business leaders, I found solid parallels with leadership in the church. The guidance is illustrated well by narrative examples of leaders who have performed well or poorly in crisis. I found this to be a helpful technique.
I recommend this book to people looking for an easy read that provides pithy guidance on leadership.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book free of charge from the publisher.
Rev. Andrew Conard 