The Leadership Wisdom of Jesus: Practical Lessons for Today

209 Pages·2005·0.46 MB·English

by  Charles C Manz PH.D.

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The
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PRACTICAL LESSONS
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Second Edition, Revised and Expanded
Charles C. Manz
The Leadership Wisdom of Jesus
Copyright © 2005 by Charles C. Manz
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distrib-
uted, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying,
recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior writ-
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embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted
by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher, addressed
“Attention: Permissions Coordinator,” at the address below.
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
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San Francisco, California 94104-2916
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www.bkconnection.com
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Second Edition
Paperback print edition ISBN 978-1-57675-350-7
PDF e-book ISBN 978-1-57675-963-9
2008-1
Interior design and composition by Detta Penna; adapted from a design by
Beverly Butterfield. Cover design by Susan Malikowski, Autographix.
(cid:1)
To all those brave persons who have
taken up the quest for a wiser and
more compassionate form of leadership
that seeks to unleash the inner
leadership and value of each person
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CONTENTS
Preface to the Second Edition ix
Preface to the First Edition xiii
Introduction: A Call to Wise
and Compassionate Leadership 1
Part One: Clean the Mirror Image 7
(cid:1) Logs Before Specks, or Lead Thyself First 9
(cid:1) The Last Shall Be First 17
(cid:1) Cleanse Your Insides 25
(cid:1) Stop Worrying 31
(cid:1) Commit to Ethical Behavior 39
(cid:1) Let Your Light Shine 47
Part Two: Lead Others with Compassion 53
(cid:1) Stones Under Glass 55
(cid:1) Love Your Friends and Your Enemies 63
(cid:1) The Golden Rule and Beyond 71
(cid:1) Put the Gavel Away 77
(cid:1) Gather the Lost Sheep 85
Part Three: Lead Others to Be Their Best Selves 95
(cid:1) Prepare the Soil 97
(cid:1) Be Forgiving—Allow Mistakes for
the Sakeof Learning 105
(cid:1) Lead by Serving 115
(cid:1) Lead Without Blindness 123
(cid:1) The Value of Pennies 129
(cid:1) Instill Commitment, Not Greed 135
viii Contents
Part Four: Plant Golden Mustard Seeds 145
(cid:1) Practice Mustard Seed Power 147
(cid:1) Conclusion: Lead with the Power of
Golden Mustard Seeds 155
(cid:1) Don’t Try to Serve Two Masters 163
Discussion Guide for
The Leadership Wisdom of Jesus, Second Edition
171
Index 181
About the Author 191
About Berrett-Koehler Publishers 193
PREFACE TO THE
SECOND EDITION
When Berrett-Koehler approached me about preparing a
second edition of this book, it triggered a flood of memories.
The first edition of The Leadership Wisdom of Jesuswas quite an
adventure for me. Looking back, it was the publication of The
Leadership Wisdom of Jesus that began my unexpected odyssey.
I found myself on dozens of radio and television talk shows
(often religious programs) explaining that I am not a minister
or a theologian but rather a business professor and consultant
who believes we have much to learn about leadership from the
teachings of one of the greatest leaders that ever lived—Jesus.
Newspapers, magazines, and web sites provided further
opportunities for me to share this message—compassion, for-
giveness and wisdom not only have a place in the complex,
dynamic, contemporary business world but can be a key part
of realizing more meaningful, fulfilling, and even more suc-
cessful careers and organizations.Ialso made manypresenta-
tions at conferences, colleges, and churches. I encountered
people in a variety of settings who had read the book and I
heard about many discussion groups and classes using the
book as a central resource. Ultimately, with a sense of humil-
ity, responsibility—and I must confess—surprise, I watched
the book go on to become a bestseller.
The bottom line is that, despite (or perhaps because of)
approaching the relevance of the teachings of Jesus from an
organizational (as opposed to a religious) perspective, many
people have found the book to be useful. My intent in prepar-
ix