Book Review: Next Generation Leader

I just finished reading Next Generation Leader by Andy Stanley. 
I've been an Andy Stanley fan for awhile and this book didn't disappoint. 
Stanley gets the point across in a clear way that is insightful and easy to understand.
 
Next Generation Leader is a playbook for becoming a better and more effective leader.
He highlights 5 main points: Competence, Courage, Clarity, Coaching, and Character.
The book is broken into these five sections and each section ends with a summary and a challenge.

Competence is figuring out what you are gifted at and maximizing your time doing it.  Stanley says "The less you do the more you will accomplish". Delegate those duties that you are not gifted at and allow someone else to shine in that area.
"Only do what only you can do"

Courage is a defining factor in leadership. A good leader knows when to move forward.  Moving forward can be scary, especially when others are looking up to you or relying on you.  It takes courage to move forward through the fear of the unknown.  Without courage you can't lead.

Clarity is defined by Stanley as "an art that involves giving explicit and precise direction in spite of limited information and unpredictable outcomes."  in other words, a leader needs to be able to confidently make decisions in the face of uncertainty.

Coaching involves seeing the value in and finding someone else who can evaluate you as a leader.  Stanley says that "a good coach will evaluate your performance against your potential." A coach is someone whom you can learn from and trust to give you Godly advice.

Character is a crucial element for any leader who also wants to be respected by the people who are following them. "The values you preach to your organization must be in alignment with the the values you live out in every facet of your life."

Andy Stanley delivers great tips for anyone who is currently in leadership or for the person who would like to become a leader.  He explains what a successful leader should do and how they should go about becoming a more effective and better leader. He also includes biblical examples of leadership do's and don'ts.  
As a stay at home mom, even I was able to evaluate my leadership qualities. I found the principles in this book to be helpful and challenging, even in my life. If this book is beneficial to me, then I can't imagine what it can do for someone who is leading an organization or company.

Overall, this book is a good read and I would easily recommend it.

You can find Next Generation Leader at http://www.northpointministries.org/
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=171731&isbn=9781590525395

To read the first chapter, follow this link:
http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/author-spotlight.php?authorid=74998

If you would like to learn more about Andy Stanley check out: http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/author-spotlight.php?authorid=74998


Let me know if you read it and what you think.

*Disclaimer:  I recieved this book for free from WaterBrook Multonmah Publishing Group in exchange for this review.