Leadership

by Sterling W. Sill

This Mormon text is concerned with teaching leaders to insure that everyone gets to the celestial kingdom.

Genres: Leadership

396 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1958

Reviews

[Keith]

I was delighted to read this as a boy, and am enjoying reading it again. It is especially nice to have the various highlights, red pencil from the first time I read it, and yellow marker from subsequent reading, and vertical lines along the margin from the most recent readings. Wow, if I had applied these concepts from when I first read it....

A book that has 52 chapters makes me want to read a chapter a week. But when I do that, I don't finish in a year. Therefore, I read a couple chapters a day and enjoyed it a lot more than one chapter per week. They are short enough to be easily read at a brief sitting, yet there is plenty to ponder, and makes me want to do more research. This time was no exception; I was often reaching for a highlighter or red pen. Each chapter takes a word or a few words and considers what it has to do with leadership.

"Suppose that you went around the stage with an apologetic manner, completely lacking in self-confidence, and suppose you kept saying to yourself, "I can't do it." "I am afraid." "This is too big for me." "I wasn't cut out to be prosperous and industrious and successful." "Good things were never meant for me." What kind of impression would you make? What kind of person would you become? What kind of success would you get?" (p. 33)

1. The Laws Of Leadership
2. What Must I Do To Succeed
3. Almost
4. As If
5. Boy Wanted
6. Caesar's Ghost
7. Can Do
8. Can You Hear The Whistle?
9. Crossing The Rubicon
10. The Druthers
11. The Executive
12. My Father's Business
13. The Fire In Leadership
14. Get The Up – Be Illuminated
15. The Gift Of Translation
16. Have To
17. Here Am I – Send Me
18. Hold Up Your Hands
19. The Hour Of Decision
20. The Three I’s
21. The Idea Bank
22. I Got A Glory
23. The Jump School
24. Leadership Development
25. The M Factors Of Leadership Development
26. The Management Team
27-30. (Atmosphere, Communication, Delegation, Control)
31. Men In Step
32. Mind The Light
33. Miracle Of Personality
34. “Operation Andrew”
35. The P Formula For Success
36. Planning
37. Preparation
1 Planning
1.1. The Objective
1.2. Your Resources
1.3. The Resources of the Enemy
1.4. A Written Plan
2 Preparation
2.1. Physical Preparation (tidy orderly)
2.2. Mental Preparation
2.3. Emotional Preparation
3 Personal Work
4 Persistence
5 Presentation
6 Personality

38. The Prodigal Who Stayed Home
39. Producers Or Consumers
40. Punctuality
41. The Razor’s Edge
42. A Relition Of Action
43. The Second Great Commandment In Action
44. Seven Success Ideas
45. My Sins Are Mightier Than I
46. Something To Wear
47. Stimulants
48. Thou Shalt Not
49. Twice Born Men
50. Who Is My Enemy?
51. Worshiping The Net
52. Your Gift
(53) Summary

[Phillip]

Considering how thoroughly it seems to exhaust the subject, this first volume of three on leadership gives both the bourgeoning leader and the weathered veteran a taste of how extensive the subject can be. Mr. Sill assures us that there are hundreds more topics under the heading leadership that can be explored.

The key to the value of these studies is that we all have leadership roles, whether in our families, work places, churches, service venues, or even within friendships. Although some leadership skills may develop innately, taming both existing and new skills make us more valuable in any of those arenas on their own, as well as spilling over into neighboring arenas.

This volume (and I have to assume the following two) provides points of focus to consider and develop.

[Serity]

This book is out of print but I watched for it and managed to get a copy on amazon for $5. What a treasure trove of wisdom about leadership! Especially geared toward Christians (written for an LDS audience, but very accessible to any Christian), he has compiled a large number of short magazine articles he wrote on different aspects of leadership. I especially like how he starts each new topic with an example from history (Napoleon, Caesar, etc.) and how this aspect of leadership helped them succeed (or fail) as a leader.

[Reed]

Volume I is excellent inspirational reading. It contains 52 chapters discussing various applications of leadership. Good homespun wisdom, original copyright in 1958, some examples are dated but a good reminder of what values and activities drove leadership qualities at the time. Recommended for all and not limited to those with leadership responsibilities. On to Volume II.

[Kellie]

The elements of control in this book were so off putting. I had a hard time deciding whether his audience were businessmen or church goers. There were too many philosophies of Babylon for this to be helpful in a church situation. There were some good ideas, but the bad outweighed the good by far.

[Jacob]

Among the best personal development books I have ever read. WOW! The author does a fantastic job as explaining leadership principles and examples of them being used and taught by Christ in the bible.

[Barbara Lovejoy]

This is the first volume on leadership by Sterling W. Sill. I loved it. Will read it again and again and share the contents with others.

[John]

this was a good man (sharp guy!)
as old as this thing is (1958ish?) its getting a fat 5 stars - straight up

[David Sylvester]

Timeless Leadership Training!

[Dave]

One of the best books I've read on leadership!