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What Great Leaders Do: 7 Essentials for Enduring Impact
“Andy Stanley's seven essentials come directly from his thoughtful, curious approach to leadership and life. If you want to lead better, read this book.”
—John C. Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author
Great is what great does.
In What Great Leaders Do, bestselling author Andy Stanley provides leaders with their to-do list.
Seven essentials to ensure leaders and their organizations execute with maximum efficiency.
These 7 essentials will equip you to:
Ask the right questions
Lead yourself well.
Play to your strengths.
Differentiate between problems to solve and tensions to manage.
Leverage your intuition and the intuition of your team.
“Leadership is challenging. You want to get it right. I want to help. Specifically, I want to help you become a leader worth following. A leader who goes the distance. A leader who has the discipline to say ‘no' to you so you can say ‘yes' to your potential.” —Andy Stanley
—John C. Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author
Great is what great does.
In What Great Leaders Do, bestselling author Andy Stanley provides leaders with their to-do list.
Seven essentials to ensure leaders and their organizations execute with maximum efficiency.
These 7 essentials will equip you to:
Ask the right questions
Lead yourself well.
Play to your strengths.
Differentiate between problems to solve and tensions to manage.
Leverage your intuition and the intuition of your team.
“Leadership is challenging. You want to get it right. I want to help. Specifically, I want to help you become a leader worth following. A leader who goes the distance. A leader who has the discipline to say ‘no' to you so you can say ‘yes' to your potential.” —Andy Stanley
- GenresLeadershipBusiness
272 pages, Hardcover
Published August 4, 2026
About the author
Andy Stanley
278 books855 followersAndy Stanley is the senior pastor of North Point Community Church, Buckhead Church, and Browns Bridge Community Church. He also founded North Point Ministries, which is a worldwide Christian organization.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 8, 2026
What Great Leaders Do: 7 Essentials for Enduring Impact by Andy Stanley is a practical and thoughtful guide to leadership that focuses less on titles, authority, and short-term achievement and more on the qualities that allow leaders to make a lasting difference. Stanley argues that leadership is ultimately about influence and responsibility. A great leader does not simply get people to follow instructions; a great leader helps people become better, stronger, and more capable while creating an environment where an organization or community can thrive long after the leader is gone.
The book is especially concerned with enduring impact. Many leaders can produce impressive results for a short period, but sustaining those results requires a deeper kind of leadership. Stanley's approach encourages readers to look beyond immediate wins and ask whether their decisions are building something that can continue to grow. Leadership, in this sense, is not merely about reaching a goal. It is about establishing principles, habits, relationships, and systems that remain valuable over time.
One of Stanley's central ideas is that leadership begins with character. Skills can make a person effective, but character determines how that effectiveness is used. A leader who is intelligent and persuasive but dishonest, selfish, or careless can cause enormous damage. By contrast, a leader who demonstrates integrity earns trust, and trust becomes the foundation for sustainable influence. Stanley therefore encourages leaders to examine themselves before attempting to change everyone around them.
The first essential is closely connected to the idea of taking responsibility. Great leaders do not spend their energy blaming circumstances, competitors, employees, or previous leaders for problems. They ask what they can do about the situation in front of them. This does not mean accepting blame for everything that goes wrong. Rather, it means refusing to surrender personal agency. A leader who takes responsibility creates momentum because people see someone willing to confront reality instead of avoiding it.
Another important lesson is the need to define reality clearly. Leaders often have to make difficult decisions in situations where people would prefer comforting explanations. Stanley emphasizes the importance of telling the truth about where an organization stands, even when the truth is uncomfortable. A team cannot solve a problem it refuses to acknowledge. Honest assessment therefore becomes an essential leadership responsibility. Great leaders help people see the current situation accurately so that meaningful action becomes possible.
The book also stresses the importance of clarity of vision. People cannot effectively move toward a goal they do not understand. Leaders must communicate what they are trying to accomplish, why it matters, and what success will look like. Vision is not simply an inspirational slogan. It must be clear enough to influence everyday decisions. When people understand the larger purpose, they can make better choices without needing constant instructions from the person in charge.
Stanley also places considerable emphasis on priorities. Every organization has limited time, money, attention, and energy. Leaders therefore have to decide what matters most. One of the dangers of leadership is trying to pursue too many objectives simultaneously. When everything becomes important, nothing receives sufficient attention. Great leaders identify the activities and outcomes that deserve disproportionate focus and are willing to say no to opportunities that do not support the larger mission.
Closely related to this is the principle of empowering other people. Stanley challenges the idea that a leader must personally control every important decision. A leader who insists on doing everything may appear highly capable in the short term, but the organization becomes dependent on that person. Enduring leadership requires developing other leaders. This means giving people responsibility, allowing them to make decisions, trusting them with meaningful work, and helping them learn from mistakes.
Delegation, in Stanley's framework, is therefore not simply a way to reduce a leader's workload. It is a way to multiply leadership. When people are given opportunities to lead, the organization becomes stronger and more adaptable. The leader's influence expands because it is no longer limited by individual capacity.
Another recurring theme is the importance of relationships. Organizations are made up of people, and leadership is ultimately exercised through relationships. A leader who understands people's strengths, motivations, fears, and aspirations can communicate more effectively and build stronger teams. Stanley's approach recognizes that people rarely give their best simply because they are ordered to do so. They become committed when they trust the leader, understand the mission, and feel that their contribution matters.
The book also emphasizes the importance of learning from failure. Great leaders are not people who never make mistakes. They are people who know how to respond when mistakes happen. A culture that punishes every failure can discourage initiative because employees become afraid to experiment or take responsibility. On the other hand, a culture that ignores mistakes will never improve. Effective leaders create an environment where failures are examined honestly, lessons are extracted, and improvements are made.
Stanley also encourages leaders to remain adaptable. Circumstances change, organizations grow, and strategies that worked in the past may eventually stop working. A leader who becomes emotionally attached to old methods can unintentionally hold an organization back. Enduring impact requires the ability to distinguish between the principles that should remain constant and the practices that need to change.
Perhaps the most important idea in the book is that leadership is ultimately measured by what remains after the leader's direct involvement ends. A leader who creates dependence may appear powerful, but the organization becomes vulnerable when that person leaves. A leader who develops people, establishes healthy systems, communicates clear values, and creates a culture of responsibility leaves behind something much more valuable: an organization capable of continuing without them.
This idea transforms the meaning of success. Instead of asking only, "What did I accomplish?" Stanley encourages leaders to consider, "What did I build?" and "Who did I develop?" A leader's impact can therefore be measured not only through financial results, promotions, growth, or public recognition, but through the people who became better because of that leader's influence.
Ultimately, What Great Leaders Do: 7 Essentials for Enduring Impact presents leadership as a discipline of character, clarity, responsibility, empowerment, relationships, learning, and long-term thinking. Stanley's message is particularly useful because it moves leadership away from personality and toward practice. You do not have to be naturally charismatic or exceptionally powerful to become a good leader. You need to develop habits that build trust and help other people succeed.
The book's deepest lesson is that great leadership is not about becoming indispensable; it is about making yourself less indispensable by developing others. The strongest leaders create environments in which people can think, act, grow, and lead. Their influence continues because they have built something larger than themselves.
In the end, Stanley offers a compelling definition of enduring impact: it is the ability to leave people and organizations stronger than you found them. A leader's greatest achievement is therefore not simply what happens while they are in charge, but what continues to happen because they were there. That perspective turns leadership from a pursuit of personal importance into an opportunity for meaningful and lasting service.
The book is especially concerned with enduring impact. Many leaders can produce impressive results for a short period, but sustaining those results requires a deeper kind of leadership. Stanley's approach encourages readers to look beyond immediate wins and ask whether their decisions are building something that can continue to grow. Leadership, in this sense, is not merely about reaching a goal. It is about establishing principles, habits, relationships, and systems that remain valuable over time.
One of Stanley's central ideas is that leadership begins with character. Skills can make a person effective, but character determines how that effectiveness is used. A leader who is intelligent and persuasive but dishonest, selfish, or careless can cause enormous damage. By contrast, a leader who demonstrates integrity earns trust, and trust becomes the foundation for sustainable influence. Stanley therefore encourages leaders to examine themselves before attempting to change everyone around them.
The first essential is closely connected to the idea of taking responsibility. Great leaders do not spend their energy blaming circumstances, competitors, employees, or previous leaders for problems. They ask what they can do about the situation in front of them. This does not mean accepting blame for everything that goes wrong. Rather, it means refusing to surrender personal agency. A leader who takes responsibility creates momentum because people see someone willing to confront reality instead of avoiding it.
Another important lesson is the need to define reality clearly. Leaders often have to make difficult decisions in situations where people would prefer comforting explanations. Stanley emphasizes the importance of telling the truth about where an organization stands, even when the truth is uncomfortable. A team cannot solve a problem it refuses to acknowledge. Honest assessment therefore becomes an essential leadership responsibility. Great leaders help people see the current situation accurately so that meaningful action becomes possible.
The book also stresses the importance of clarity of vision. People cannot effectively move toward a goal they do not understand. Leaders must communicate what they are trying to accomplish, why it matters, and what success will look like. Vision is not simply an inspirational slogan. It must be clear enough to influence everyday decisions. When people understand the larger purpose, they can make better choices without needing constant instructions from the person in charge.
Stanley also places considerable emphasis on priorities. Every organization has limited time, money, attention, and energy. Leaders therefore have to decide what matters most. One of the dangers of leadership is trying to pursue too many objectives simultaneously. When everything becomes important, nothing receives sufficient attention. Great leaders identify the activities and outcomes that deserve disproportionate focus and are willing to say no to opportunities that do not support the larger mission.
Closely related to this is the principle of empowering other people. Stanley challenges the idea that a leader must personally control every important decision. A leader who insists on doing everything may appear highly capable in the short term, but the organization becomes dependent on that person. Enduring leadership requires developing other leaders. This means giving people responsibility, allowing them to make decisions, trusting them with meaningful work, and helping them learn from mistakes.
Delegation, in Stanley's framework, is therefore not simply a way to reduce a leader's workload. It is a way to multiply leadership. When people are given opportunities to lead, the organization becomes stronger and more adaptable. The leader's influence expands because it is no longer limited by individual capacity.
Another recurring theme is the importance of relationships. Organizations are made up of people, and leadership is ultimately exercised through relationships. A leader who understands people's strengths, motivations, fears, and aspirations can communicate more effectively and build stronger teams. Stanley's approach recognizes that people rarely give their best simply because they are ordered to do so. They become committed when they trust the leader, understand the mission, and feel that their contribution matters.
The book also emphasizes the importance of learning from failure. Great leaders are not people who never make mistakes. They are people who know how to respond when mistakes happen. A culture that punishes every failure can discourage initiative because employees become afraid to experiment or take responsibility. On the other hand, a culture that ignores mistakes will never improve. Effective leaders create an environment where failures are examined honestly, lessons are extracted, and improvements are made.
Stanley also encourages leaders to remain adaptable. Circumstances change, organizations grow, and strategies that worked in the past may eventually stop working. A leader who becomes emotionally attached to old methods can unintentionally hold an organization back. Enduring impact requires the ability to distinguish between the principles that should remain constant and the practices that need to change.
Perhaps the most important idea in the book is that leadership is ultimately measured by what remains after the leader's direct involvement ends. A leader who creates dependence may appear powerful, but the organization becomes vulnerable when that person leaves. A leader who develops people, establishes healthy systems, communicates clear values, and creates a culture of responsibility leaves behind something much more valuable: an organization capable of continuing without them.
This idea transforms the meaning of success. Instead of asking only, "What did I accomplish?" Stanley encourages leaders to consider, "What did I build?" and "Who did I develop?" A leader's impact can therefore be measured not only through financial results, promotions, growth, or public recognition, but through the people who became better because of that leader's influence.
Ultimately, What Great Leaders Do: 7 Essentials for Enduring Impact presents leadership as a discipline of character, clarity, responsibility, empowerment, relationships, learning, and long-term thinking. Stanley's message is particularly useful because it moves leadership away from personality and toward practice. You do not have to be naturally charismatic or exceptionally powerful to become a good leader. You need to develop habits that build trust and help other people succeed.
The book's deepest lesson is that great leadership is not about becoming indispensable; it is about making yourself less indispensable by developing others. The strongest leaders create environments in which people can think, act, grow, and lead. Their influence continues because they have built something larger than themselves.
In the end, Stanley offers a compelling definition of enduring impact: it is the ability to leave people and organizations stronger than you found them. A leader's greatest achievement is therefore not simply what happens while they are in charge, but what continues to happen because they were there. That perspective turns leadership from a pursuit of personal importance into an opportunity for meaningful and lasting service.
August 7, 2026
Andy Stanley is my pastor even though we’ve never met in person. Until I read this book, I was off about 10 years in guessing his age (in the direction he would like, I’m sure). But I love his messages and believe he has done tremendous good in the world. Even when I disagree with him, as I did throughout the turmoil of 2020, I think the Lord has blessed us with Andy for all the right reasons. Why it took me this long to read one of his books remains one of life’s mysteries, but better late than never.
I liked it. Even though “WHAT GREAT LEADERS DO: 7 Essentials for Enduring Impact” is listed as a leadership book and will probably be found in the business section of your local bookstore, Andy lets the teachings of Jesus drive his lessons, even when he’s being subtle about it.
For example: his first essential is that great leaders lead themselves well. While this seems axiomatic, Andy shows you how many great leaders fail to keep themselves inside life’s guardrails. He doesn’t call names, but I will. I knew Jack Welch when he was running GE. No leader was more respected. Jack was heralded as a genius for the modern age. Then, as night follows day, he divorced his wife and married a woman in his organization who fit the profile – half his age plus 5 years with the kind of spunk that seems exciting for about six months. After that, Jack never regained his luster. The same happened with Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos who have become creepy and clownish respectively. New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel might take his team to another Super Bowl, but he will forevermore be looked upon with skepticism after the scandal with NFL reporter Dianna Russini. Andy is much kinder than I in not calling this out – he even admits to telling his wife he should retire before he falls to similar temptations –
but his point remains valid: the difference between effective leaders and great leadership starts with how well you lead yourself.
I don’t want to give too much away, but the quote that stuck with me, and the one that hangs on the wall outside Andy’s office, says: “Be a Leader worth Following.” His point is that guys like Hitler were dynamic leaders, but are they are not worth following. Every kooky cult creator has had devotees because each possessed dynamism and the ability to connect with an audience. However, history has shown that they weren’t worthy of being followed.
Leaders who model themselves on the teachings of Jesus and discipline themselves and their organizations around those same principles build trust and set standards that outlive them. Those are the founders whose companies last for centuries, the patriarchs whose values endure for generations, the women you live to never disappoint, even after they’re gone; those are the leaders worthy of being followed.
If there’s a critique to this book it is that Andy writes the way he talks, which takes a minute if you’ve never heard him. There are one-word sentences, which would earn him an F from many English teachers, and there are times when you wish he would dive deeper into anecdote before hitting you in the mouth with the message. But overall this is a quick, important, and impactful book that will make you pause and think about your leadership. It will also send you searching for more from Andy Stanley. Thankfully, there’s plenty to find. We hope you will join us at one of our churches, if not this Sunday, then very soon.
I liked it. Even though “WHAT GREAT LEADERS DO: 7 Essentials for Enduring Impact” is listed as a leadership book and will probably be found in the business section of your local bookstore, Andy lets the teachings of Jesus drive his lessons, even when he’s being subtle about it.
For example: his first essential is that great leaders lead themselves well. While this seems axiomatic, Andy shows you how many great leaders fail to keep themselves inside life’s guardrails. He doesn’t call names, but I will. I knew Jack Welch when he was running GE. No leader was more respected. Jack was heralded as a genius for the modern age. Then, as night follows day, he divorced his wife and married a woman in his organization who fit the profile – half his age plus 5 years with the kind of spunk that seems exciting for about six months. After that, Jack never regained his luster. The same happened with Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos who have become creepy and clownish respectively. New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel might take his team to another Super Bowl, but he will forevermore be looked upon with skepticism after the scandal with NFL reporter Dianna Russini. Andy is much kinder than I in not calling this out – he even admits to telling his wife he should retire before he falls to similar temptations –
but his point remains valid: the difference between effective leaders and great leadership starts with how well you lead yourself.
I don’t want to give too much away, but the quote that stuck with me, and the one that hangs on the wall outside Andy’s office, says: “Be a Leader worth Following.” His point is that guys like Hitler were dynamic leaders, but are they are not worth following. Every kooky cult creator has had devotees because each possessed dynamism and the ability to connect with an audience. However, history has shown that they weren’t worthy of being followed.
Leaders who model themselves on the teachings of Jesus and discipline themselves and their organizations around those same principles build trust and set standards that outlive them. Those are the founders whose companies last for centuries, the patriarchs whose values endure for generations, the women you live to never disappoint, even after they’re gone; those are the leaders worthy of being followed.
If there’s a critique to this book it is that Andy writes the way he talks, which takes a minute if you’ve never heard him. There are one-word sentences, which would earn him an F from many English teachers, and there are times when you wish he would dive deeper into anecdote before hitting you in the mouth with the message. But overall this is a quick, important, and impactful book that will make you pause and think about your leadership. It will also send you searching for more from Andy Stanley. Thankfully, there’s plenty to find. We hope you will join us at one of our churches, if not this Sunday, then very soon.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When someone steps up and talks about something as if they were an authority on the subject, I always want to hear from those that have experienced it firsthand. You’re going to tell me how to cook? Let me talk to someone that has eaten food you have prepared. You’re telling me how to fix a problem with technology? Let me speak to someone that you have fixed things for them.
I have read books by leaders that have left Andy Stanley’s organization. I have heard interviews from podcasts of those that have partnered with Andy. 100% of the time, they have talked about what they have learned not just by what he has said, but by his actions. He literally backs up what he says by action. That, to me, has earned the right for him to speak directly into my life.
In “What Great Leaders Do”, Andy pulls up a chair to the table where we are seated and as a wise sage that has learned from his mistakes and the mistakes of others, he begins to pull on life experiences to guide us on life’s journey.
It took me much longer than it usually does to get through one of Andy’s books. The reason? I had to keep putting it down and think about and process the challenges that had been set before me. I literally re-read about “leading yourself well” 5 times and didn’t move forward till I felt I had soaked in everything that was being said.
I had to process my own shortcomings as a leader and as a person. I had to look in the mirror and address some things.
One bit of warning…Andy doesn’t write short chapters. Don’t set goals, like, “I’m going to read one chapter a day.” Take it one section at a time. Think it through. Be challenged. Listen. Grow. Put into practice what you are learning.
On a personal note, when I first started pastoring a small church, I read his book “Communicating for a Change”. I posted on social media that I was nervous about changing up my preaching style the first Sunday I was putting it into action. Andy responded privately. Almost immediately. He encouraged me with kind words. I looked at my watch. It was between services at North Point when Andy had responded. He took time when he could have said he was too busy to encourage someone he had never met. That’s what true leaders do.
Thanks, Andy, for making a difference in my life.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
I have read books by leaders that have left Andy Stanley’s organization. I have heard interviews from podcasts of those that have partnered with Andy. 100% of the time, they have talked about what they have learned not just by what he has said, but by his actions. He literally backs up what he says by action. That, to me, has earned the right for him to speak directly into my life.
In “What Great Leaders Do”, Andy pulls up a chair to the table where we are seated and as a wise sage that has learned from his mistakes and the mistakes of others, he begins to pull on life experiences to guide us on life’s journey.
It took me much longer than it usually does to get through one of Andy’s books. The reason? I had to keep putting it down and think about and process the challenges that had been set before me. I literally re-read about “leading yourself well” 5 times and didn’t move forward till I felt I had soaked in everything that was being said.
I had to process my own shortcomings as a leader and as a person. I had to look in the mirror and address some things.
One bit of warning…Andy doesn’t write short chapters. Don’t set goals, like, “I’m going to read one chapter a day.” Take it one section at a time. Think it through. Be challenged. Listen. Grow. Put into practice what you are learning.
On a personal note, when I first started pastoring a small church, I read his book “Communicating for a Change”. I posted on social media that I was nervous about changing up my preaching style the first Sunday I was putting it into action. Andy responded privately. Almost immediately. He encouraged me with kind words. I looked at my watch. It was between services at North Point when Andy had responded. He took time when he could have said he was too busy to encourage someone he had never met. That’s what true leaders do.
Thanks, Andy, for making a difference in my life.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
August 5, 2026
Review: What Great Leaders Do: 7 Essentials for Enduring Impact by Andy Stanley
Andy Stanley's What Great Leaders Do is a practical and engaging leadership book that focuses less on leadership theory and more on the habits and disciplines that make leaders effective over the long term. Drawing on years of leadership experience, Stanley presents seven essential practices designed to help leaders become people worth following and create a lasting impact within their organizations.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its clarity. Stanley breaks leadership down into actionable concepts, emphasizing the importance of leading oneself well, asking the right questions, playing to one's strengths, trusting informed intuition, and distinguishing between problems that can be solved and tensions that must be managed. These ideas are straightforward yet powerful, making the book accessible to both new and experienced leaders.
What sets this book apart is its focus on character and self-awareness. Stanley argues that effective leadership begins internally before it influences others. Rather than relying solely on strategies and techniques, he encourages leaders to develop the mindset and discipline necessary to earn trust and navigate complexity.
The writing style is conversational and easy to follow, with practical insights that can be applied immediately in business, nonprofit, church, or community settings. Some readers looking for extensive research or detailed case studies may find the content relatively simple, but that simplicity is also part of the book's appeal. Stanley's advice is memorable, actionable, and rooted in real-world leadership challenges.
Overall, What Great Leaders Do is an insightful leadership guide that emphasizes enduring influence over short-term success. It offers useful reminders for seasoned leaders and a strong foundation for those beginning their leadership journey.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars.
Andy Stanley's What Great Leaders Do is a practical and engaging leadership book that focuses less on leadership theory and more on the habits and disciplines that make leaders effective over the long term. Drawing on years of leadership experience, Stanley presents seven essential practices designed to help leaders become people worth following and create a lasting impact within their organizations.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its clarity. Stanley breaks leadership down into actionable concepts, emphasizing the importance of leading oneself well, asking the right questions, playing to one's strengths, trusting informed intuition, and distinguishing between problems that can be solved and tensions that must be managed. These ideas are straightforward yet powerful, making the book accessible to both new and experienced leaders.
What sets this book apart is its focus on character and self-awareness. Stanley argues that effective leadership begins internally before it influences others. Rather than relying solely on strategies and techniques, he encourages leaders to develop the mindset and discipline necessary to earn trust and navigate complexity.
The writing style is conversational and easy to follow, with practical insights that can be applied immediately in business, nonprofit, church, or community settings. Some readers looking for extensive research or detailed case studies may find the content relatively simple, but that simplicity is also part of the book's appeal. Stanley's advice is memorable, actionable, and rooted in real-world leadership challenges.
Overall, What Great Leaders Do is an insightful leadership guide that emphasizes enduring influence over short-term success. It offers useful reminders for seasoned leaders and a strong foundation for those beginning their leadership journey.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars.
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