Inside Job: Doing the Work Within the Work

by Stephen W. Smith

Effective leaders work very hard to succeed, but often at the cost of their own souls. They are challenged to keep themselves emotionally and spiritually healthy in order to survive success―to keep their humanity intact. This is the work within the work. Stephen W. Smith helps leaders in the marketplace and in ministry set aside the life-draining values of power, fame, fortune and position and instead explore the life-giving qualities of building character. In this book you will learn There is a better way to live than the craziness we experience in our driven world. Inside Job is your invitation to journey inside and do the work within your work.

Genres: Leadership, Christian, Christian Living

207 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2015

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story like no other. The book discusses the economic crisis of 2008.

[Michael K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this was not the book I thought it would have been...remember the old adage, "Don't judge a book by it's cover!" Yeah, that's this book. It is not about Job the prophet, but it was interesting, non-the-less. It passed along many different ideas as to how to make your work more tolerable and enjoyable. We could all use a little bit of that, I believe.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had read and assimilated this book 20 years ago; lots of life-pain might have been avoided. What I love about this book is the honesty by which the author discusses the interior issues of a leader’s heart. He pulls no punches and sugar-coats nothing. He can’t afford to. Too many lives are at risk.

The discussion in chapter 5 about the four quadrants of the heart was especially insightful. I want to be a leader that leads from all four quadrants: the part people see, the part that I reveal to a certain few, the part I show to my boon companions, and the part that I don’t know, but want to learn about—the deeper heart.

Another part that I found helpful was the chapter 9 on Leader Transitions. Because I have recently moved my wife across country to lead an organization that is culturally different than what I am used to, this looks to be a daunting challenge, but with the tools of transition the author outlines in this chapter, I feel better equipped to find contentment, resiliency and satisfaction in the latter years of my vocational life.

I highly recommend this book. Very little attention is paid to what is going on the inside of a heart and soul in popular writing about leadership. This book goes deep and stays there. The metrics are mostly external in our culture. But external metrics are of little good if the life I am living is only as deep as a bird bath. If read, processed and assimilated, this book will deepen your soul—preparing you to live the life you’ve always wanted and the one God as offered: Shalom. I purchased ten copies and gave them away to many of my pastor friends.

[Reid762 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally, a boom on Christian formation that's anchored to 2 Peter 1:3-15! For the past 15 yrs, or so, this passage has been one of the primary biblical texts I've used to help others (including myself) understand, and prioritize the practice of spiritual disciplines. I'm so grateful to the Lord for this book. Smith does an excellent job of integrating sound biblical exegesis and theology into a practical/pastoral theology, which shifts the focus onto the shepherd/leader's need to "supplement (their) faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love." 2 Peter 1:5b-7 (ESV)

[Janet Wineman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this book three stars because some of the material was familiar to me, but I will recommend and pass it along. Not to say that I was not challenged in my life by reading it, especially the last chapters on resilience and contentment are helpful to me now. I'd say and it's not a stretch that most Americans could be helped by reading this book or at the least challenged by the way in which we tend to live our lives.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good things to think about. Worth considering and savoring, but somewhat unrealistic and simplistic in places. It will help to go through this book with others to allow the theoretical to merge with the practical.

[Wes F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read about the need for soul work, for rhythm & rest, for doing "the work within the work," and for making sure we integrate the Sabbath principle into our busy lives.

[Sylvia Jeronimo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the book. Wish it talked specifically and pointedly about success but extremely helpful, none-the less.

[Claudia Mitu]

A must read book - easy to ready, nice humor, direct approach. No negotiation - you are a Christian or you are not! Loved the details of each characteristic from 2 Peter, and the doctrine of rest. No one ever thought me to rest before, so I was so glad to learn how to rest properly. Thank you God for man like Stephen, with this kind of talent used to see You better.