The Life-Giving Leader: Learning to Lead from Your Truest Self

by Tyler Reagin, Craig Groeschel (Foreword), Andy Stanley (Foreword)

The president of Catalyst Leader believes that the most impactful and most influential leaders are the ones who lead from who they truly are, not who they pretend or wish to be.With clear biblical teaching and personal accounts, Tyler Reagin not only demonstrates the necessity of life-giving leadership, but also provides the steps you'll need to begin knowing and leading from your truest self. From his experiences in high-impact leadership roles at some of our nation's largest churches and ministries, Reagin has learned firsthand the importance of identity-based leadership. His desire is to help each reader become an empowered, confident leader that brings life and vibrancy to every room they enter. Whether you've got the corner office or you're just getting started, Reagin gives you the tools you need to become an impactful and unique influencer right where you are!

Genres: Leadership, Self Help, Christian, Nonfiction

188 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 18, 2018

Reviews

[Tara Lane marineau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I always thought that everyone was a leader in some way but really liked how Tyler brought it back to leading from a place that you were created by God to lead and divinely called. He went on in Part 1 to explain how leaders should know their truest self and lead knowing that and embracing it. Then in Part 2-4 he goes on the explain how we can give life to others, what those behaviors are that give life to others, and how it can change organizations. This part is all the practical ways in which a leader can lead in a life-giving way. I really felt this was an easy read with lots of practical ideas. Good for any leader in a church organization, office personnel or ministry leader.

[Chattynatty Van Waning · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book, I thought, was going to be a handbook on how to become one's truest, most "authentic" leader, and help give life to others you lead. I knew it was going to have some Christianity and thoughts on being a Christian leader woven in. I found several lines in the book that spoke to me. Here are just a couple of them.

pg 50 " Life-giving leadership begins with self-awareness and self-acceptance, nonnegotiable hallmarks of authentic leadership. "

pg 52 "Self-awareness is the foundation for a lifetime of leading well."

pg 59 " You will slow the flow of life if you don't learn to properly control emotions."

pg 97 "Humble leaders attract people."

pg 138 "Choosing what to prioritize serves as one of the most important elements of having a full life."

However, I just couldn't seem to connect with the author's line of writing. I felt it lacked some deep dive ideas on how to become an authentic leader. I just kept on feeling like I was reading some great ideas (lines like the one above), but no examples on how to accomplish the suggested subject matter. Or if there were examples I just couldn't connect with them. The first half of the book seemed redundant to me- great one liners, but not enough meat to hook me into what the author was trying to sell. The way Christianity was woven into the story line of this book was at times a little abrupt and felt forced. I also felt the book had a very male, patriarchal voice, maybe I would have been more drawn into the reading if I felt more connected with the "leaders" he was addressing.

Always thankful for the opportunity to review a book. This book was sent to me for review by WaterBrook. Thank you @WaterBrookMultnomah #Partner.

[bookbreaks_n_hottakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given the privialge of pre-reading this amazing book by @waterbrookmultnomah and I am a better person and leader for it! @tylerreagin does a spectacular job defining and supporting the beautiful concept of a leader who gives life like jesus.
“In this book, I plan to show that you have been called to be a life-giving later. Just as the Lord restored hope and life is real you can also partner with you to restore hope in life to those around you.”
#PRHpartner #partner #paid #ad, #sponsored #spon

[AnnaScott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. Reagin is a great storyteller, connecting a lot of his messages with a variety of anecdotes from throughout his life. On top of this is the fact that he made himself relatable to his readers by being the first to admit his shortcomings and being realistic about setting expectations for yourself.

My one really big complaint about this was that I feel like he tended to talk about messages that are often overdone without offering a fresh perspective or practical applications. There were several chapters in the middle of the book that I felt were just the cliche theme of “embrace who you are.”

My other concern with this book is that he quotes Andy Stanley a lot. I understand that they are good friends and he thinks that Stanley is a wonderful leader in his life, but I feel like it minimized Reagin’s credibility, much like when writing a research paper and only quoting a single source for all of your evidence. It would have been better if he had quoted C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, or other notable leaders and theologians instead of defaulting to Stanley.

On a positive note, Reagin spent a whole chapter using Downton Abbey as an object lesson for the “Upstairs living versus downstairs living” mentality, so that was pretty cool.

Overall, the book wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t something I would go out and recommend to other people.

I received this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review. All thoughts and comments are entirely my own.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Note:  This book was provided free of charge by Multnomah Waterbrook Publishing.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

I found a great deal to enjoy in this book, but it would be entirely understandable if not all readers were as pleased with this book or with the author's approach.   In order to test whether or not you would appreciate this book, it is worthwhile to ask yourself a few questions.  Are you okay with an author who cites only a few scriptures (albeit good ones, especially Psalm 139) and most of those from less literal translations like The Message, or not?  Are you okay with an author who spends a lot of time talking about himself and his background and his associates or do you find this bothersome?  Do you like writers who adopt and promote the use of personality theory [1] for people to better understand themselves or do you find personality theory a bad thing for Christians to pay a lot of attention to?  The more favorable your answers to these questions, the more you are likely to enjoy this short book.

After two forewords, because apparently the author felt it necessary to receive more than the usual support from outside writers, the author discusses in two introductory chapters the leadership that results from personality (1) and the divine call to lead that believers have (2).  After that the author spends a bit of time talking about how people lead from their truest self (I) through living with no regrets (3) and embracing their uniqueness to determine their own leadership style (4).  The author then talks about how leaders release the life giver within them (II) through being self-aware (5), self-accepting (6), self-confident (7), humble (8), and healthy (9).  The author talks about some of the notable behaviors of life-giving leaders (III) such as their selfless work (10), their sacrifice for godly causes (11), their surrendering to God's will (12), and their heeding the call to serve others (13).  After this the author talks about how life-giving leaders change organizations (IV) in creating vibrant organizations in their wake (14), building teams that flourish (15), and leaving a legacy to inspire others even after they are gone (16).  All of this is done in a brisk pace of less than 200 pages, including the acknowledgements and notes, of the sort of book that well befits a disciple of John Maxwell.

Ultimately, there were a couple of reasons that I appreciated this book despite my wariness with the author's approach and my belief that he could have made his case in a far stronger and far more biblical manner.  While the author talks about the self far too much for my own tastes, and his use of the Bible is pretty weak when compared to his continual pop culture references, the author's conviction that leaders need to do a better job serving others as well as being authentic and strong in their personal character are definitely points that should be well taken by the readers of this book.  Judging this book charitably, it appears that this book is aimed at those who do not have a strong biblical foundation and so it provides encouragement for leaders to behave in a godly way without using a lot of scriptures that may be off-putting to the people the author is aiming this book at.  Through his wit and discourse, the author is trying to make it look cool and cutting-edge to be a godly leader who serves others, and given that I agree with him as to the ends of leadership, I am willing to tolerate his less than ideal means.  Not all readers will be that charitable, though.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2010...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2018...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2010...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2010...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2015...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2011...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2011...

[Karen Roberts · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Imagine if there were a generation of leaders who chose to trust that what God says is true. First they would believe that how He made them is good. Second, it would transform their lives, their work, and their leadership. Imagine a workforce filled with leaders who are pursuing improvements instead of working hard to be people they are not. Imagine a church filled with leaders who have embraced their God-given uniqueness and who are leaning into their gifts to line up with God's plan for their lives." pp. 74-75

Imagine!

This quote gave me hope that I was going to benefit from reading The Life-Giving Leader by Tyler Reagin. Reagin gives the reader very nice Tweetable phrases.

Reagin cites Matthew 20:25-26, "Jesus called them together and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant."  He writes, “It’s rare that I read the Scriptures and find a truth this clear” p. 148. I am befuddled by this statement. The Scripture has many very clear truths. Three that apply to leaders are:

1. Joshua 1:7-8, God speaks to Joshua after Moses died before Joshua leads the Israelites into the Promised Land, "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."

2. Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

3. Matthew 22:37-39, "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

In addition, Reagin seems to value RightPath’s Platinum Rule over the Golden Rule on page 151. He writes,

"As children, we are taught to follow the Golden Rule: 'Do unto others as  you would want them to do unto you.' It's a good rule to live by. Even if we were to take this rule to heart and stop there, we'd make great progress as a culture.

"However, let me tell you about a valuable idea known as the Platinum Rule. RightPath refers to doing unto others as they would want done unto them. In other words, learn your people and serve the in the ways that would mean the most to them."

RightPath's article explaining the Platinum Rule is entitled, "Great Leaders Don't Follow the Golden Rule - They Follow This One." They don't follow what Jesus instructs us to do?

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12)

Reagin states that “Jesus is the clearest and most complete picture of how leaders should lead” p. 179. Yet, I find Jesus missing from much of the book.

In addition, Reagin states, “There’s a reason the Dead Sea is called the Dead Sea. It lies below sea level and life can’t flourish there” p. 161. Being below the sea level is not the reason life can’t flourish in the Dead Sea. The Sea of Galilee is below sea level, and life is flourishing there. The Sea of Galilee has an outlet, and water flows from it into the Jordan River. The Dead Sea has no outlet, and the minerals are concentrated in it.

With all books, the reader must be a Berean and check the author's statements with what the Bible says and what the facts are.

On page 170, Reagin asks the readers to value team members’ gifts as keys to success. This would have been the perfect spot to include a discussion on Romans 12:4-8.

I was disappointed in its depth and lack of Biblical application.

For a serious study of how on Christian leadership, readers can pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead the reader through the Bible and teach the reader what the Holy Spirit wants the leader to know.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through their book launch program for my honest review. @WaterBrookPress #Partner

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leadership impacts everyone, whether they are novice or experienced. Being a leader comes with a great price: an enormous responsibility and platform. This privilege/ duty often causes people to either lead out of timidity or pride. Tyler Reagin in his book "The Life Giving Leader" uses personal stories, Bible passages, and even some movie references to help others realize the importance of leadership as well as helpful/practical information to help one not only survive but thrive as a leader.

The idea behind "Life Giving Leader" is that a leader through his influence, words, and actions will either give life (inspire) to those around him or he will drain the life (discourage, burnout) of others. The truth Tyler strongly recognizes is that "the pursuit of life-giving leadership beings and ends with Jesus." Our faith in Jesus and the life that He gave us is the foundation to all we do (whether a leader or not). Why? "God choses to love people through people." As we learn about God and dwell with God, He enables us to love others (sacrificially). It is through our relationship with God that we understand how we are all uniquely designed and created with a special purpose: we are designed to lead. Tyler Reagin proclaims that we do exhaust ourselves and hinder our influence when we emulate other leaders but when we embrace who God made us to be (strengths and weaknesses and all) we are true to ourselves and others which will breath life into them.

I appreciate how straight forward this book is along with the practical applications that Tyler gives with each point of being a "Life Giving Leader"; he writes in a way that is both encouraging as well as challenging. Tyler stories, movie references, and Bible passages help connect with the readers to see the need of being a "Life Giving Leader" and that they are capable of such a calling. In his attempt to connect with the audience he does however reference his experiences quite a bit (especially his time with Andy Stanley) and does use the title "Life Giving Leader" frequently which I know is what the book is about - but sometimes it came across as redundant. The movie references were a good attempt to help readers understand a point, but it also can be distracting especially if one is not familiar with it.

Overall this was good read 4 Stars and one I wouldn't mind re-reading later. To me the best part is the truth that God could easily work on His own but He chooses to use us - what a display of His love that the God of the Universe wants to use us personally to both know Him and to help others know Him as well. Thanks Tyler Reagin and Waterbrook Publications for allowing me to be on the launch team: to preview "The Life Giving Leader" before it came out was a great encouragement and honor.

"How you lead affects people's faith" (21)

"Who you are, the you that God created, is the leader your circle of influence wants to see and waits to be led by." (47)

"Usually when you let your emotions choose, you lose." (59)

"A leader who doesn't pretend to be someone else is a leader who is consistent." (77)

"No matter how long it took you to gain influence, it will take only a moment to lose it." (103)

"People will not stay in places where growth and abundance are absent." (161)

"My charge to you is to go and lead as if people's lives depend on your leadership, because they do." (180)

[Jennifer DeFrates · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Life Giving Leader" was a great read. As a busy person, finding time to sit down to read a book in it's entirety often escapes me, so I really enjoyed Tyler's writing style. The book was easy to read and engaging. I was able to read a chapter or two at a sitting and walk away with an important take-away for leadership in my life.

This book was certainly not a Bible study but more a guide on how to apply Biblical truths and principles for people who are already in Christian leadership and ministry. Yet, Tyler approaches this book with the right attitude from the very beginning. "The pursuit of life-giving leadership begins and ends with Jesus." And he makes sure that Jesus is the center of every main aspect of leadership he addresses, which I believe is the only foundational cornerstone for how Christians should live. The ways he weaves in Christ-like attitudes and actions with leadership demonstrates spiritually mature thinking towards our purpose as leaders, whether we lead small groups, large corporations, or our family.

While much of the wisdom in this book should be common sense, we've forgotten much of these truths as our culture has strayed away from God. I appreciated having all the reminders of how a Godly leader should lead in one book with concrete examples of how those concepts and strategies can be implemented in real life examples. Every section was undergirded with scriptural references that were on point.

I did have some conflicting feelings about his use of self-acceptance and self-love headings, but felt that the concepts Reagin was discussing was more of acknowledging that God created us with unique gifts that we can embrace and a unique purpose within His divine plan, so I read cautiously, but found that the actual messages were foundational to understanding who we are as adopted, redeemed co-heirs with Christ within leadership positions.

I was disappointed by the numerous references to Andy Stanley who has come under fire recently for some seemingly heretical comments about unhitching our faith from the Old Testament. And I don't like his use of The Message interpretation of the Bible over a more accurate word for word or idea for idea translation. I think it takes something away from his credibility to use a paraphrase over a translation.

But overall, the book was well-written, easy to read, spiritually/biblically accurate with clear truths that should affect how we lead, even just by example in our daily lives. I love the "Platinum Rule"! As an introvert who is appreciates words of affirmation, but not always being the center of attention, I appreciated his notes to love and appreciate people the way that matters to them!

Not everyone will need to lead hundreds of staffers, but we all lead through how we live as Christians and "The Life Giving Leader" will help all of us take on that role with more confidence and humility.

Tyler Reagin's book "The Life Giving Leader" was given to me as part of the launch team for #WaterBrookPress, but the opinions are mine.

[Rodger Mangold · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Life Giving Book for Life Giving Leaders

DISCLAIMER: As an avid reader and follower of leadership books, I enrolled in an opportunity to be given a preview copy of this book by the publisher. I assure you the following review will provide you with an objective synopsis of what you can expect to find in this title. I was so inspired and challenged by this book that I ordered a hard-copy for my personal leadership library. And, I will be sharing this book with leaders I have the opportunity to serve with across the globe.

Tyler Reagin packs this book with practical, insightful and immediately replicable leadership concepts for you, your team, and those you influence.

While I’ve never attended a Catalyst Conference, I have reaped great benefits from the resources they provide, but this book by Tyler Reagin ranks among one of the most insightful outflows from this organization. Tyler has rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s most progressive leaders, Christian and otherwise, and he's embracing and embodying the best of the best. Therein lies the strength of this book, they're not just intangible concepts, these have been lived out by Tyler and his team at Catalyst. The powerful principles he shares come from a place of sincerity and transparency, but they are applicable to mainstream leadership too, meaning you do not have to be a Christian to realize how essential integrity is to leadership. Your team knows the difference. They will know when you’re operating from a place of sincerity or selfishness, and that mindset flows throughout your leadership style. Tyler reveals that as leaders we have the privilege and responsibility of establishing a culture of trust, transparency, and time.

A couple of standout concepts from this book are the practical aspects of leadership in which most books fall short. Tyler is not afraid to tell his readers leadership requires sweat, hard-work, and being willing to be the example to those you inspire. Face it, before we lead we must inspire. Tyler gives you the secrets to inspiring those whom you lead.

The other incredibly difficult but powerful pill to swallow in this book that will transform your leadership is what Tyler calls doing a “360” where you allow those who love you, and those whom you trust to expose for you your potential blind spots. This is next level leadership stuff that many leaders will balk at because the thrust of this concept requires you to listen to honest and transparent feedback about how people perceive you and your leadership. We make too many assumptions about how people perceive and receive our direction as a leader.

This book reveals many more ground-breaking truths. Get your highlighter ready, get your mind ready, and most importantly your heart ready to learn what it takes to truly become a life giving leader.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Life Giving Leader is a combination of personal experience with leadership truths. It communicates a calling to lead from our truest self and explains how. It is invitation to understand a new kind of leadership - what Tyler terms “life-giving leadership”. The Life Giving Leader begins with the truth that each one of us is made for leadership. There is a sense of urgency to see the importance of how we lead. The book is broken down into several parts. Part I explains how life-giving leaders embrace their uniqueness and God-given set of passions, talents, and gifts. In Part II, Tyler explains the authentic self and how life-giving leadership begins with self-awareness and self-acceptance, which comes through working hard to learn about oneself. Emotional awareness, the four keys to self-acceptance, becoming confident, humble, and healthy are all described in detail.

Part III of the book is where the attention of a life-giving leader turns outward. This includes working hard, being selfless, sacrificing for others, surrendering to God’s will, and serving others. Reagin states that “maintaining a posture of worship could be the absolute best leadership advice any of us could hear.” (141) Even though a lot of ideas and points are given, I felt that the overall picture of a life-giving leader was not lost in the details. There was a continually coming back to understanding that who we are modeling is Jesus when we practice life-giving leadership. The entire goal of becoming a life-giving leader is to allow life to flow from you to others.

The last section (Part IV) explains through a series of points how life-giving leaders ultimately change organizations. I really appreciate this book and also the reality expressed that it takes hard work to be a life-giving leader. The norm for most of us is to have a longer list of leaders who have taken life from us in our work, organization, church, etc. rather than given life. The list of life-giving leaders are usually shorter in our lives, but they are so powerful! Tyler Reagin has an amazing perspective and communicates the worthy goal to live out life-giving leadership. I fell more equipped to do this because I read The Life Giving Leader.  -HBR

I was given an advanced uncorrected proof of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own!

[Kelly Shank · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Life Giving Leader is different than many other leadership books on the market today. In this work, Tyler Reagin turns the focus from a leader’s personal accomplishments to the success of individuals under the leader’s guidance. Becoming the best version of themselves is not for their personal comfort or notoriety. Leaders who become their best are those who can help others do the same.

Four critical calls are identified for life-giving leaders: a call to sweat, a call to sacrifice, a call to surrender, and a call to serve. Each call is examined for its importance within a leader’s life, its impact on those within an organization, and the ways in which a leader must work to improve. The four calls are designed to mold leaders into servants who earn respect instead of expecting it.
Reagin’s words are challenging, bringing to life the responsibility given to leaders for those under their leadership. At several points, I found myself thinking about situations when I wish I had reacted differently or done more. He shares personal experiences from his family and career to demonstrate each person’s ability to influence a wide range of people.

This book is not just for those in ministry or professional leadership tracts. Everyone who works with others will find valuable insight within this book. His methods and suggestions provoke introspection and personal growth directly related to God’s will for each individual. The principles in this book can transform leaders and their organizations. Families can be changed. People can begin to grow into their best version.

This is not a book filled with leadership fluff, meant to artificially inflate a leader’s self-perception. These words are intended to cause leaders to choose deep work, the kind that reflects the importance of their kingdom agenda. Leadership becomes a lifelong endeavor to do better and develop those around us.

Reagin challenges readers to become the life giving leaders who change families and organizations by sweating, sacrificing, surrendering, and serving—on behalf of others in service to God.

I received an advance copy of this book from the Publisher. This review reflects my honest opinions.

[Nyla Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Life Giving Leader by author Tyler Reagin is a 208 page book published by Waterbrook Press to help leaders assist others. Author Reagin is the president of Catalyst, a leadership development organization that exists to unify and equip leaders who love the Church. Until reading this book, I was unfamiliar with him and his organization.

This is not your typical leadership book. In The Life Giving Leader we see what happens to a team or individual’s under a good leader. Normally in leadership books the focus is on the leader and what he or she accomplished. This one is just as much about the people on the team and how the leader has changed their lives by example.

The writer’s style was a bit difficult for me. It was more abrupt and seemed a bit uneven. After acclimating myself to it, I got in the grove and it became easier to understand. A rocky start did not stop me from gleaning a lot from this helpful book. I had many highlighted pages after finishing it where I found words of wisdom. Here are some of my favorites:

“Life-giving leadership is all about staying in deep relationship with our Heavenly Father so we can love those around us best and bring life to the people God has put in our circle of influence.” (Page 21)
“Life-giving leaders make people around them shine.” (Page 24)
"Life-giving leadership begins with self-awareness and self-acceptance, nonnegotiable hallmarks of authentic leadership." (Page 50).
"Self-awareness is the foundation for a lifetime of leading well." (Page 52)

This book is sprinkled with scripture rather than having the heavy handed dose I had hoped. The author gives food for thought and growth both personally and as a leader. He uses personal stories, life experiences, contemporary references, and even tells us what did not work for him. He holds nothing back. Anyone would benefit from parts of this book.

I recommend this to leaders, aspiring leaders, and anyone wanting to improve people skills. Actually, everyone will glean something from this book if only to realize that we are all a leader of some sort. I rated this a 4 out of 5 stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbrook for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many of us do not consider ourselves as leaders. I am one of those people that is more comfortable being apart of the group as opposed to standing out. There is always someone else who is better fit to lead than me and I will gladly step aside and let them take the reins.

When I picked up The Life Giving Leader by Tyler Reagin my entire perspective of what it truly means to be a leader changed and I realized that it is a gift for me to be a life giving leader.

In the past I have co-led group Bible studies in my home and have volunteered in the church to help with Vacation Bible School as well as teach Sunday school classes but I've never viewed those as true "leadership roles." After reading The Life Giving Leader I have realized that I have been, and am, a leader in the church, as well as in my personal life, and that I need to lead the way that God wants me to personally lead, which might not be the way that others lead. I've always viewed leadership in a cookie-cutter fashion (which is why I've never seen myself as a leader) but when you are living the authentic life that God created you to live it is from that place that you lead.

This is Tyler Reagin's debut book and I have to admit that I am pretty impressed. I found myself constantly grabbing my highlighter or pen to highlight a passage or to jot down a note. His writing style is easy to read and understand and feels like a conversation with a close friend. Each point that he is makes sticks with you long after you've read it which truly helps to solidify each concept and lights a fire inside to take action.

Even if you do not see yourself as a leader reading this book is a must. It guides you into better understanding of what it means to be give life to those around you. The principles shared are nothing new but they are told in a way that will refresh your passion to serve and put your focus back where it needs to be.

*I received an advanced copy of this book from WaterBrook & Multnomah Publishing in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently received a copy of Tyler Reagin's The Life Giving Leader as part of the launch for this book. Being in a leadership position in my day job, this book was of special interest to me. I am drawn to books that help me to grow in my leadership, and this book was no exception. When I first received the book, I read the Forward and Introduction, something I always do. And yes, I also read footnotes. After reading something Craig Groeschel wrote in the Forward, I knew I was going to like this book. In case you are interested, this is what caught my attention: "You can learn from any leader. Sometimes you learn what you want to do. Other times you learn what you never want to do." As a leader, I want to keep learning, and I want to be certain that what I teach others around me is what they want to learn.

The book is very conversational in style, and by the time you finish it, you will feel like you have spent time talking with the author. Tyler is very transparent and gives us glimpses into his life, both the times he exhibited great leadership and those times he failed. He challenges us to know ourselves and take care of ourselves, physically, spiritually, and relationally, so we can lead from who God created us to be. We can't lead well if we don't first take care of ourselves. One of the most important reminders we are given is that people matter.

This is not one of those books that gives you a boatload of principles and leaves you on your own to figure out what to do with them. This does not mean there aren't principles presented throughout the book. In addition to the principles, Tyler provides us with practical applications that help us put the principles into practice.

Reading this book could change you and your leadership. I would recommend this book especially to leaders and aspiring leaders. Since leadership is influence, and we all influence people in one way or another, we are all leaders.

[Kimmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

#sponsored
When I decided to read and review this book, I was a little hesitant because I’m not a leader in the traditional sense. But, as I thought about it, I decided that I want to be a leader in how I live my life. With that in mind, surely I would find some parts of this book informative and enlightening?

That turned out to be an understatement.

As it turns out, whether I’m a “leader” in the traditional sense or not, I can and absolutely should still lead. I found that this book applied to me and the way I wish to live my life, very well indeed.

I have so many takeaways from this book. One of the most significant for me was simply the idea of leading from your truest self. Knowing who you are and embracing your uniqueness, helps you to be an effective leader. God has given each of us passions, talents and gifts and we will live and lead best when we operate out of our uniqueness.

He didn’t create just a part of you for a unique purpose. He created all of you for 100 percent of your purpose.

As I said, reading this book, leader or not, not once did I feel that any part of it was irrelevant to my life. The author talks about four characteristics of leaders, sighting them as the 4 s’s. Sweat, sacrifice, surrender and serve. I want to exemplify these four characteristics in the way I live my life every day. He also speaks a lot about teams. But, whether you’re on a team or not, I believe this applies to all of our relationships. Putting others first, taking the time to know and value them, advocate for them and appreciate their unique gifts, are all things we should be practicing in all our relationships.

I loved this book. I think it’s a vital read not only for all leaders, but for all Christ-followers as well.

*I received a copy of this book free of charge from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of the LIFE GIVING book launch team.

[Connie Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Life-giving leaders embrace who they are and avoid chasing other people's uniqueness". This statement in The Life-Giving Leader reminds us that we all are leaders. It may be leading a women's bible study at church, it may be helping in your child's PTO at school, it may be organizing a class reunion or it may be running a major business. Leadership coach Tyler Reagin explains that it isn't the importance or size of your purpose, it is how you accomplish it in your own unique way. In an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand manner he enourages us to place Christ at the center of our leadership and he explains how this can be done by sharing his own experiences, quotes from non-secular sources and Bible scripture.

I have never considered myself a leader so I was excited to be have a chance to read this book. It wasn't exactly what I thought it would be but I did appreciate the 'Core Behaviors of Life-Giving Leaders' shared in Part 3 in which the author lists four life-giving principles.

A Call to Sweat--Life-giving leaders work selfishly
A Call to Sacrifice--Life-giving leaders sacrifice for the cause
A Call to Surrender--Life-giving leaders surrender to God's will
A Call to Serve--Life-giving leaders serve others.

After explaining how these principles can benefit our own leadership abilities Reagin reminds us that Jesus was the role model for all four of these calls. He worked and sweated to teach and care for others; He sacrificed everything, including His own life; He lived fully surrendered; and He chose to always served first. (p. 153)

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through their book launch program for my honest review. @WaterBrookPress #Partner. This is my honest opinion.

[Cheryl Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Christian leaders should be the best leaders in the world because we have the best Leader in the world teaching us.”

“The Life Giving Leader” spoke to me in ways I did not think the book would. I am not a leader in the workforce, although I do lead a team of volunteers. We need to be life giving leaders just like Jesus.


As it turns out, whether I’m a “leader” in the traditional sense or not, I can and absolutely should still lead. I found that this book applied to me and the way I wish to live my life. We are to be confident in our work as we serve others, but remain humble, just like Jesus.

Knowing who you are and embracing your uniqueness, helps you to be an effective leader. God has given each of us passions, talents and gifts and we will live and lead best when we operate out of our uniqueness.

He didn’t create just a part of you for a unique purpose. He created all of you for 100 percent of your purpose.

Tyler Reagin talks about four characteristics of leaders, Sweat, sacrifice, surrender and serve. We should exemplify these four characteristics in the way we live life every day. The author puts a lot of emphasis on teams, that we should put others first, taking the time to know your team members and to value them and most importantly appreciate their unique gifts, are all things we should be practicing in all our relationships.

I enjoyed the book and those who follow Jesus should read it. One does not necessarily need to be part of a team to appreciate this book. I liked that the author used different bible passages showing leadership.

*I received a copy of this book free of charge from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of the LIFE GIVING book launch team.

[Johnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are going to be the president of an organization that exists “to unify and equip leaders who love the Church” then you might want to know a thing or two about leadership. Tyler Reagin, President of Catalyst, has taken on the subject in his newest book entitled The Life Giving Leader: Learning to Lead from Your Truest Self, published by Waterbrook.
Reagin has had the opportunity of sitting under the leadership of Andy Stanley and has been influenced greatly by some of the leading leaders in the world including Craig Groeschel, who wrote one of the two forwards (the other is written by Andy Stanley).
Reagin unashamedly approaches leadership from a Christian perspective and encourages Christians to embrace their lives as leaders in this book.
His premise in this book is that we should breathe life into the people that we lead and spends the entirety of this book showing how that can be accomplished. He encourages us to not see people as an interruption to our day but rather that they are our day.
I appreciated his words on self-awareness, something that I have struggled with in the past. There have been plenty words spilt on awareness so I was happy to read discussion on this topic.
He ends his book with a discussion on a leaders call to sweat, sacrifice, surrender, and serve. I found these chapters convicting and helpful.
Reagin in my opinion does a great job of balancing hard work with the need for down time and family. He sets an example to his own team in this area.
All in all I believe that this is going to be a helpful book for those who wish to lead. It certainly will go well with this year’s Catalyst theme: Fully Alive.
I received this book from the publisher for an honest review. I honestly liked the book. You will too.

[Paul McDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leadership books are everywhere these days, full of tips and techniques of how to do more with less and build better teams. You’ve got to eat last, put your oxygen mask on first, or follow the tips of titans. You can run yourself to the point of exhaustion trying to chase the newest trick on the market to be a better leader.

In The Life Giving Leader, Tyler Reagin offers another option. Based on his experience and looking at the example Jesus established, he suggests that the best leaders are those men and women who fill their followers with life. Everyone has an area of influence, people that we impact. What is our effect on them? Are we a breath of fresh air, leaving them refreshed and alive? Or do we bring pressure and anxiety? So many leaders burden those around them, pushing and striving for success on the scoreboard. Tyler measures his success by his impact on the people who matter most.

Shifting to this mindset is more than a pivot, and Tyler provides a roadmap for this transition. “As you partner with God to become a life-giving leader, you must learn to lead from your truest self.” He describes the path to discover the unique leader we are called to become. And when we lead from the distinctive skills and gifts we have been given, life overflows into those around us.

Leadership isn’t just for a chosen few. Everyone is called to be a leader. If you want life to pour into those you lead, read The Life Giving Leader. If you want to be a breath of fresh air in a time of stress and striving, listen to Tyler. Let life fill your heart, and the hearts of those around you.

I received this book from the publisher.

[Dave Strobolakos · Rating 4 out of 5]

At one point or another every leader has been tempted to put on a mask and lead from something other than their truest self. Doubt. Fear. Insecurity. External pressures. These all threaten to bury who we really are underneath piles of leadership catch phrases, ill-fitting leadership models, or regurgitated solutions. We know we’re not making the impact we want to, but we’re held captive to our preconceived notion of how a leader acts, speaks, and influences. We’re afraid to be our unique self because we might not “fit the mold.”

Thankfully, there is another way! You see, the best leaders lead from their personal uniqueness. They understand that their competitive advantage is…themselves! They’ve put in the time to become self-aware, self-accepting, and self-confident. They lead and influence from that centered place of conviction and purpose. Sounds appealing, doesn’t it? So, how do you get there?

In his book, The Life Giving Leader, Tyler Reagin reveals a helpful pathway to unlocking your true self. With lots of compelling stories and examples, he reminds you that you’ve been created on purpose and for a purpose. Who you are is not a mistake! So, don’t try to lead with practices or pursuits that clash with your design. Instead, Tyler helps you boldly explore how you’ve been put together and encourages you to lead confidently from that place of authenticity and humility. Definitely a must read book for those early in their leadership journey or those who are reevaluating their leadership effectiveness.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher for review.

[Dustin · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a book that helps you find your purpose at work then I think this is it. I’ve been to conferences and heard many speak on the topic but Reagin does an amazing job connecting our walk with God to our jobs. This book is full of great examples and practical applications to help live an authentic life in every aspect.

Life Giving Leader is not just for leaders but for anyone who serves in any capacity. And it’s for anyone looking to improve their walk with God. Honestly, some of my favorite topics were more about my daily walk with God including a posture of fervent prayer. It was such a good read and it challenges you to live the life that God calls you to. This is a great reminder that God wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives and especially the place where we spend a good portion of our time, work.

I’ll admit that I did not enjoy every aspect of the book. There were a few points that felt repetitious especially towards the end. And I’m not a huge fan of the Message translation which is quoted often, though it worked well overall. But then I’d come across points that really stuck with me. Things describing what work could look like with authentic life giving leaders and then talking about the posture of a leader and it has been hard to not think about it. So, final answer is read it. Reagin packs so much into this book and I really think he poured himself into it. His passion for leadership flows throughout and I think you’ll be inspired to some degree by reading it.

I did receive a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Bour JoAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been a very good read for me. Tyler Reagin puts before us a challenge to be leaders as Jesus was a leader with His apostles. He tells us, "no matter how long it took to gain influence, it will only take a moment to lose it. He says it's how we come across to people without saying anything. We may be having an off day and our reaction can turn someone off easily. He dares us to be the leaders God created us to be.
On page 21, he says, "Life-giving leadership is all about staying in deep relationship with our heavenly Father, so we can love those around us best and bring life to the people God has put in our circle of influence." Also, on page 52 He says, "Self awareness is the foundation for a lifetime of leading well. Knowing yourself unlocks your leadership potential. Conversely, a lack of self-awareness will hurt your leadership potential before it gets off the ground." Not to be discouraged, however, later in the book he shows us how to grow in our weaknesses! A life-giving leader works hard to know their weaknesses and improve them. They strive to become well balanced. Leaders who give life to those around them! Tyler calls leaders to sweat, sacrifice, surrender, and serve -- this is how we should live everyday! We, as Christians, should be the best leaders in the world because we have the best Leader teaching us -- Jesus!
Anyone wanting to be the best leader they can be should definitely read and learn from this book! I highly recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher, Waterbrook Multnomah as part of The Life Giving Leader launch team and an honest review of this book.

[R.J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a Christian myself and always wanting to improve my leadership skills, I jumped at the opportunity to review this book. And though it has many insightful and inspirational messages, it didn’t quite click with me.

I love the author’s heart for Jesus and leadership. It’s quite evident that this is what he is passionate about. But the book itself seemed very repetitive to me, like he kept feeling the need to reiterate that Jesus and leadership go hand in hand. I do agree with this certainly, but the need to say it every few pages was just a little much.

I also found some of his illustrations to be very “scatter-brained”. He would be telling a story, then go off on a tangent about something else for a few paragraphs, and then go back to the story after I had already forgotten what he was talking about.

So though I do like some of his points and his messages, I think that some of the writing could have been improved to keep me engaged with the book better. There were also some cases in which I disagreed with what he said about leaders, such as on page 19 when he gave an illustration and commentary giving the illusion that leaders should not be permitted to make mistakes. If this is not what he intended to say, then the writing should have been tweaked to reflect his intent. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

I received this book from the author/publisher for the purpose of this review. All comments and opinions are entirely my own.

This is a LiteratureApproved.com Review.

[Chris Creech · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had to describe “The Life-Giving Leader” with one word, it would be “refreshing.” I have read a lot of leadership books, but Reagin is able to give leadership an entirely new perspective by talking about some well-known facts of leadership, but also bring in some new ideas. We have, far too often, replaced leadership skills, training, and self-improvement with titles, and Reagin takes us away from that. He teaches leadership from life-giving traits, not from titles. He is willing to take a difficult stance on hard work, and that stance is not common. In our culture, we have relied heavily on the phrase “it’s just my personality,” and he does not allow leaders to use that as a crutch. Instead, he touts the value of hard work to improve your leadership skills.

Many times, I have seen the concept of “keeping yourself healthy” be glossed over in leadership trainings, conferences, and books. Reagin is willing to give the difficult truth of keeping ourselves healthy as leaders in mental, spiritual, and physical health as well as creating healthy boundaries. We are not at our best as leaders unless we keep ourselves healthy in these ways. I appreciated that Reagin was willing to say that.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is in leadership or training for leadership. Reagin is able to breathe new life into old leadership truths, and is also able to touch on delicate subjects with Biblical accuracy.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyler Reagin, the author of The Life Giving Leader, is a certified leadership coach. After reading his book, I think he'd be great to work with in that role. The book is written in a very engaging style, and it feels more like sitting down and talking to a friend than slogging through something that's supposed to help your personal development (because let's face it, sometimes the self-help type books are not the most fun to read).

Early on, I found this quote: "I have been asked if these principles apply only to leaders who call themselves Christian. The answer? The process of discovering your unique identity can apply to any leader." I think that's a pretty good synopsis of the book. It gives some good principles for helping anyone become the kind of leader who is uplifting and encouraging - life-giving - to those he or she leads. There is a Christian slant to the book, but I don't think it would necessarily be off-putting to those who are not Christians.

I'm not a leader in any official capacity, but I am a parent, and I do have co-workers and people I volunteer with. I think this book has given me some good ideas on how to lead where I'm meant to do so, and how to be life-giving to those around me in any capacity.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through their book launch program for my honest review. @WaterBrookPress #Partner

[Trwhip · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tyler Reagin's The Life Giving Leader: Learning to Lead from Your Truest Self is a book that wants to articulate an “identity-based” leadership. This is where a leader uses who God made them to be with all their strengths and weaknesses to lead others. Using bible verses to connect how we are uniquely made and wired to interact with others and consequently lead others is the basis of the book. The first half of the book builds this scenario of looking at our unique self with relationship to areas of the bible. The later half gives areas in our lives and personality to reflect upon and gives us insights into our unique self so we can lead best. The second half of the book read more like a secular book that would be in the self help section vs. a Christian specific book. So to become the “Life Giving Leader”, one must go through the self-evaluation process.

A quote in the forward brought home the point of the book and why self-evaluation is so important for leaders. The quote states, “You’ll be celebrated as the leader who put wind in their sails. Or you’ll be remembered as a headwind –someone who impeded progress and achievements of those you led. The choice is yours. The choice is yours every day.” If leaders took the time to go through the self-evaluation sections of this book on a regular basis, they could have the potential of becoming “Life giving Leaders”.
I received this book from the publisher through their book launch program.

[Bobby Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purchased this book in a bundle at Catalyst 2018 and just now got around to reading it. I will be a better leader for having read this book. Tyler Reagin does a great job demonstrating a simplistic approach to becoming a life-giving leader. Easy to learn...challenging (to say the least) to live out and practice in your organization!

Some of my favorite quotes:

"You can give life to others only when it's flowing from a place of authentic leadership."

"When life flows, your influence grows."

"How you treat people is based on the belief that, in every interaction, you are eyeball-to-eyeball with someone who has value. Someone Jesus died for."

Ask yourself: "What is it like to be on the other side of me?"

"Accepting ourselves is a lifetime pursuit."

"You and I know we should never compare ourselves with anyone else. You are the only you alive. God made sure of that."

"Humility is a teacher that will change your life. But learning from it is brutally difficult."

"When the leader is well, the team can tell."

"When we receive from God, we can give to others."

"Choosing to be life-giving leaders and embracing a call to serve will never completely take away our desire to be known. The questions becomes, 'What do you want to be known for?'"

"Leadership isn't just what you do but what you allow."

"A good product with a bad process is a counterfeit win."

[Jena Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

You wake up- it’s a work day! Are you excited about the day ahead, or do you grown and hide under the covers? Are you a life giving leader or do you wonder if you even have what it takes to be a leader? Here’s what the Author might say to you- “Let’s live lives we like!”

Tyler Reagin has written a clear and positive book to guide you to give your best, to yourself and others, in the ministry or in the marketplace. Each chapter is filled with concise and meaningful words of power that are easy to remember. He will plant the seeds for you to grow.

He quotes scripture, and Jesus, and also gives us advice from variety or sources- from Downton Abbey and Martin Luther King. The Author has a friendly and exhuberant style and is quite willing to share interesting stories from his own life. (Note to Mr. Reagin- I like the crispy M & M’s, too!)

Are you self-confident? Are you healthy? Do you accept yourself and appreciate that God created you how he wants you to be? Do you like the way you live, work and play? Each chapter teaches and then challenges you to lean in to Jesus and be yourself.

This book inspired me and I took many notes, and marked many pages as I read it. I know I will be referring to it again and again. Learn to be a life giving leader with this life enhancing book. Highly recommend.

Thanks to Waterbrook Press f

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tyler Reagin has a passion for leadership and Jesus which led to the writing of this book. It’s clearly evident that these topics excite him as he expresses it on each page. I was excited to be selected as a reader for this book launch because of my own passion for leadership and Jesus. While the book was entertaining and gave some leadership insight, I found this book more appropriate for new leaders.

While I enjoyed how he explained and tried laying out his own essential keys to leadership, I felt more as if I was writing notes from his personal journal then a leadership guide. He did have some great points that were worthy of highlighting, he had attention grabbing stories, great relational points as well, and made the book feel more like a conversation over coffee than a required assignment. However, some of his stories distracted from his point to where I was left wanting to know more of the story and less about the point he was making. I did not like the layout of Parts and Chapters, but the book was never dull and was simple to read.

I would find this book most appropriate to give an intern or new leadership role (high school graduate) more than someone who has been in leadership role for a prolonged time.

*I received this copy free from charge as a part of the WaterBrook & Multnomah Book Launch team for Life Giving Leader

[Miranda A. Uyeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reagin's The Life Giving Leader takes on leadership from a whole new dimension that is authentic, organic, and flawlessly refreshing. Birthed from a place of experience and humility, the wisdom offered cuts to the deep, removing the flesh of falsehood, and pointing leaders to the  Christ-like model that gives life to those who look up to them to seek direction both personally and professionally, as well as in other areas of life. Reagin takes the leader through realistic steps that show what true leadership is all about, highlighting the character/attitudes that build leaders into people that can be trusted and followed. The most important truth Reagin emphasizes is the truth that the best kind of leadership is drawn from the place of authentic self; a leader leading from their truest self is bound to give life to others and inspire that same authenticity in people. Reagin provides stories, insights and practices that guide any leader to fully develop their natural gifts and talents, and invites them to put away what will sabotage their leadership. He further hints on the attributes that increase their positive influence, breaking each point down into simple nuggets that can be easily comprehended and practiced.

A stunningly poignant and deeply insightful material for great leadership development!