Excellent book on business leadership, but lacks a Christian perspective
When it came to teaching strong business leadership principles, the late Zig Ziglar was one of the best. He had a zest for life and a love for people, which flowed out of his relationship with God.
In his new book, “Top Performance: How to Develop Excellence in Yourself and Others,” published posthumously by Revell Reads (and with the foreword written by his son, Tom), Ziglar emphasizes that business leaders need to invest in the lives of others to be successful.
“We must never overlook the fact that our company can spend millions and millions of dollars on buildings, computers, electronic gear…but the full utilization of these monumental expenditures is entirely dependent on the growth, training, attitude and capability of the people in the company,” he wrote (page 85).
Published by Revell Reads, Ziglar’s 240-page book is a veritable blueprint for how to succeed in business by putting employees first, drawing on (and out) their talents, and helping them strengthen their weaknesses to benefit all involved. This is the true mark of a leader, which involves making right decisions: “All of life is a series of choices,” he wrote (page 29).
One issue I had with the book is when he cites disgraced and disgruntled former CBS “News” anchor Dan Rather, whose entire career was based on partisan, leftist bias. For example, Ziglar quoted Rather saying, “The dream begins with a teacher who believes in you, who tugs and pushes and leads you to the next plateau, sometimes poking with a sharp stick called ‘truth.’”
However, Rather is not a truthful person – especially when he tried to sway the 2004 election in John Kerry’s favor by using phony memos he knew were fakes in order to bring down George W. Bush. The reason I’m making this point so strongly is because if an author is going to quote someone, he or she needs to cite a person who is honest, has integrity and character, and can be trusted, which is the mark of a great and genuine employee (who can always be trusted).
Moreover, another issue I had with the book is in Chapter 15 (A Formula for Motivation), where Ziglar suggests general meditation, rather than meditation on the Word of God. Although Ziglar does mention the Lord in some places in the book (pages 213, 222, and 230), I was mainly disappointed he didn’t offer any leadership principles from a Christian perspective.
Overall, Ziglar’s book is well-written, insight and can offer help for companies needing business leadership advice from a proven expert who truly lived out what he espoused. While I’ve never been interested in sales (and despite my aforementioned qualms with the book), I found it to be an interesting and enjoyable read.
I gave it a 4 out of 5 stars.
Full disclosure: In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, I received this book free through the Bloggers Program of Revell Reads, a division of Baker Books. My opinions are my own and I wasn’t required to write a positive review.
© 2019 by Doug S., M.A.