Summoned to Lead

by Leonard Sweet

Leadership Re-Visioned Cast a vision, set a strategy, rally the troops, and take the hill―you don’t need another book to rehash the well-worn principles of modern leadership. But if you’re looking for something different, something that . . . approaches leadership as an art as well as a science inspires hope and expectation in those of us who aren’t born leaders challenges those with leadership roles to explore new possibilities . . . then Leonard Sweet wants to help you discover a very different kind of leadership vision. It’s one you hear if your ears are open, and it could summon you at any time. When you respond, the puzzle pieces of who you are will fit together into a leader others follow because you’ve answered a call, not trained for a position. “The church has it all wrong. It is trying to train leaders. Instead, it ought to train everyone to listen and to develop their own soundtrack.” Leaders don’t see a vision, says Sweet, they hear one. “Sound becomes sight. Leaders hear life.” For a sonogram of “acoustic leadership,” Sweet takes us inside the incredible account of Sir Ernest Shackleton, the celebrated polar explorer who led his entire crew of twenty-seven from disaster in the Antarctic to safety. Called “the greatest leader that ever came on God’s earth, bar none,” Shackleton objectifies the goals of Sweet’s own exploration in search of wisdom for today and tomorrow’s truly compelling, voice-activated leaders. Right now, you may be leading many people or just yourself. But who knows what tomorrow―or a minute from now―will call forth in you. Are your ears open?

Genres: Leadership, Christian, Theology

192 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2004

About the author

Leonard I. Sweet is an author, preacher, scholar, and ordained United Methodist clergyman currently serving as the E. Stanley Jones Professor of Evangelism at Drew Theological School, in Madison, New Jersey; and a Visiting Distinguished Professor at George Fox University in Portland, Oregon.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sweet builds a book of leadership around the remarkable survival story of Ernest Shackleton’s exploratory crew in the Antarctic. A compelling theme is the auditory nature of leadership - follow your ears, not your eyes. Some of Sweet’s advice was interesting, perhaps even prophetic - “trust your gut;” and some of it was strange - “prepare, don’t plan.” For most of it, I wasn’t compelled.

[Jeremy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Leonard Sweet, and his book, Soul Tsunami, is a favorite of mine. But this book rang hollow for me. It may be that it was written in 2004, and assertions that read like bold new contradictions to the wisdom of the day are, in 2010, the wisdom of the day.

I was a bit annoyed that Sweet started by saying that this was an "anti-leadership" leadership book, and then went on to talk about many basic leadership principles espoused today.

It was also scattered with some enigmatic statements that frustrated me, like "the Power of One, however, is two." eh?

There were some good nuggets, like "A leader is one in whom the future shines through in support of the present in spite of the past", but in general, this book fell short.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm reading this book with a group from church...kind of an online book club. It's interesting so far. Kind of cool that Shackleton's life is part of many examples of leadership since I just read "Endurance".

[Leoj · Rating 4 out of 5]

It really shows the power of listening as a LEADER. The book really helpful for the Leaders and I give a high regard to author of this book which is Leonard Sweet.

[T Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where do leaders get there strength from? True leadership is servant leadership.

[James Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading Sweet's take on leadership. I found his insights to be refreshing and hopeful. Well worth a read.

[Jt]

good

[Don Wadewitz II · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize this book was directed towards church leaders when I bought it but was interested in the concept of acoustic leadership that Sweet proposed.

The book was a quick, easy read and had mostly general concepts that could be applied to any organization. I enjoyed the tie-ins to Ernest Shackleton and his survival adventure throughout the book.

Now, did it provide me with any insightful takeaways? Sure, there were some but I don't know that the book had a great return on investment.