Why Great Men Fall

by Wayde Goodall

Your head sits heavily in your hands as the last employee turns out the last light and goes home for the night, leaving you alone in the dark with your failure and desperation. This scene is played-out daily in offices all over America, as leaders in corporations, churches, and organizations free-fall from moral or ethical failure. Wayde Goodall has observed this quagmire for decades, counseling those who have thrown away their families and their futures for a moment of pleasure or profit. Profiling well-known leaders who've had a fall from grace, Goodall notes the common traits, warning signs, and most importantly, a plan for avoiding such deadly traps of the soul. For everyone who has found himself in this terrible dilemma, and to those who can still avoid it, this book is like a beacon. There is a fail-safe guide for remaining on the right path, and Why Great Men Fall illustrates that safe route in a riveting way.

Genres: Christian, Leadership

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2005

Reviews

[brian d rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started off pushing me. Asking tough questions, at first I thought, "what's the deal with this writer?", but then I realized when your trying to rescue men from typical pit falls in their lives you have to ask the tough questions. You have to say the things that are harder to hear to shake them out of passivity. In my books I have what I call" TOP SHELF BOOKS". These are the books that have changed my life or were so great I never want to be away from them. This is one of those books. Goodall crafts an impact full hard hitting really check into a VERY tight package. Staying on point through out and using poignant scripture references to back up his thoughts. I never wanted it to end but even at just a chapter a day, in just a bit over two weeks, I walk away a changed man. With Goodalls work, I am someone who now has a point of reference on what to watch out for.

[Edith Naava · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book brings questions to your mind about whether you should read this book, it also makes you question whether even as a follower you need to read a book of leaders but you should because all of us are leaders in this life. Leadership is not only for those who are glued on their dreams but also for those who have faith that tomorrow will be better.
As you read this book, it may seem to talk to men only but trust me... Men are also led by women today.
This book will not only inspire you for greatness and finding your purpose but it will push u closer to your dreams.
Why Great Men Fall is not only about why we fall but it also gives 15 strategies that help one succeed and get out of the dilemmas that life presents us with.

Best quote _ "Great Men Do not have to Fall. Great Men choose to walk another way. "

[Bryan Reeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Goodall correctly describes how many spiritual leaders fall. We are all in danger of falling and it can happen at any point. He gives great suggestions on how to keep from falling through accountability in discipline. Goodall also encourages those that have fallen or have simply failed as a leader. Significant growth often occurs after mistakes.

[Jeff Sibley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful and an easy read. Read as part of a men group.

[Gabriel Odhiambo Achayo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly Recommended

I'd recommend this book to any leader who would like to be authentic in relationships with those they lead in every circle of influence

[Edgar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great men don’t have to fall, they walk away

[Jerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sturdy.

[Melissa Omolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so awesome...It has changed my life in such .I learnt alot about leadership in a big way.....We are all human and we all make mistakes but it doesn't mean we should stay in our mistakes.....We should learn how to fail forward instead of failing backwards...At this rate I will have to look for John C. Maxwell's "Failing Forward" as a continuation.... :-) Amazing quotes from this wonderful book that will always be at the back of my mind are: "Character is about aligning your lips with your life"- Mark Sanborn
"Fear makes come true that which one is afraid of" –Victor Frankl
"Character is Contagious" "It isn’t stress that makes us fall-It’s how we respond to stressful events"
"Leaders are those who make the most of every moment of every opportunity and of every available resource".-Theodore Roosevelt
"Routine and predictable days are the breeding grounds for complacency"
"Every great leader has incredible odds to overcome"
"Integrity includes our physical self and our financial self"
"The spirit of an organization is created from the top" –Peter Drucker

The amazing pointers I got on leadership are :

1.Limit your tenure.When leaders remain in positions of power for too long, they acquire bad habits.
2.Share power.When power is centralized, it’s likely to be misused or abused.
3.Get real.Stay real.Virtually every bad leader is to a degree out of touch with reality.
4.Compensate for your weaknesses.Leaders should surround themselves with those who know most about what they know best.
5.Stay balanced. Leaders who have a healthy personal life are more likely than their workaholic counterparts to have a healthy professional life.
6.Be reflective.Virtually every one of the great writers on leadership emphasizes the importance of self-knowledge, self-control and good habits.

My all-time favourite quote from the book was this one.....I completely fell in love with it , because I could relate so much to it.
“The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most.I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity."- Ulysse S.Grant

[Jimmy Nyakora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wayde's overall thrust in this book reads somewhat like: "What goes up must not come down."
He begins the book by highlighting the common weaknesses that plague all leaders.
At the onset, one may not quite clearly understand what Wayde is hinting at but as you proceed to the next chapters, you realize that he is laying a foundation for the overarching theme of the book. A unique touch in his writing is the ability to use biblical stories and examples, interweaving them into the fabric of his message, that leaders can relate with, thus lending force and clarity to his points.
The quotations from other author's works and lessons, drawn from common advice, add diversity to his work besides being a sign of how well versed he is in his selected topic. He also draws and shares relevant observations from his experiences in leadership, both his strengths and weaknesses, thus adding a personal touch to his message.
The last chapter introduces the final piece of the jigsaw puzzle, where the essence and sum of his chosen topic resonate; "Why do great men fall?",you ask me, I would say - it is because SomeOne is missing:- The One who can keep you from falling - God, the Creator. God made us with a purpose and therefore He is able to protect those He had installed in various positions. The fifteen strategies to avoid failure all boil down to One, simple fact; that connecting to the One who created us is the surest strategy against failure, and just in case we fall He is there to uplift, uphold and strengthen.
This book is a good read for upcoming leaders - to help them navigate the treacherous sea of leadership - but it can also be a source of sound advice and reminders to any seasoned leader - because, none is beyond temptation.
I must end this with a quotation from the book, which summarizes the message: "We are given talent, but we choose to have character."

[Zoé · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastiskt bra principer för ledarskap. Författaren poängterar att ingen är immun mot dessa fallgropar, och tar upp problemen som vi ser i ledarskapet i vårt samhälle och vågar tala öppet om dem. Viktig undervisning för ledare i vår tid.

Anledningen till tre stjärnor är att boken kändes ostrukturerad och att den några gånger upprepade samma grundläggande fallgrop men med olika rubriker, och tog upp samma exempel på ledare under flera kapitel. Känslan jag fick var att man hade kunnat halverat boken och fått ut mer av det än som det är nu. Jag hade ofta svårt att följa författarens tankar eftersom det inte fanns en tydlig röd tråd mellan olika stycken. Bibelord och citat från kända personer var för det mesta bra avbrott, men de var distraherande när de inte kopplade direkt till vad stycket handlade om.

Eftersom boken handlar om fallgropar har den en ganska allvarlig ton, vilket jag tycker behövs. För mig gränsade det dock till att upplevas lite pessimistiskt att mest läsa om allt dåligt en ledare kan göra. En balans mellan fallgropar och lösningar hade varit att föredra, där man fokuserar främst på lösningarna. Jag saknade också en avslutande del i varje kapitel där man skulle få hjälp att tillämpa det på sitt eget liv, genom till exempel frågor man kan ställa sig själv, en bön att be eller något liknande. Lite synd att författaren missade möjligheten att inkludera även kvinnor genom att så tydligt rikta till män, eftersom detta är undervisning som kan rädda både män och kvinnor i från att göra katastrofala val.

[Alastair · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Why Great Men Fall: 15 Winning Strategies to Rise Above it All" had the potential for being an amazing book. It came highly recommended to me by one of my peers whose opinion I respect on leadership and faith based books. However, after completing it I did not feel like it left me wanting to permanently add it to my personal development library.

The thing that I loved most about the book is the way that the author pointed out the places where leaders struggle. He provided strong support for his points by giving several references of people in history that have fallen to issue listed. He also gave relevant biblical references of scripture and stories in which leaders struggled and either perished or prevailed in their attempts.

However, a lot of the reasons that he listed were so similar in nature that it created quite a bit overlap in the background for his points. This made the book often feel repetitive and long-winded. By the end of the book I found myself looking forward to the end of the chapter, and constantly checking my Kindle reader to see how many pages were left.

Would I recommend this book? For an upcoming leader who is dealing with internal struggles and looking for biblical references - possibly. However, I would most likely not recommend it to a person who is at the beginning of their faith walk or not aspiring to be a leader.

[Vaughn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wayde Goodall addresses 15 areas to which leaders (both secular and non-secular) should give attention. In doing so, he correlates fallen leaders from today with those found in Scripture, and offers sound counsel on how you and I can avoid such pitfalls

[Donovan Mattole · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book for men on being aware of temptations and keeping yourself from situations that would compromise your integrity.

[Desmond · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little too preachy and redundant but still good

[Doug Kenya]

you want a leadership book!! 5.0 stars are all here!