The Way of the Shepherd: Seven Secrets to Managing Productive People

by Kevin Leman, William Pentak

Discover a fresh perspective on the art of leading in Dr. Kevin Leman's story about a young reporter who lands the meeting of a lifetime and walks away with the keys to exceptional leadership. The Way of the Shepherd points you beyond dated trends and out-of-touch management techniques to the strategies that will make you a truly outstanding leader.

When William Pentak had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interview Ted McBride, one of the most respected CEOs in America, he was shocked by what McBride was willing to share. McBride taught him the seven secrets he inherited long ago from his mentor--an eccentric but brilliant professor who passed on these time-tested management principles that, while ancient in their origin, are still applicable in today's fast-paced, high-tech world.

Throughout The Way of the Shepherd, you'll learn how to infuse your work with meaning, no matter your role, title, industry, or the size of your team. Uncover the tried-and-true best practices for how to engage, energize, and ignite your workforce

Getting to know your team, one person at a timeRelentlessly communicating your values and your missionDefining the cause for your people and showing them where they fit inHaving a heart for the people that you're leadingUnderstanding that great leadership isn't just professional, it's personalIf you're ready to transform your team, create a culture of belonging, and truly learn to lead by example, it's time to discover The Way of the Shepherd.

Genres: Leadership, Business, Nonfiction, Christian, Management, Self Help, Faith

129 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Dr. Kevin Leman, an internationally known psychologist, radio and television personality, and speaker, has taught and entertained audiences worldwide with his wit and commonsense psychology. The best-selling and award-winning author has made house calls for hundreds of radio and television programs, including The View with Barbara Walters, The Today Show, Oprah, CBS's The Early Show, Live with Regis Philbin, CNN's American Morning, and LIFE Today with James Robison, and he has served as a contributing family psychologist to Good Morning America. He is the founder and president of Couples of Promise, an organization designed and committed to helping couples remain happily married. Dr. Leman is also a charter faculty member of iQuestions.com. He has written over 30 best-selling books about marriage and family issues, including The Birth Order Book and Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage. Dr. Leman and his wife, Sande, live in Tucson. They have five children.

Connect with Dr. Leman on:
BirthOrderGuy.com
Facebook
Twitter

Reviews

[David Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book that I ever read. It talks about how people are like sheep, with needs. The effective manager must meet their needs in order to draw out their best potential.

[Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one of the genre of business novel/fictions that has become recently popular.
The content here could have been covered in a 7 bullet magazine article. The story was not compelling. This was the penultimate reading for me of one of these types of books. The next one cured me for good.
It will have to be highly recommended by someone before I get trapped into one of these again.

[Josh Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was given to me by a dear friend after I had preached at a local Bible college for chapel. In the message from 1 Peter 5, I preached to aspiring seminary students the importance of leading the people that God gives to you instead of "lording" over them. I used the analogy of "the shepherd mentality vs. the cowboy mentality." A shepherd leads, a cowboy drives; a shepherd is mainly concerned about the health of the flock; a cowboy is mainly concerned with getting his cattle to market; etc.

After the message, my friend told me about this book and recently got me a copy. Wow...what a profitable read! It is a short book (less than 120 pages) and yet is by far, the most profitable book (outside of the Bible) I have read this year. Anyone that deals with people would benefit from the wisdom offered through this book.

Seven Principles of the Way of the Shepherd
1. Know the Condition of Your Flock
2. Discover the Shape of Your Sheep
3. Help Your Sheep Identify With You
4. Make Your Pasture a Safe Place
5. The Staff of Direction
6. The Rod of Correction
7. The Heart of the Shepherd

[Jenel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book came highly recommended as the “best leadership book” by a pastor I really respect. Overall, I didn’t disagree with any of the content, it just felt too simple for me. It compares shepherding with servant leadership and some of the analogies were just too much of a stretch in my opinion. The fable wasn’t excpetionally well-written or that engaging. If you’re going to read a leadership fable, my opinion is Lenchioni every time.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t personally like being referred to as a sheep. Maybe now, I can get promoted to Shepherd.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

读毕 The Way of the Shepherd / 牧羊人之道，是我个人今年阅读的最佳管理类书籍，值得向大家推荐。

源自同是管理者的同事推荐，拿到手发现是意想不到的小开本。是我读的第一本分类是 RELIGION / Christian Living 的管理学类书籍。不过本书除了牧羊人这个概念本身在基督教内重要以外，内容本身并没有任何宗教色彩，鲜有的几个备注翻到书后才能发现引用的是宗教相关的词典和材料。对于普通读者而言，这个可算是 Trivia，完全不影响阅读。

本书帮我验证了我对管理的预设 - 我从事管理的主要原因是想要打磨这个元技能：人类社会的历史亦是组织和社会结构的历史，个体的力量哪怕是天才也是有限度的，需要组织来放大或帮助其实现更广大的目标。一定程度的管理和领导能力是维系组织乃至社会的关键元素，对于生命有限的个体来说是需要学习和磨练的技能，并在人类历史的初期就始终存在。而本书直接用牧羊人 - 一个古老的职业为管理学找到了一个恰如其分的Analogy

书籍本身言简意赅，讲述了一位年轻记者去采访成功管理者的故事，管理者则分享了几十年前他的导师讲述的牧羊人之道。具体的内容可概述为：以羊比喻人群，管理者作为牧羊人对羊群的筛选，保护安全及照顾，制定方向，在偏离的时候给予指导，了解羊群个体以及能在需要的时候可见和挺身而出，用心来对待羊。基本上是由足够让人信服的简单叙事包裹的毫无废话的指南。以上几个标题大体覆盖了本书的全部内容，所以难免有书评会说本书只用几个bullet points就能总结。

我不敢说自己是个Season的管理者，但相比不少更细节的描述“术”的管理书籍，本书描述的“道”让我觉得它是一本必备书籍 - 时不时查阅，询问自己有没有偏离核心，是初级管理者在刚刚接触一个职责广泛的管理职位的不确定中，很容易去做并且给予确实反馈的事情。从另一个角度来说，我见到的优秀的管理者都能契合绝大多数乃至所有本书描述的特质，尽管他们的行事/管理方法、个性，乃至制定标准的程度都不尽相同。

[Nicholas Lewis · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of the worst books I’ve ever read. Business authors are sometimes the most pathetic at original content. It’s condescending and blind for these authors to act like lifestyle gurus who’ve found common sense and then tote it like an ancient hidden proverb, newest invention of practical advice, or newfound jewel discovered. Boring book, sappy fake story, and advice I can find in my own experiences. Don’t need no business CEO explaining this stuff to me I already know.

[Ruben · Rating 2 out of 5]

Das Buch vermittelt den Eindruck der Inhalt käme einem geheimen, uralten Wissen gleich, welches dem Leser die Tür zu einer hervorragenden Leiterschaft aufschließt. Mir sind beim Lesen vor allem 3 Dinge aufgestoßen, weshalb ich zu der Überzeugung gekommen bin, dass sich das Buch nicht sonderlich als Lehre der Kybernetik eignet.
Der Erste, dieser Schmerzen, die ich beim Lesen hatte, ist das Fundament und Ziel, auf dem die 7 Prinzipien stehen, nämlich: Die Herde, die Gruppe von Menschen die angeleitet wird, soll: "optimale Leistung erbringen". Sie sollen "produktiv" sein. Diese Vorstellung zieht sich durch das gesamte Buch. So liegt dem "Hirten" letzten Endes doch nicht das "Schaf" am Herzen, wie das Buch an der ein oder anderen Stelle versucht zu vermitteln, sondern eigentlich nur der "Ertrag/Nutzen" den das "Schaft" dem "Hirten" bringt. Es geht nicht um den Angestellten selbst m.a.W: um die Schutzbefohlenen, sondern darum, was diese leisten. Es geht nicht um den Menschen, sondern um seinen "Nutzen". – Solch einen Leiter hätte ich persönlich nicht gern.
Der zweite Schmerz ist weitaus weniger tragisch: Das Buch suggeriert, relativ profane "Prinzipien" seinen geheime Insights. Der Inhalt des Buches, lässt sich, wie das Buch es auf den letzten drei Seiten selbst tut, auf 3 Seiten zusammenfassen. - Ich weiß jetzt nicht ob 3 Seiten "Prinzipien" wirklich in der Lage sind jemanden zu guter Leiterschaft zu helfen.
Mein dritter Schmerz ist, dass das Buch Prinzipien behandelt. Während sich die Lehre der Leiterschaft im Idealfall damit beschäftigen sollte, den Leiter anzuregen, Tugenden auszubilden und in seiner Persönlichkeit und seinem Charakter zu wachsen, haben wir in "Das Hirtenprinzip" die 7 goldenen Prinzipien, mit denen jeder ein guter Leiter wird.
Natürlich waren 1-2 Nuggets dabei, aber im Grunde aus meiner Perspektive keine Empfehlung. Lieber zu einem anderen Buch über Leiterschaft greifen, egal ob man eines für Gemeinde oder für die Unternehmerwelt sucht. Und selbst, wenn das Buch sich mit Hirten und Schafen auseinandersetzen soll, gibt es andere, bessere :)

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read about principles of leading people. The reference to Jesus as the great shepherd and that these are principals derived from his teaching in the Bible is never explicitly mentioned, but is obvious to someone with basic knowledge of Jesus. Thus, it could be read by a group at a secular business.

The principles of leading the flock like a shepherd are sound whether one wants to be leading by Christian principles.

1. Know the condition of the flock (MBWA)
2. Discover the shape of your sheep (Evaluation/hiring people to make sure they fit in your group)
3. Help your sheep identify with you (build trust, set high standards, communicate values and mission, be personal)
4. Make your pasture a safe place (communicate, each person is important, rotate, cull out chronic instigators, don't let problems fester)
5. The staff of direction(know where you're going, get out front and lead, persuade (don't coerce), freedom with boundaries, make it safe to fail)
6. Rod of protection (Protect, Correct, and Inspect)
7. The Heart of the Shepherd (leadership costs, great leadership is a lifestyle, have a heart for your sheep)

I would highly recommend this book to new or aspiring managers because it is small and a fast, easy read. Most business books are the same church over and over with new stories and longer formulas,charts, etc. This one has all the basics in a slim volume with easy analogies. Best yet, read it with your manager or your staff.. so everyone can get it. If you already have leadership books, you likely won't see anything new here, but it is a good summary and you can find other books on individual areas for which you feel you need more instruction.

[Angie Wagner · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was a bit too Jesus-y for me. The constant comparison of humans to sheep felt degrading and made it difficult to connect the metaphors to actual lessons. Also why did it feel kinda gay? Didn’t hate that part at least

[Basmaish · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an ok (meh) sort of book. The writing style and the tone of the book were very annoying, it's a good thing it's a short one.

[Timo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Teilweise interessant und bereichernd. Etwas langwierig für meinen Geschmack. Man könnte sich wahrscheinlich nur die Kernpunkte am Ende des Buches durchlesen ohne viel verpasst zu haben.

[Ed Carter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggle to rate this book, I feel like there’s just so many other books on leadership out there that are better, however the principles are generally helpful, and presenting it in the form of a story helps is unique and helps nail it down in a way a normal leadership book cannot.

The authors are clearly working within a Christian framework, using a Christian metaphor, I think the aversion to just outright claim that out is missed opportunity to point the The Shepherd, and also root some of what they’re saying with the rich wisdom and examples found within the scriptures. 2.4/5 would recommend other books on leadership in general and then seek to apply to the workplace.

[Tom Brennan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best word I can think of for this book is overrated. It feels forced and unnaturally saccarhine, as if it was trying too hard. If you're reading it for ideas in relation to business management it may - operative word there - have some merit in relation to people skills. If you're reading it for ideas in relation to ministry, don't. Put it down and go read Philip (not Timothy) Keller's A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23. That actually shows you how to minister using the Bible.

Business management books... I don't know why I even bother...

[Jason Grubbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a pastor, I benefited greatly by reading this book. I have read many of Dr. Leman's books before, so I wasn't expecting this kind of format. This is a parable of a professor/shepherd who shares with one of his MBA students principles of managing people by introducing him to his flock of sheep. The principles in the parable will help those in leadership positions in business as well as in ministry. The book is quite short and can be read in several hours.

Principles in the parable include knowing your flock, engaging them on a regular basis, building trust with your followers, keeping your flock well informed, protecting them, using persuasion rather than coercision, helping them when they get in trouble, being willing to pay the price of leadership, and developing a heart for your flock.

[Carola L · Rating 5 out of 5]

A la manera de un pastor

Mucho de mi éxito se lo debo a él, por haberme enseñado los más grandes secretos del liderazgo y administración empresarial del mundo. Me enseñó a inspirar lealtad y dedicación en mi gente. Me enseñó a saber dirigir a las personas de manera que quieran seguirme. No pasa una semana en la que no me vea pensando en él.

Esas fueron las palabras de este hombre quien fue enseñado como ser un líder eficaz. Tremendo libro jamás había visto de esta manera el liderazgo cabe recalcar que he libro mucho libros de este tema. Sin embargo estos 7 principios sirven para la vida en general, sea que seas jefe en una empresa, cabeza de tu hogar o tengas un cargo en la iglesia.

Todos deberían leerlo!

[Terrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great quick read that uses the example of a shepherd to convey seven excellent leadership principles. For those of us who are Christians, a shepherd is definitely an example of a leader that we can relate to intimately. Dr. Kevin Leman and Bill Pentak use the shepherd to convey that as leaders we must know our people as individuals and choose wisely when selecting followers. We must let our people get to know us and protect them by allowing them to feel safe under our leadership. We must love them enough to provide them with direction and correct them when necessary. Ultimately, as leaders we must have a heart for our people.

[Aussch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable and succinctly communicated wisdom that I’ll definitely apply in my life and recommend to others.

I’m not a huge fan of parable style as a form of writing, even still I find that it’s worth bearing with because it helps take wisdom and place it in a thought-provoking context. When the 7 principles are bulleted they are easy to simply nod a head at and simply move on having missed most of the value. This book is long enough to provide helpful stimulation but not too long to belabor the points. 5 Dysfunctions of a Team and Richest Man in Babylon are two other examples of this style that I enjoyed despite the clunkiness of the story telling.

[Daniel Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theodore McBride shares The Way of the Shepherd with a young journalist: McBride tells of the management and leadership lessons that Jack Neuman had taught him decades earlier through shepherding analogies.

I can imagine this book being a timeless, beneficial read for a leader of any kind at any level.

[Louise Hindal · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some good points in a pedantic, cliche format that I hated by the end. When I thought the story was true for the first half chapter, I was enjoying it. It got more and more tiresome as it continued. A fast read though.

[Emily Cauduro · Rating 5 out of 5]

It just goes to show that anyone can be a manager but not anyone should be a manager.

[Lila Diller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend! This was a quick read in the form of a narrative. Each chapter focuses on one of the seven secrets to managing people based on how a shepherd takes care of his sheep. Though the application was made to a supervisor over a team in his new job in the corporate world, this can also apply to every leadership opportunity I can think of – parenting, pastoring, mentoring, leading a small group, leading anybody. If you have anyone you influence, especially in an authority situation but not limited to that, please read this book!

I feel that one of the reasons we have such a hard time with submission is because we really haven't seen what a good leader looks like. And now I know why—because most leaders aren't willing to give of themselves. It's hard work. But it sounds like it's rewarding.

I will be creating a cheat sheet of all the important lessons I learned from this work and posting it on my wall!

Favorite quotes:
“So you have to make a point of knowing not just the status of the work but also the status of your people. Many managers focus too much on their projects and not enough on their people.” (p.25)

“You have to really care about your people. You can go through all the right mechanics, but if you don't genuinely care about the people who report to you, you'll never be the kind of leader they'll drop everything to follow.” (p.27)

“Given a choice between talent and attitude, I'll take attitude every time.” (p.34)

“...[Y]ou're going to make a decision about the way you lead. You can do it from afar, or you can do it up close and personal. You can impress from afar, but to influence, to really leave your mark, you're going to have to do it personally.” (p.51)

“If you act soon enough, an individual problem won't become a flock problem.” (p.65)

“Boundaries aren't bad things; they're good things. Unless, of course, you confuse boundaries with bridles.” (p.74)

“The rod...like the staff, is an extension of the shepherd's arm.” (p.84)

“If a person never indicates they need help when you inquire about their progress, it means either that they don't trust you enough to be honest with you or that you haven't sufficiently challenged them to grow.” (p.93)

“This approach to leadership comes with a high price tag for the leader.” (p.99)

“The quality of your return is based on the quality of your investment... If you give your people halfhearted leadership, you'll get a halfhearted following. But if you invest yourself in them, if you have a heart for them, your people will return your investment with a heartfelt following.” (p.106)

(I received this book as a gift. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions are my own, as was my decision to write a review.)

[Pat Baird · Rating 3 out of 5]

If this book was a milk shake... common grace would be the milk, business leadership would be the ice cream, and Jesus would have been the the whip cream that you wish you had more of. This book was short, extremely concise, and fairly engaging.

This is a book that I would give to business leaders in a congregation that want to think through leadership principles in a redeemed way.

The book is written as a narrative, making it approachable and easy to pace (one sitting read).

3/5

[Yannik Moor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mir hat das Buch sehr gut gefallen, weil es gute Inhalte auf eine romanartige Erzählweise, die sehr angenehm zu lesen ist, vermittelt.

Das Buch ist nicht überladen mit Ratschlägen, sondern enthält genau die richtigen Menge davon. Die Führungsprinzipien werden anschaulich anhand dessen, wie ein guter Hirte mit seiner Herde umgeht, erläutert.

Das Buch ist sehr lesenswert und nur zu empfehlen für jeden, der Menschen leitet, oder leiten will.

[Cordell Spears · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super simple leadership book. Often leadership books are drawn out or hard to follow but The Way of the Shepherd was short and impactful.

I would recommend to anyone who is being managed or aspires to manage. The central point and theme of becoming a shepherd is easy to follow and to set your mind towards.

[Tanner Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this far more than I expected too. If secular leaders actually took these principles to heart, I believe the culture would change.

People would care about one another; there would be shepherds and not hirelings.

This is a work of common grace, I do wish there was emphasis on the one true shepherd; Jesus Christ. His honor and glory was absent in the work.

[Britt Freeman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmmm. Hard to tell if this is just filler to sell books. Seems contradictory or super old fashion. I love the format: teaching through story telling. The tips here feel obvious to deep thinkers who enjoy being decent people, when it doesn’t feel like it’s contradicting itself. To sum up this book “don’t be an asshole, unless it’s time to be an asshole”

[Raissa Idelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prinsip managemen berdasarkan gambaran gembala dan dombanya, cerita dari Alkitab yang dipaparkan dgn contoh aplikasi dlm kehidupan kepemimpinan walau tidak dibahas dengan detail. Pendek dan menginsiprasi

[Susie Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book on leadership if you can get beyond the fact that the analogy they use is humans to sheep. It’s also very Christian, obviously. Regardless the components of leadership are spot on. It’s a great “little gift” or quick read for anyone who wants to be a leader in any field.

[Sam Penn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everett, my Unit Leader and a close friend from the USA, gave me this as a gift to read while working as a cabin leader in the redwoods. It's a little cheesy but its really helped me to understand working with children.