Abstract
Acknowledging an abundance of literature regarding effective leadership, Keith Lamdin seeks to contribute something different. Within this book Lamdin offers an overview of different leadership styles in an effort to inspire careful thought about the different shapes leadership can take. Identifying discontent, vision, and courage as three elements integral to leadership, Lamdin builds upon this initial impetus for leadership by developing and exploring six leadership paradigms. Each occupying one chapter, these include monarch, warrior, servant, elder, contemplative, and prophet. Integrating a diverse set of authors ranging from business experts to church leaders from different denominational backgrounds and none, as well as quoting both Shakespeare and Scripture, Lamdin outlines basic characteristics of each paradigm and challenges the reader to consider the positive and negatives of each. While Lamdin recognizes the paradigms of monarch and warrior to be among the most common, and also potentially the most unsustainable, he otherwise does not prescribe any one way for effective leadership. Rather than offering a step-by-step handbook for leadership, Lamdin attempts to inspire careful thought about possible leadership paradigms and styles. Specifically orientated towards ministers and other church leaders, Lamdin draws upon his own experiences in leadership, as well incorporating examples from literature, the Bible, and elsewhere.
While the interjection of numerous personal stories and experiences often aid his writing, the reader may encounter a couple of points that do more to reveal the author’s personal attitude and opinion, rather than aiding an overview of leadership. After exploring the six paradigms of leadership that occupy the majority of the book, Lamdin closes with a chapter on how leaders may think about taking care of themselves amidst the many demands of leadership. Here Lamdin offers practical advice for church leaders, such as developing relationships of support and cultivating self-awareness, and even self-differentiation, while also acknowledging some of the distinct challenges for leadership in church settings. Recognizing that all are capable of leadership, Lamdin closes by reasserting that leadership is something that also takes effort and practice, but with intentionality and time, all may live into leadership roles.