Mike Bonem and Roger Patterson, Leading from the Second Chair: Serving Your Church, Fulfilling Your Role, and Realizing Your Dreams. Jossey-Bass, 2005.
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LifeandLeadership.com Summary
Leadership Network always produces quality material, and one of the authors of this volume, Mike Bonem, was a contributor to a highly acclaimed work, Leading Congregational Change. Here, Bonem teams with Patterson to address the character, competencies, and chemistry that make for effective second-tier leaders. From the days of Moses and Aaron, the dynamic partnership between first and second chairs has been critical. The book elevates the role of “second fiddle” and instructs readers how to operate confidently without being threatening to the senior leader. In fact, at the end of each section, the book addresses the first chair leader directly, making this an excellent resource for team-building. The authors tackle tough subjects like the subordinate-leader paradox, the deep-wide paradox of minutia vs. big-picture leadership, and the contentment-dreaming paradox. The epilogue includes some inspiring profiles of second chair leaders.
From the Publisher
Leading From the Second Chair will raise awareness of the need for strong leaders in secondary positions. It will describe the value they can bring to their organization and to primary leaders when they are serving at their full potential. It will reshape the way they view their role, with an emphasis on their own responsibility as leaders. It recognizes the unique challenges and frustrations of serving in a subordinate position and equips these leaders with the attitudes and skills that they will need to survive and thrive in this new paradigm.
Because of the scarcity of resources for second chair leaders, particularly those in the church, this book will offer a practical way to improve the performance of any organization. Leading Congregational Change discussed the importance of a “vision community”—a diverse group of key members who discern and implement the vision for a congregation—to guide the transformation of a church. This work will extend the theme of an empowered leadership team as we explore how individual clergy and laity can lead effectively.
About the Author
Mike Bonem has been a consultant to churches, judicatories, and businesses for more than twenty years. His company, Kingdom Transformation Partners, offers coaching and leadership development for first and second chair leaders.
Roger Patterson is the associate pastor of West University Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, where he has served for eight years. He is a second chair leader who loves to invest in the development of other leaders for the expansion of God’s Kingdom.
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