The first time I taught a Christian leadership class at Valor Christian College, I was simultaneously choosing and reading the texts I would be teaching from and applying for a master’s degree program in leadership from Mid-America Christian Leadership. Fortunately I got good advice on a couple of texts.
One of them was The 360 Degree Leader by John Maxwell. A Maxwell book is always a safe choice for a leadership class at a Christian college. He pastored a church near our home early in his career, and their school is where Jonah attended kindergarten. I learned later that he taught evangelism to our pastor, who went on to found Valor Christian College. One of the best lectures I gave that semester was based on a section of that book, about the five levels of leadership. Years later I found a CD of the lecture (classes were recorded in those days) and I listened to it a few times on trips when I wanted to convince myself that I could still be a decent professor.
Maxwell expanded the section I taught from into its own book. I bought it when it was new but only recently got to read it. There’s plenty of inspiration in The 5 Levels of Leadership for anyone on the path to leadership. I especially valued his final chapter about his interactions with the late John Wooden.
It seems to me that this book could best be used by a leader over the course of a career. Read the initial chapters to realistically determine which of the five levels you’re occupying now, and then focus on the section dealing that level in the text (most sections include information about how to get to the next level).
My advice would then be to use the book as a reference, referring to it throughout one phase of your leadership experience, and referring to it again when you’ve attained the next level of leadership, repeating the process for as long as you’re being advancing on the logical path that Maxwell has identified.
I liked this book a lot and I can imagine I’ll teach from it often in the years to come. If you’re serious about becoming a more productive leader throughout your life and career, this is an outstanding guide.
The Sycamore Project 