The top 20 business books for church leaders

by Dr. Alan Nelson

While working on a doctorate in leadership, I began a hobby which has gotten a little out of hand. I started collecting leadership books. I'm now up to 600! I used to buy nearly anything that had leader or leadership in the title or subtitle, but after awhile I realized that just because a book says leadership on the cover doesn't mean it’s about leading.

Conversely, there are some that never mention the word, but are great resources on influencing people and changing organizations. When people discover that I have so many books on the topic, I'm often asked, "Which ones would you recommend?" I usually follow the question to uncover what alligators the leader is currently wrestling. Some books hit us better at specific times.

Having said that, there are some basic leadership texts I recommend. While this list is my opinion and will likely be updatable in a few months with so much literature coming off the presses, most of these are timeless books worth a read. Because transition is a big deal right now, I've included a few of my organizational change favorites. Most of the cutting-edge leadership books are in the for-profit arena because corporations tend to be on the front end of the organizational evolution. Since organizations are but social manifestations of people, we do well to pay attention to what others are thinking, even if the context is different. A savvy church leader should be able to glean wisdom that can be useful as we strive to improve our ministries and churches. Following is a list of 20 books from the business sector which have direct applications to the church world. The list is in no specific order.

1. Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge by Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus is a seminal work that covers the basics of leading.
2. Leading Change by John Kotter deals with the leader’s role in change.
3. Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within by Robert Quinn takes an honest look at organizations seeking change.
4. On Leadership by John Gardner, a deep thinker who goes beyond the everyday obvious.
5. The Leadership Challenge by James Kouzes and Barry Posner is a classic on challenges leaders face.
6. Leadership is an Art by Max DePree is a generalist’s practical look at leading with a light Christian flavor.
7. Mind of a Manager, Soul of a Leader by Craig Hickman differentiates leading from managing.
8. Re-imagine! by Tom Peters; you’ll love it, especially if you're ADD.
9. Good to Great by Jim Collins is hyped in church circles but generally worth it, food for thought.
10. Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, et al covers emotional intelligence in the context of leadership.
11. Leadership and the One Minute Manager by Ken Blanchard provides simple but practical situational leadership training.
12. The Managerial Mystique: Restoring Leadership in Business by Abraham Zaleznik is another look differentiating between leaders and managers, since most churches are over managed and under-led.
13. Leadership Without Easy Answers by Ronald Heifetz; the title says it well, beyond basics.
14. Principle-Centered Leadership by Stephen Covey covers simple stuff but deserves emphasis.
15. Why Change Doesn't Work by Harvey Robbins and Michael Finley offers keen insights on why good attempts at transitioning fail and how to avoid them.
16. Managing Transitions by William Bridges is classic, short and laden with good quotes.
17. Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing by Harry Beckwith focuses on what leaders need to know in selling intangibles.
18. Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It by James Kouzes and Barry Posner; the title says it well in context of leadership.
19. Leadership and the New Science by Margaret Wheatley; the personable leader discusses how the leadership paradigm has changed.
20. Servant Leadership by Robert Greenleaf et al is not a smooth read but a classic in the field, emphasizing servanthood.

Your favorite might not be on the list. My top 20 changes from month to month, but this is a start. The most important thing is that you keep immersing yourself in the field of emerging ideas as you keep your ax sharp. Leaders are readers. Don't just read a book; underline/highlight, take notes in the margins and disagree. Better yet, discuss key concepts among your staff so that together you can develop a culture which is leadership-oriented. Noel Tichy, in "Leadership Engine," (snuck in #21 without you realizing it) tells us that great organizations intentionally raise and turn out leaders, who in turn multiply effectiveness, not to mention providing for succession from within. You can't make time, but you can take time to stay fresh.

Alan Nelson, Ed.D. has a doctorate in leadership from the University of San Diego. He is the author of a dozen books and has over 600 leadership books in his collection. A pastor for over 20 years, he is a church change consultant and leadership development trainer and coach. Learn more at www.leadingideas.org. You can contact him at alan@leadingideas.org