Christian Leadership Development Through Failure and Setback

CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT THROUGH FAILURE AND SETBACK

Part of the LifeandLeadership.com ministry resources on Christian Leadership.

Leadership development is a universally recognized necessity for all leadership styles and approaches, especially with transformational leadership and empowerment. Ministry resources convey the theme that leaders must develop in at least two ways. First, and most important, is their walk with God through the experiences of life. This concentrates not so much on the “doing” as the “being” of the leader. It stresses the importance of an authentic walk with God and genuine spirituality which manifests itself through an increasingly Christ-like character, and consistently high standards of ethical and moral conduct. The second area of leadership development covers the skill sets necessary for leadership competence, encompassing both relational and task dimensions.

This resource guide, Leadership Formation Through Failure and Setback, acknowledges that most leaders do not grow in a linear, constantly upward trajectory. Most experience significant disappointments, some of them attributable to their own mistakes, others that come from unplanned life circumstances, or perhaps others resulting from mistreatment by friends or enemies. The lives of many great leaders are filled with stories of rising from very low points and persevering to recover honor, respect, and effectiveness on the other side. The resources below tell many of those inspiring stories and suggest helpful principles.

John Maxwell, Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes Into Stepping Stones — One of Maxwell’s best books, offering fifteen principles and real life examples on how to redeem mistakes and failures.
Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End — Kanter, a renowned Harvard Business professor, interviewed 300 leaders to discover how some recovered the confidence to overcome setback while others set in motion a cycle of failure.

**Resources listed in recommended order, unless alphabetical

This is one of several Pathways to Leadership Development that are featured on LifeandLeadership.com:

See also the Leadership Index and the overall Ministry Resource Index for annotated guides on over 100 related issues. LifeandLeadership.com will expand significantly on this resource list in the section on Spiritual Formation which is in development.