Through the use of a story the authors communicate methods of leadership practiced by Christ in the light of today’s world. Jesus’ ultimate service was to the individual. With that goal in mind, the effective leader will be able to draw those he leads into the same philosophy directing their energies toward setting the customer as priority rather than their boss. The net result is very satisfied customers and company growth. Effecting a change in philosophy in a company that has always worked in a top down management style is difficult, but achievable. Expecting the change to propagate through the organization over night is impractical. One must draw people into the philosophy as Jesus did.

Leadership requires that people be effective. One of the pitfalls of mankind is the lack of character development and balance. We look to the television to shape us, consequently leaving ourselves in a state of ruin. The author is trying to communicate the need to have a sense of balance in our lives while at the same time providing tools to that end. Balance has the side-effect of being effective. Consequently, Covey relates seven principles of effective people:

• having personal vision
• being focused on the final outcome
• manage your own live well before trying to manage others
• looks for the win/win scenario when leading others
• be empathic in your communication, listen
• realize the whole is greater than the sum of all the parts
• keep yourself in balanced self-renewal
• Remember that the Lord works from the inside out.

The author identifies four emerging trends behind the agends of change and renewal in schools: 1) The movement from information acquisition as the primary focus of schooling to information management and knowledge creation, 2) The movement from school as closed organisation to school as community, 3) The movement from certainty to ambiguity, and 4) The movement from a focus on inputs to a focus on outcomes. These trends are the driving force behind a retrofit of leadership qualifications listed by the author.

The principle of mentoring was set forth in Scripture and effectively portrayed in the lives of not only our Savior, but also several believers found in the Biblical text. Mentorship involves tough love along with sensitivity to meat the person where he is. My favorite quote in the book comes from page 83: “O the comfort, the inexpressible comfort, of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts, nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as it is, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keeping what is worth keeping, and then, with a breath of kindness, blow the rest away.” This would require that the mentor take a genuine loving interest in the person he is mentoring.
Another interesting quote is found on page 162: “The parable of the Great Supper reveals that a preoccupation with the insignificant makes it impossible to bring priorities into perspective. Rarely does the Spirit of God shout at a person.”

Taking his cue from Hesse's Journey to the East, Greenleaf puts forth the axiom: that anyone in the role of leadership needs to realize that the terms Leader and Servant are interchangeable. The leader is servant first and leader later. Moreover, it is the obligation of those who aspire to be leaders to look to the whole individual when developing leadership goals rather than production outcomes of the organization. Institutions (which are the people, p. 136) are servants to their constituency, trustees are servants to the institutions and so forth. Of particular interest to this reader was his discussion of ethics and manipulation; that the words manipulation and management have a common root in manus giving the warning to avoid the tendency to manipulate people when managing them - it is unethical. Greenleaf's impact on society as a consequence of this book has resulted in the rise of the Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership.

Erwin wrote the book to share principles that rescued him and are capable"of freeing the church to become what Jesus designed it to be" (p. 5). In the process of presenting Jesus as the man who walked this earth, Erwin brings out several important leadership principles: the leader must be servant, and must exemplify the behavior he wishes to inspire in those he or she leads. They are not to "Lord it over" those they lead, but be humble, considering themselves least of all. They must not do things to mount up their own reputation. Those in leadership must be obedient to the principles of Scripture even to the point of death. In other words, the leader must study Christ to a science and implement Christ's behavior.

This book is a parable about four characters that respond differently to the requirement for change. The resources of a community began to run out. Sniff and Scurry saw "the hand writing on the wall" and immeadiatly began looking for new ones. Hem and Haw remained behind hoping that somehow the pile of cheese would be repleantished. Later, Haw learns to adapt and follows Sniff and Scurry's example only to find that change leads to something better.

The author is trying to communicate that as long as you do not face yourself, both the ugly and good, a direction that you may choose to take in life likely will be wrong. In order to know your vocation or calling, one has to truly know one's self and understand that God may open doors or close them to indicate direction. Unlike most publications Palmer is extraordinarily open and honest when relating personal illustrations to make his point.

This book points out deep change is not for the faint hearted. It is cyclic in nature and must start with the self before it can be moved to the organization. Risk will always be a component. You must he totally honest with yourself and those in the organization to insure deep change. You must be well equipped in an understanding of change and the political systems wherein you are engaged before you begin a change initiative. You must also, not ignore the members of the organization – they have much to contribute and if they are unwilling to follow, there will be no hope of change. Change must be embraced and not feared.

There is so much material in this book with regard to shaping one’s thinking about his/or her walk with Christ one hardly knows where to begin an analysis. Suffice it to say that the author is communicating a belief that Christians have been short changed with regard to the teachings of Christ and what it means to be His disciple. Once we truly understand what God has done for us and the love He holds for us there can only be the response of engaging in a deep intimate relationship with Him. There are several quotes taken from Dr. Willard's book in the quotes section of these pages.