Daniel Im

Pastor + Author

book review

Book Review: Primal Leadership – Goleman, Boyatzis, McKee

By

The following is an analytical book review of Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee’s Primal Leadership.

The thesis of Goleman, Boyatzis, and McKee’s Primal Leadership is that it is neither a high IQ nor masterful skills that truly make a leader – the key essence is a high level of emotional intelligence.

This emotional intelligence helps leaders create resonance, which is “a reservoir of positivity that frees the best in people” (Location 46). Leaders can do this by moving between the six different leadership styles, while also increasingly growing in the four emotional intelligence domains. If leaders grasp these truths, then the impact across their lives, teams, organizations, and society will be revolutionary. [Read more…] about Book Review: Primal Leadership – Goleman, Boyatzis, McKee

Book Review: A Theology as Big as the City – Ray Bakke

By

The following is an analytical book review of Ray Bakke’s A Theology as Big as the City.

Ray Bakke is the Chancellor, Distinguished Professor of Global Urban Ministry and Urban/Global Leadership, and a member of the Board of Regents at Bakke Graduate University. He is an author and also the founder of International Urban Associates, which is a network of urban-based church and mission leaders from many of the world’s largest cities.

With the increase in urbanization and urbanism, and with the increasing trend of the world moving into cities, a lot of new challenges are arising. Despite the demographic, missiological, ecclesiastical, and financial challenges that are accompanying this increase, the primary challenge is theological.

Thus, the thesis of this book is that God is not just interested in our personal needs and problems, but he is also interested in the city, and the engagement that Christians have with our “external-world reality” (Location 73).

[Read more…] about Book Review: A Theology as Big as the City – Ray Bakke

Book Review: The Starfish and the Spider – Brafman and Beckstrom

By

The following is an analytical review of Ori Brafman’s and Rod Beckstrom’s The Starfish and the Spider.

Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom are both authors, entrepreneurs, and MBA graduates from Stanford. Brafman is not only interested in thinking and writing about leadership and organizational dynamics, but he also is a practitioner who has put many of his principles into practice. For Beckstrom, his areas of specialty are cybersecurity, global issues, and organizational strategy and leadership. Furthermore, he has diverse leadership experience that ranges from being a CEO to working for the US Homeland Security.

The Starfish and the Spider is a compelling book that uses the symbolism of a starfish and a spider to describe the importance of decentralization in life, culture, and economics.

The thesis is that every organization needs to move towards decentralization, in some manner or form, if they are to not only exist, but also thrive in the future – in other words, the rules have changed.

Spanning across the book, the authors outline eight principles of decentralization, which they use to explain their thesis: [Read more…] about Book Review: The Starfish and the Spider – Brafman and Beckstrom

Book Review: Built to Last – Collins and Porras

By

The following is an analytical book review of Collins’ and Porras’ Built to Last.

Jim Collins is a prolific researcher, writer, and teacher of enduring great companies. He graduated from Stanford University with degrees in business administration and mathematical sciences. He also used to research and teach at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Jerry I. Porras is the Lane Professor of Organizational Behavior, Emeritus, at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Like Collins, he is also interested in the characteristics of visionary companies, especially focusing in on the organizational components. He received his BSEE from Texas Western College, his MBA from Cornell University, and his Ph.D from the University of California.

The authors have two primary objectives: to develop a conceptual framework based on the common dynamics and characteristics of highly visionary companies, and to effectively communicate these concepts so that they are useful to others (Location 459). In doing this, they discovered that all visionary companies have a core ideology, an unrelenting drive for progress, and an organizational structure to preserve the core and stimulate progress (Location 4974). The specific methods that companies use to implement those requirements may change and are the topics in part two of the book. [Read more…] about Book Review: Built to Last – Collins and Porras

Book Review: The Mentor’s Guide – Zachary

By

Book jacketLois Zachary does not only set out the basic principles and best practices of mentoring in The Mentor’s Guide, she actually goes a step further and helps readers discover their own personal mentoring style and preferences.

Through many exercises, she guides the reader through introspection and action. Thus, she not only conceptually ties mentoring to adult education, but she actually writes in a manner according to the principles of adult education.

Consequently, she challenges the prevailing myths of mentoring, and proposes a model of mentoring where both mentor and mentee are fully engaged and learning from one another. Her proposed model is one that is based on critical reflection and application, rather than knowledge transfer and acquisition (Location 300).

[Read more…] about Book Review: The Mentor’s Guide – Zachary