How to Lead When You're Not in Charge

How to Lead When You're Not in Charge by Clay Scroggins and Andy Stanley

While the content is generally applicable, many of the examples are related to the author's experience as a southern church pastor. There is the story of how chic fil-a started serving milkshakes. (A local manager decided to experiment with ways to do it. He did not keep quiet about it, but did not spend too much time bragging. He had built up trust with the higher ups and was able to demonstrate how it worked well.) In another example, the church team advocated taking off Memorial Day Sunday after seeing another church do that with success. At first, the attempt was shot down. However, they later presented evidence and built up a solid case for giving volunteers some time off so they could come back stronger for the summer.

The core message is that leadership and authority are different. Leadership does not need authority. A position of authority works best for somebody that is already a leader. True leadership requires understanding others and helping them to achieve their maximum potential - whether they are above you or below you in the hierarchy. Being positive is key. Even when you seek change, doing it from a position of positivity is the best way to get it done.