what i read: courageous leadership by bill hybels

i love this book and feel like it's a must-read every two years or so. while it's definitely not without it's dry parts, it does include lots of useful training in leadership...

what i liked:

• stories - hybels has an allegory or illustration for everything, and sometimes multiple (see below). i do enjoy the illustrations for the way they help you imagine his principles playing out.
  
• hybels helped me identify the kind of leader i am from a list of 10 different descriptions. i like self-assessment.
  
• doesn't just talk about vision, but talks about how to turn vision into action.
  
• gives great coaching on raising resources.
  
• spent more time focusing on the internal disciplines and the spiritual health of the leader than he did on the principles.

what i disliked:

• some dry stretches...
  
• stories - two-edged sword. toward the end, when i just needed to reach the finish line, i started scanning and skipping over the illustrations - which are quite numerous.

what i read: practicing greatness by reggie mcneal

another leadership gem, with the "self help" style that i do love... i'll confess up front that i only scanned and read the bits that stuck out and grabbed my attention, because i was on a tight deadline. what i read was helpful and really good, so i've stuck it back in my "must-read" pile for a more thorough study.

what i liked:

• helped me identify areas i need to focus on in my own self-development.
  
• it's an intellectual read - there's some psychological discussion and you definitely have to have your thinking cap on.
  
• the guy who owned my copy last highlighted all the right parts. ;)
  

no "dislikes" on this one... next time i read it, i'll have more to say, i'm sure.

what i read: experiencing God, by henry blackaby

i set a lofty goal for myself this month - there were 5 books i needed to read, not including two fiction books i've also been working through. this week, i finished up blackaby's "Experiencing God", which was the second book i've crossed off my may reading list.

what i loved: as much as i love hearing the philosophy behind a principle or ideology, sometimes i just need to be told how to do it. blackaby has nicely paired theology with practicality, including several reflection questions throughout each chapter, as well as several exercises one can do to help them draw nearer to God. blackaby's theology is spot on, and he clearly speaks from a lifetime of devoted service and personal relationship with God.

what i didn't love: each chapter could have been more succinct. some of the illustrations were powerful, others seemed redundant.

overall: i'd highly recommend this book. i borrowed it this time around, but have since ordered a copy for my library. i know i'll go back to it, especially for those spiritual exercises.

what i read: leading on empty by wayne cordeiro

first book completed on my ambitious may reading list (7ish books!) - "leading on empty" by wayne cordeiro. this was an excellent and easy read. (there's alot to be said for well-spaced pages - you cruise through the book and feel like you're making incredible progress.)

while written for leaders who have burnt out or are going down in flames, it was a useful read for me. i'm a fairly extreme personality - high highs and low lows - so when i'm under-rested, depending too much on my own strength, or trying to hard to live up to other people's standards, i tend to become very unreasonable.

it's probably good that i read this now - while i'm in something of a "high high". i was able to apply a few things to my routine immediately, which will help prevent me from hitting those low lows.

what i liked: cordeiro is vulnerable. he tells his story with an honesty that reminded me that i'm not alone. he also included a few chapters on his own personal spiritual care routine, which keeps him grounded - this was helpful to me, as i've been considering establishing an intention routine.

what i disliked: n/a - also, i finished it a few days ago, so i'm not sure i can recall any complaints. :)