Leading from the Second Chair: Serving Your Church, Fulfilling Your Role, and Realizing Your Dreams - Hardcover

by Mike Bonem (Author), Roger Patterson (Author)

LEADING FROM THE SECOND CHAIR will raise awareness of the need for strong leaders in secondary positions. It will describe the value they can bring to their organization and to primary leaders when they are serving at their full potential. It will reshape the way they view their role, with an emphasis on their own responsibility as leaders. It recognizes the unique challenges and frustrations of serving in a subordinate position and equips these leaders with the attitudes and skills that they will need to survive and thrive in this new paradigm.

Because of the scarcity of resources for second chair leaders, particularly those in the church, this book will offer a practical way to improve the performance of any organization. Leading Congregational Change discussed the importance of a "vision community"--a diverse group of key members who discern and implement the vision for a congregation--to guide the transformation of a church. This work will extend the theme of an empowered leadership team as we explore how individual clergy and laity can lead effectively.

Front Jacket

LEADING FROM THE SECOND CHAIR

They say it's lonely at the top. And it can be even lonelier when you are almost at the top. Church leaders who hold second chair positions are under tremendous pressure. They are expected to do their jobs and provide leadership but defer to the top leader, too. It's a demanding balancing act. How can they lead effectively while serving under someone else's leadership?

Leading from the Second Chair offers an invaluable resource to leaders who serve in second (and third and fourth) chair roles, enabling them to become more productive, proactive, and fulfilled. The book reveals the paradoxes of second chair leadership. These leaders must be subordinate to the top leader yet lead in their own right. They should be deep in their expertise but wide in perspective. And they must be content in their jobs yet remain enthusiastic about their dreams for the future.

Mike Bonem and Roger Patterson share their own and others' experiences of failure and success in this vital role. They offer support and practical advice for reshaping the way second chair leaders can serve well and improve the overall performance of their church or organization.

Leading from the Second Chair equips readers with the positive attitudes, skills, and strategies needed to become powerful leaders who will survive and thrive in God's service.

Visit the Leadership Network Website, www.leadnet.org, for more innovative resources and information.

Back Jacket

Find Out How to Lead Effectively-- Even When You're Not in Charge

"Somebody said the hardest instrument to play is second fiddle. But since Jesus had one or two things to say about serving and submitting, this is a rich field. Mike Bonem and Roger Patterson have addressed a key need with wisdom and clarity."
--John Ortberg, author, If You Want to Walk on Water, Get Out of the Boat; teaching pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church

"The mission of an organization either hangs together or falls apart at the critical interface between first and second chairs. This helpful volume from seasoned practitioners identifies and addresses the character, competencies, and chemistry that make for effective second chair leadership. It's a book for you, no matter which seat you're in."
--Reggie McNeal, author, The Present Future; director, Leadership Development, South Carolina Baptist Convention

"The Bible is full of strategic leadership partnerships: Moses and Aaron, Mordecai and Esther, Paul and Silas, and even the Trinity. Each one demonstrates individual gifts being cojoined for maximum ministry effect. Leading from the Second Chair articulates and celebrates the necessity of God's strategic partnerships."
--Mike Slaughter and Kim Miller, lead pastor and creative director, Ginghamsburg Church

"If you are a second chair leader, are considering a second chair role, or work with a second chair leader, this book is a must-read! Mike Bonem and Roger Patterson have done a superb job of defining the living paradoxes a second chair leader deals with day in and day out. Don't consider a second chair role without reading this book first."
--Warren Schuh, executive pastor, Calvary Community Church

"Leading from the Second Chair targets the misunderstood and often unrecognized paradoxes of empowered second chair influence. Leaders in the twenty-first century church can avoid tragic pitfalls while leveraging the powerful contribution of second chair leaders by understanding and engaging the experience-forged insights in this important book."
--Jared Roth, vice president, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel

Author Biography

The Authors

Mike Bonem has been a consultant to churches, judicatories, and businesses for more than twenty years. His company, Kingdom Transformation Partners, offers coaching and leadership development for first and second chair leaders.

Roger Patterson is the associate pastor of West University Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, where he has served for eight years. He is a second chair leader who loves to invest in the development of other leaders for the expansion of God's Kingdom.