Book Review: Tempered Resilience

 Information about the book

Tempered Resilience: How Leaders are Formed in the Crucible of Change by Tod Bolsinger.  IVP, 2020.

Summary

This books leads the reader through the characteristics and needs of a leader who is leading through adaptive change. Adaptive change is that kind of change for which we have no precedent - we don't know how to solve the problems, and our usual methods for problem solving don't work well.  How do you lead a congregation through that kind of change? How do you change so that you can be that kind of leader?

Impressions

I liked this book from the moment I started reading it. The author is a Presbyterian minister, so his examples include incidences from his own experience as a church leader as well as biblical scriptures. He uses the process of steel-working to make his examples concrete.

I like that his theses and writings strike me as common sense - not easily instituted, but reasonable and not cliché. 

A few quotes:

• Leadership therefore is always about the transformation and growth of a people - starting with the leader - to develop the resilience and adaptive capacity to wisely cut through resistance and accomplish the mission of the group.  (pg 4).
• People do not resist change, per se. People resist loss.  You appear dangerous to people when you question their values, beliefs, or habits of a lifetime. (pg 22)
• While the nomenclature varies, the characteristics of transformational spiritual leaders and organizational change leaders make up a list of attributes for a tempered resilient leader: one that is grounded, teachable, attuned, adaptable, and tenacious.

I recommend this book.

Posts about book

Find my posts about the book with the tag Bolsinger Tempered.