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Practicing Greatness: 7 Disciplines of Extraordinary Spiritual Leaders (Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series) 1st Edition, Kindle Edition
Often spiritual leaders do not aspire to greatness for fear of seeming to lack humility. Yet greatness in spiritual leadership is just what we need—in our churches, our businesses, in education, in the social sector, in every sector of society. The question is how do good spiritual leaders become great leaders?
Based on his extensive experience as coach and mentor to many thousands of Christian leaders across a broad spectrum of ministry settings, Reggie McNeal helps spiritual leaders understand that they will self-select into or out of greatness. McNeal shows how great spiritual leaders are committed intentionally to seven spiritual disciplines, habits of heart and mind that shape both their character and competence:
*The discipline of self-awareness—the single most important information a leader possesses
*The discipline of self-management—handling difficult emotions, expectations, temptations, as well as mental and physical well-being
*The discipline of self-development—a life-long commitment to learning and growing and building on one's strengths
*The discipline of mission—maintaining the sense of God's purpose in your life
*The discipline of decision-making—knowing the elements of good decisions and learning from failure
*The discipline of belonging—nurturing relationships and living in community with others
*The discipline of aloneness—the intentional practice of solitude and contemplation
“Practicing Greatness is a hard-hitting leadership book.” —from the Foreword by Ken Blanchard, author of The One-Minute Manager and Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time
- ISBN-13978-0470469422
- Edition1st
- PublisherJossey-Bass
- Publication dateMay 20, 2010
- LanguageEnglish
- File size2.5 MB
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Editorial Reviews
Review
–Insights magazine (Sept. 2008)
Review
―from the Foreword by Ken Blanchard, author of The One-Minute Manager and Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time
"The depth and breadth of wisdom in this book is just short of unbelievable. Good leaders aspiring to be great leaders will do well to read this book and allow it to probe and shape their lives."
―Bill Easum, Easum, Bandy & Associates
"I have always been challenged by Reggie McNeal’s ‘right on’ insights. And this book is packed with ‘right on’ insights for any leader wanting to move from good to great."
―Robert Lewis, pastor and men’s fraternity founder, Fellowship Bible Church, Little Rock, Arkansas
"Someone once taught me a powerful lesson: ‘If you are without discipline, you are without power.’ In this revitalizing work, Reggie has tapped into a power source for all leaders―disciplines. Grab hold of this book and begin a newly charged life today!"
―Wayne Cordeiro, New Hope Christian Fellowship O’ahu, Honolulu, Hawaii; author of Culture Shift: Transforming Your Church from the Inside Out
"We owe Greatness to God. Reggie McNeal challenges us to this standard and gives us some practical ‘how-tos’ in this clear and compelling new book. I recommend this book for all who aspire to a meaningful Halftime and Life II."
―Bob Buford, author, Halftime and Finishing Well; founder and chairman, Leadership Network
From the Inside Flap
Based on his extensive experience as coach and mentor to many thousands of Christian leaders across a broad spectrum of ministry settings, Reggie McNeal helps spiritual leaders understand that they will self-select into or out of greatness. In this important book, McNeal shows how great spiritual leaders are committed consciously and intentionally to seven spiritual disciplines, habits of heart and mind that shape both their character and competence:
The discipline of self-awareness the single most important body of information a leader possesses
The discipline of self-management handling difficult emotions, expectations, temptations, mental vibrancy, and physical well-being
The discipline of self-development a life-long commitment to learning and growing and building on one's strengths
The discipline of mission enjoying the permissions of maintaining the sense of God's purpose for your life and leadership
The discipline of decision-making knowing the elements of good decisions and learning from failure
The discipline of belonging the determination to nurture relationships and to live in community with others, including family, followers, mentors,and friends
The discipline of aloneness the intentional practice of soul-making solitude and contemplation
Practicing Greatness goes beyond mere clichés and inspirational thoughts to be a hard-hitting resource for leaders who aspire to go from being just good enough to being a great leader who blesses others.
From the Back Cover
Often spiritual leaders do not aspire to greatness for fear of seeming to lack humility. Yet greatness in spiritual leadership is just what we need―in our churches, our businesses, in education, in the social sector, in every sector of society. The question is how do good spiritual leaders become great leaders?
Based on his extensive experience as coach and mentor to many thousands of Christian leaders across a broad spectrum of ministry settings, Reggie McNeal helps spiritual leaders understand that they will self-select into or out of greatness. In this important book, McNeal shows how great spiritual leaders are committed consciously and intentionally to seven spiritual disciplines, habits of heart and mind that shape both their character and competence:
THE DISCIPLINE OF SELF-AWARENESS―the single most important body of information a leader possesses
THE DISCIPLINE OF SELF-MANAGEMENT―handling difficult emotions, expectations, temptations, mental vibrancy, and physical well-being
THE DISCIPLINE OF SELF-DEVELOPMENT―a life-long commitment to learning and growing and building on one’s strengths
THE DISCIPLINE OF MISSION―enjoying the permissions of maintaining the sense of God’s purpose for your life and leadership
THE DISCIPLINE OF DECISION-MAKING―knowing the elements of good decisions and learning from failure
THE DISCIPLINE OF BELONGING―the determination to nurture relationships and to live in community with others, including family, followers, mentors, and friends
THE DISCIPLINE OF ALONENESS―the intentional practice of soul-making solitude and contemplation
Practicing Greatness goes beyond mere clichés and inspirational thoughts to be a hard-hitting resource for leaders who aspire to go from being just good enough to being a great leader who blesses others.
About the Author
Reggie McNeal currently serves as the missional leadership specialist for the Leadership Network of Dallas. He has over a decade of experience as a denominational executive and leadership development coach and has served in local congregational leadership for over twenty years, including being the founding pastor of a new church. He has lectured and taught as adjunct faculty for multiple seminaries and has served as a consultant to local church, denomination, and parachurch leadership teams. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Columbia, South Carolina.
Product details
- ASIN : B008N9IQRE
- Publisher : Jossey-Bass; 1st edition (May 20, 2010)
- Publication date : May 20, 2010
- Language : English
- File size : 2.5 MB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 183 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #750,258 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #180 in Christian Leadership (Kindle Store)
- #270 in Religious Leadership (Kindle Store)
- #303 in Clergy
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

Reggie enjoys helping people, leaders, and Christian organizations pursue more intentional lives. He currently serves as the Missional Leadership Specialist for Leadership Network of Dallas, TX. Reggie’s past experience involves over a decade as a denominational executive and leadership development coach. He also served in local congregational leadership for over twenty years, including being the founding pastor of a new church. Reggie has lectured or taught as adjunct faculty for multiple seminaries, including Fuller Theological (Pasadena, CA), Southwestern Baptist (Ft. Worth, TX), Golden Gate Baptist (San Francisco, CA), Trinity Divinity School (Deerfield, IL), and Columbia International (Columbia, SC). In addition, he has served as a consultant to local church, denomination, and para-church leadership teams, as well as seminar developer and presenter for thousands of church leaders across North America. He has also resourced the United States Army Chief of Chaplains Office, Air Force chaplains, and the Air Force Education and Training Command. Reggie’s work also extends to the business sector, including The Gallup Organization.
Reggie has contributed to numerous denominational publications and church leadership journals, including Leadership and Net Results. His books include Revolution in Leadership (Abingdon Press, 1998), A Work of Heart: Understanding How God Shapes Spiritual Leaders (Jossey-Bass, 2000), The Present Future (Jossey-Bass, 2003), Practicing Greatness (Jossey-Bass, 2006), Get A Life! (Broadman & Holman, 2007). His latest book, Missional Renaissance: Changing the Scorecard for the Church (Jossey-Bass, 2009) details the three shifts that church leaders must make to engage the missional movement and offers suggestions for a different scorecard to reflect missional ministry.
Reggie’s education includes a B.A. degree from the University of South Carolina and the M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees both from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Reggie and his wife Cathy, have two daughters, Jessica and Susanna, and make their home in Columbia, South Carolina.
Customer reviews
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- Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2007This has become one of my all-time favorite books on the subject of leadership (and I've read books by some of the most well-know leadership experts).
Usually I run into two problems with other leadership books. First, some of them are just boring to me. Sometimes I have felt like I'm reading through some dry, academic work. This is not too fun--it seems counterintuitive to try to sharpen your skills with a dull book. Secondly, some leadership books are too repetitive and vague. The information kind of runs together, with one chapter looking suspiciously like the previous chapter.
McNeal's book is different. It was a joy to read, and each of the 7 disciplines made a lot of sense to me. Practicing Greatness is more about being a leader than "doing" leadership roles. This book further confirmed my decision to stay in my current ministry and continue to do something that I'm gifted for and passionate about.
I hope you'll take time to read it.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2013I'm within a year of retirement from 35+ years as a Senior Pastor. This book contains a lot of practical applications and lessons I had to learn the hard way. So it’s a “must read” for young new leaders (and not just pastors) of today. Now that I'm looking at a change in direction for future ministry, this book and Reggie McNeal’s book, THE PRESENT FUTURE: Six Tough Questions, gives me the courage to take the next step and make the paradigm changes necessary to be an apostolic leader that our new culture and world demands. Now maybe I’ll be free to do what God has really been calling me to!
- Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2018When I was given this book expected it to be just another leadership book with practices and principles. However, what I found was an author that was relatable enough to see myself in. As he wrote with ancient wisdom and compassion he took me on a journey that dove deep in my soul and propelled me forward. I highly a recommend this book.
- Reviewed in the United States on May 30, 2012Reggie McNeal offers great help to all Christian leaders. He demonstrates that great spiritual leaders need to be people who depend on God, then take God;s counsel and act upon it. He also demonstrates ways Christian leaders are and allow themselves to be, thwarted in their desire to provide great Christian leadership. This book is a "must read" for all Christian leaders, whether in a spiritual community or in the world. The spread of such principles to the world would revolutionize the art and practice of leadership.Practicing Greatness: 7 Disciplines of Extraordinary Spiritual Leaders (Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series) 1st (first) edition
- Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2022A great help with completing an assignment for school on leadership.
- Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2018Highly recommended! Brimming with wisdom, full of relatable stories, and packed with practical ideas you can put in place immediately to take steps toward becoming a better spiritual leader. This is one I will pass down to my sons.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2021Really happy with the purchase. I ordered a used copy but it came in almost new condition.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2024It covered a ton of critical areas. But Little depth.
It's frustrating to raise a critical issue... Only to move to another topic. There is no resolution and maybe that is the goal of the book to pursue the real 1:1 help we need.
Top reviews from other countries
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DersonReviewed in Brazil on January 10, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars busca da excelência
Esse livro nos desafia a abandonar a mediocridade e crescer como líderes espirituais em busca da grandeza e Excelencia em todos os níveis.