The Keys to Unlocking Their Potential
November 29, 2004
Williams—senior v-p of the NBA's Orlando Magic, former general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, author (How to Be Like Mike
) and a motivational speaker—draws on the lessons he's learned as a Christian, a father (of 19 biological and adopted children) and a sports executive in this book on training and inspiring children to become future leaders. After interviewing more than 500 well-known leaders, including Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, leadership guru John Maxwell and Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig, Williams concludes that effective leaders aren't born but made. He outlines seven steps to becoming an effective leader: "see a vision," "be a communicator," "build good people skills," "build good character," "build competence," "be bold" and "be a servant." Using Jesus as his model, Williams points out that the best leaders pursue their roles not for power but to serve. Not surprisingly, Williams claims that getting children involved in sports is the best way to begin teaching them leadership skills, but he also allows for other avenues, such as scouting and the arts. While Williams's core premise—that developing young leaders is a "top goal" for parents—is certainly arguable, readers who do place leadership high on their list of hopes for their children won't be disappointed by this amiable and instructive text. (Jan.)
Forecast:
Williams is a big name in the Christian market, and targeted TV and radio interviews will lure in those readers. And the book's inclusion of celebrity leaders—many who aren't publicly affiliated with the Christian faith—expands the potential readership.
November 15, 2004
Williams, a veteran coach, NBA executive, motivational speaker, and father of 19, presents a Christian motivational guide for parents, coaches, and church youth leaders. As he notes with the example of the Columbine High School tragedy of 1999, young people, "natural" leaders or not, need guidance and good examples from adults in order to navigate this dangerous world and possibly make it better. Looking for "fresh insights," he interviewed thousands of leaders from all areas of expertise and geographical region, including George McGovern. The problem is that these many personal stories and lofty insights soon suffer from a lack of judicious editing. Where one or two quotes per section would have been inspirational and ample to illustrate the "Seven Keys to Effective Leadership," Williams provides several more than necessary, so that the book ultimately reads like an overly long parental homily. Still, it is suitable for larger Christian parenting and motivational collections.-Kay Hogan Smith, UAB Lister Hill Lib., Birmingham, AL
Copyright 2004 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 15, 2004
Williams, a veteran NBA executive, draws on his own experience with and observations of motivational and sports figures such as Jerry West, Red Auerbach, and George McGovern to examine the nature of leadership and how parents can encourage leadership abilities in their children. Part 1 defines leadership, formal and informal, and encourages parents to see themselves as their children's first teachers and coaches. The second part outlines the seven qualities of effective leaders and devotes a separate chapter to each: vision, communication, people skills, character, competence, boldness, and servanthood. Part 3 details how parents can mentor their children in developing leadership abilities. Williams notes that there are different ways to be leaders; that leadership is not always directing but can also entail persuading, unifying, and perfecting. Williams' perspective is faith based and relies heavily on sports images, but parents can gain valuable insights on unlocking their children's potential.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2004, American Library Association.)