As missional enterprise leaders, skill in task leadership is vitally important. However, to become truly transformational leaders we also need to develop “emotional intelligence” (EQ) to enable us to make a deep, lasting impact in the organizations and people we are entrusted to lead.

In their book Rare Leadership, authors Marcus Warner and Jim Wilder combine insights from the scriptures, the field of brain science, and decades of experience leading in many diverse spheres to explore the keys to the emotional maturity every leader needs.

Summarizing the purpose of the book, they state that:

. . . the thesis of this book is that there are four uncommon habits developed by high-capacity leaders that distinguish them from “common leaders” whose attention is diverted by problem-solving and driving toward results. These four habits all relate to the fast-track system in the brain.

Using the acronym “RARE,” they describe the four uncommon habits as follows:

• Remain Relational
• Act Like Yourself
• Return to Joy
• Endure Hardship Well

The book is split into two sections. The first introduces the so-called “fast-track” processes in the brain and the more relational leadership habits associated with them. The second section explains the practices needed to develop these habits. Each chapter ends with a short “Brain Science for RARE Leadership” section, which gives a deeper dive into the physical and theoretical bases for what has been shared.

We at Navigators Missional Enterprise have found great benefits from reading, reflecting upon, and beginning to apply the insights from Rare Leadership 1, and have especially benefitted from the focus on joy as the fuel for leadership.

For a short (less than four minutes) overview of the book by one of the authors (Dr. Warner), check out the video link below:

https://youtu.be/BirAp6A80rg

Verse(s) of the Week:

And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them. Psalm 78:72 (NIV)

Let’s ask God this week to develop both “skillful hands” and “integrity of heart” as we lead the people and organizations he has entrusted to us.

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