The Tortoise Usually Wins
Overview
The Tortoise Usually Wins is a delightful exploration of the theory of quiet leadership. Written for reluctant leaders, it interacts with three key biblical images of leadership—the leader as servant, shepherd and steward—and links them with some of the key virtues of quiet leadership—modesty, restraint, tenacity, interdependence and other-centeredness. Exploding the myth that the good is the enemy of the best, it argues that the reverse is more often true, with images of unattainable perfection crippling competent people from getting on with the task of doing genuinely good things. The book strips leadership of some of its mystique, arguing that the bulk of leadership is about helping groups decide the right things to do and then getting on and doing them in an atmosphere that brings the best out of others.
Brian Harris is the principal of a highly regarded theological seminary and also pastors a thriving local church, so the book carries the wisdom of both professor and pastor, satisfying the reader both intellectually and practically. These insights are supplemented by interviews with significant quiet leaders from around the world, ensuring a rich feast for prospective and current reluctant leaders.
In the Logos edition, this volume is enhanced by amazing functionality. Scripture citations link directly to English translations, and important terms link to dictionaries, encyclopedias, and a wealth of other resources in your digital library. Perform powerful searches to find exactly what you’re looking for. Take the discussion with you using tablet and mobile apps. With Logos Bible Software, the most efficient and comprehensive research tools are in one place, so you get the most out of your study.
- Provides encouragement for those who do not identify as “natural” leaders
- Explores the theory of quiet leadership
- Drills into the core qualities needed in an effective leader
- Combines the insight of a professor and pastor with other exemplary leaders from around the world
- Strips leadership of its crippling mystique
- The Tortoise Usually Wins: The Theory of Quiet Leadership
- Servant, Shepherd and Steward: A Theology of Quiet Leadership
- Becoming and Doing: Ethics and Virtues Which Shape Quiet Leaders
- Discovering Your Voice: The Journey of Quiet Leadership
- Challenging Our Excuses: Quiet Leadership and Character Development
- Results Matter: Quiet Leadership and Optimizing Outputs
- Casting Vision, Reshaping Paradigms: Quiet Leaders as Change Agents
- What Others Become: Quiet Leadership and Helping Others Shine
- From Leadership to Leaderships: Getting Teams to Work in the Same Direction
- Beyond Dreaming: Quiet Leadership and the Management/Leadership Juggle
- Some Tortoise Triumphs: Quiet Leadership in Practice
Top Highlights
“Christian leadership recognizes three realms of accountability. First the Christian leader is accountable to God, second to the people they are called to lead and third to the group of people who should benefit by what the group is doing but who are currently outside of its orbit.” (Page 23)
“Meekness is ‘gentleness with the strength of steel’. It is strength of personality under God’s control” (Page xv)
“quiet servant leaders follow the lead of Christ and serve the best interests of the group they are called to lead” (Page 22)
“Sometimes victory goes not to those who could most easily attain it, but to those who desire it the most” (Page 2)
“How does this benefit the people we are trying to impact?’ as opposed to ‘How does this benefit us?’” (Page 181)
Books on leadership are today two a penny. Just occasionally, however, one of these books might stand head and shoulders above most of the others, and to my delight The Tortoise Usually Wins falls into that category. Furthermore, so many books on leadership are written for natural leaders; whereas, as the author makes clear, most churches are led by ‘quiet leaders’ who know they are not great, but nonetheless, are ‘tenacious and committed to the task and willing to work co-operatively with others to achieve it.’ I can see many church leaders benefitting from this book. I warmly commend this unusual book.
—Paul Beasley-Murray, senior minister, Central Baptist Church, Chelmsford
- Title: The Tortoise Usually Wins
- Author: Brian Harris
- Publisher: Paternoster
- Publication Date: 2013
- Pages: 200
- Christian Group: Reformed
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Topic: Ministry Resources
Reviews
1 rating
Glenn Crouch
4/26/2017
First let me state that is was a pleasant surprise to realise that the Author of this book is a fellow Western Australian. I must admit most Leadership books, especially on Christian Leadership, have been American and I often find that the cultural differences do cause problems. So, for me at least, that wasn't a problem. I would also acknowledge that the Author is Baptist (whereas I am Lutheran) and that does give us some different views on Church government and leadership. Overall, I think this is an excellent book on leadership that is easily accessible to anyone in leadership. Though aimed more at Christian Leaders, it does include Leadership in Business (including community-based organisation) that has application to all leaders, Christian or not. Like most books of this genre, I would recommend you mine it for what is applicable in your situation. The downside I see is that Pastoring seems to be treated just as another leadership role. Whilst I very much agree that it is a leadership role, and thus much of what the Author has to say is applicable, it is also more than that. Whilst there is a danger if we don't run our Christian Schools and Charities as good and prosperous businesses, there is also a danger of seeing Church just as another business. Jesus was often counter-cultural, and I think in Leadership within the Church, we have to make room for that. The majority can be wrong if they go against Scripture. The failed programme may not have really failed as we take into account the work of the Holy Spirit. And that last point, is why I only give this 4/5. A book on Leadership aimed at Christians really needs to have more emphasis on the Holy Spirit. Still when we often see bookshops overflowing with leadership books, this is a good one to get and read.
