Mentality To Lead

By Benjamin Blankenship and Dr. Allen Smith

INTRODUCTION TO LEADERSHIP

- Dr. Allen Smith -

Years ago, I preached a message on leadership in the church that I pastored at the time. This

message was not about the world concept about leadership. I was about the Biblical concept of

leadership. There is a big difference in the two concepts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Benjamin Blankenship
• Release date: May 3, 2021
• ISBN: 9781087966144

Book preview

COPYRIGHT 2021

MENTALITY

TO LEAD

DEDICATION

  I’d like to dedicate this book to everyone who looks out into the world and wants to be more. Leadership like anything else does not solely hinge on desire, but ability, thus everyone should not be a leader. However, with that said, we all should strive to step it up and govern ourselves well. If we can’t rule over ourselves, then we shouldn’t rule over others. This book is intensionally short as it is meant to be an easy and insightful read.

  Given the nature of the subject matter, I felt that its audience might be rather busy. Hopefully, you enjoy it; if so please consider leaving a positive review online and such. That goes a long way for an author. Happy reading.

Smart people learn from everything and everyone, Average people from their experiences, Stupid people already have all the answers.

Socrates

CONTENTS

DEDICATION

pg.

_______________________________________________

EPIGRAPH

pg.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

pg.

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INTRODUCTION

pg. 1

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CHAPTER 1:

The Parable of The Leader Who Acted Like A Loser

pg. 3

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CHAPTER 2:

The Parable of The Boss Who Could Do Better

pg. 42

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CHAPTER 3:

Managing The Man In The Mirror

pg. 65

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CHAPTER 4:

The Secret of Leadership

pg. 73

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR(s)

pg. 95

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Very much of this book is filled with observations that I’ve made regarding leadership. Whereas my first book Thank God For Women Preachers entailed a large amount of study, added to what I already knew, I’ve lived the things that I’ve written within these pages. The words within the chapters simply flowed out of me over the course of a few nights. In my life, there have been leaders who’ve been instrumental in shaping me. Some were excellent and kind. Others, or if we’re honest, most, acted the fool and I subsequently had it penned on my heart not to ever be like that person.

  Thereby, I’d personally like to extend a huge and long overdue thank you to several superb leaders who I’ve genuinely been proud to be placed under in work and ministry. My former supervisor and manager at J.C. Penney (Knoxville, Tennessee; West Town Mall), Phoebe Isenberg & Janie Obrien who I served under for 8 years have always been a bright spot in my life. It’s people like them that keep a person steadily working at a place for so long with an upbeat attitude. Really, there were several managers there during my employment who made it extremely pleasant. In an addition to that, I like my coworkers very much. Janie and Phoebe have long since retired from the retail chain. I count working with them of the highest honor.

  From a much earlier point in my life, I’m thankful for my childhood pastor Rev. Robert Ed Dobson (North End Church of God; Toledo, Ohio). Being a clergyman, I’ve known a lot of ministers. Really, some of them make that regrettable. The word Friend isn’t one that I use often, nor did I as a child. However, I always felt so loved by him and saw him as a friend. He worked a full-time job a Nabisco, mowed the church’s lawn, visited people in the hospital, really did everything that the perfect model of a pastor would. He was also an outstanding bass player. Brother Dobson has been one of the kindest men I’ve ever known.

  I’m thankful for all of the leaders who’ve not been dismissive of me or others. I’m thankful for all of them who were able to see the people working with them or under their lead, beyond only seeing themselves. Those leaders who both reason with their head and heart, those leaders who listen and sincerely evaluate what people are saying to them, those leaders are a blessing and I thank you. I’m appreciative of my friend and fellow author Dr. Allen Smith who I asked to contribute to this book. I like to work with writers who I enjoy reading, hence he was asked.

  Additionally, I'm thankful for the faithful congregants at Benchmark Church (Oliver Springs, Tennessee), and so many friends who've been supportive of my ministry, literary publications, and so forth. I’m thankful for my darling wife, Victoria, and so many other family members for their love and prayers. Thank you to the various churches, organizations, and individuals who’ve been reading and supporting my works. Know that I pray for you all.

INTRODUCTION TO LEADERSHIP

- Dr. Allen Smith -

  Years ago, I preached a message on leadership in the church that I pastored at the time. This

message was not about the world concept about leadership. I was about the Biblical concept of

leadership. There is a big difference in the two concepts.

This book takes a different look at leadership than you have ever seen before. It is more than a

How To book. It gives you examples of different leadership styles and explains what is right

and what is wrong with each one. It points out things that I have never thought about before.

There is no doubt that leadership is often misunderstood, and much of the time it is the leaders

themselves who are the ones who misunderstand leadership the most. This book does an

excellent job in bringing this fact out.

With wisdom, wit, and biblical teaching, this book will give you a good foundation of what leadership

is. Leadership is not about titles, status, and power. Real leadership comes from a faithful life and

humble spirit. Real leadership qualities are God-given, and their true effectiveness can only be

reached when they are used for the glory of God. Do not forget, God is more concerned about a

leader’s character than a leader’s success.

Finally, this book closes out with the biblical concept of leadership. I urge you to not only read it, but

to study it. With this book and God’s help, you can become the leader God wants you to be. When

you lean on the Lord and you learn from His example of perfect leadership, you will see lives

transformed, beginning with your own!

- CHAPTER 1 -

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THE PARABLE OF THE LEADER WHO ACTED LIKE A LOSER

- Benjamin Blankenship -

  The workplace, positions of authority, and such are all issues that I have strong opinions about. Often it’s not something that’s put out there in a scriptural context, even though Good Stewardship and so forth have roots in The Bible. People were broken down into ranks beneath Moses, the decedents of Levi were given the Priesthood, decedents of Judah were in the ruling class. Even amidst all of that someone was always governing over something. Jesus’ parables were loaded with stories that used the work place as an analogy.

  A man hired some people to tend his vineyard. Three men were given talents and the master came back to see how they’d invested them. There was an unjust steward who robbed his boss blind so he fired him and said let all those scumbags you cheated me for help you… If you know people, you know that employee was an idiot who those supposed friends will leave to die.The list goes on and on. Due to all of this and really just life, I felt like it might be an interesting thing to tackle writing on and about leadership in a no holds barred book that paints a clear picture between hitting the mark and missing it all together. 

  To momentarily go offtrack, I’ve always hated filling out resumes. Honestly, in my life, they’ve never done me any good. It’s caused me to feel that way. It’s like fishing. I’m not good at it. The only bites I get are from mosquitoes, so I have a strong distaste for fishing, due to my record of failure within it.