A thoughtful guide that will help us grow into more confident leaders and well-rounded individuals.
Are you reaching for success but unsure where to turn for trustworthy advice? While broadly about leadership, Pursue the Exceptional is a thoughtful guide that will help us grow into more confident leaders and well-rounded individuals. The format is spectacularly simple with ten easy-to-grasp principles explained and their application made clear. This book ties relevant biblical principles to the ideas of contemporary experts who have arrived at the same conclusions from more secular perspectives. The result is guidance that is never preachy or heavy-handed, but accessible and friendly, perfect for anyone who wants to take advantage of time-tested leadership strategies. Tackling everything from the necessity of working hard to the counterintuitive benefits of humility, Jeremy Fudge helps readers appreciate many small, intentional actions that enhance both work and life.
Though the book is not fiction, the author is an engaging storyteller, incorporating moving personal examples, anecdotes, and humor. Every illustration, story, and funny observation drives home a practical point for individuals to apply in their unique leadership capacities. The chapter Deliver Excellence begins with a stop at an opulent hotel, a scene the author paints vividly. Then, in dramatic fashion, the opulence is marred by a lipstick smudge on a drinking glass, a fitting illustration of the need to execute the highest standards. As the author notes, there are a few universal principles that have been proven over time, characteristics that can be observed in the most effective leaders. One practical strategy for achieving goals involves making a plan and then taking small, incremental steps toward the larger objective. This approach is not only effective in business but is a reliable method when striving toward nearly any goal. If you’ve researched leadership methods recently, you’ve likely come across the servant leadership philosophy, but Fudge offers perhaps the most concise explanation of this approach yet. Audiences will appreciate the levity of an author who quotes from Warren Buffett, Eminen, and the Apostle Paul in the span of a couple of paragraphs, demonstrating the value of accepting good advice from any source. Though the principles are not complicated, the onus lies with readers willing to put in the work. Pursue the Exceptional is an extremely approachable look at ten highly effective ways for individuals to improve in any leadership role.
