Tod Bolsinger, the author of Canoeing the Mountains, is uniquely positioned to explore the qualities of adaptive leadership in contexts ranging from churches to nonprofit organizations. He deftly examines both the external challenges we face and the internal resistance that holds us back. Bolsinger writes: To temper describes the process of heating, holding, hammering, cooling, and reheating that adds stress to raw iron until it becomes a glistening knife blade or chisel tip. When reflection and relationships are combined into a life of deliberate practice, leaders become both stronger and more flexible. As a result, these resilient leaders are able to offer greater wisdom and skill to the organizations they serve.
In just a few weeks, everything changed. Hopes that we would soon return to normal quickly faded as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world. Christian leaders have been forced to deal with the loss of in-person gatherings, devastating financial hits, and the heightened anxiety of facing a future with no clear understanding of what it may look like. What does ministry require now? And how can those who feel the burden of leading in this unprecedented context be equipped for their calling?For decades, Tod Bolsinger has helped leaders learn to adapt to a rapidly changing world that seminary training had not prepared them for. Now he has provided a unique resource applying some of his key insights to the current global crisis. Leadership for a Time of Pandemic draws from Tod's popular book Canoeing the Mountains to describe the basics of adaptive leadership in uncharted territory. Then, in a preview of his forthcoming book Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Crucible of Change, he focuses on how to create a rule of life in order to stay resilient.This brief, timely audiobook is an ideal resource for leadership teams to explore together. Christian leaders in any context will find wisdom and encouragement to provide the kind of resilient leadership that has never been so necessary.
