Leading from the Second Chair (eBook)

The Authors Mike Bonem has been a consultant to churches, judicatories, and businesses for more than twenty years. His company, Kingdom Transformation Partners, offers coaching and leadership development for first and second chair leaders. Roger Patterson is the associate pastor of West University Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, where he has served for eight years. He is a second chair leader who loves to invest in the development of other leaders for the expansion of God's Kingdom.

About Leadership Network vii

Foreword ix
Greg L. Hawkins

Preface xi

1. Living in the Paradoxes 1

2. Am I a Second Chair Leader? 11

The First Paradox Subordinate-Leader

3. Taking It from the Top 27

4. Crossing the Line 43
A Word to First Chairs on the Subordinate-Leader Paradox 61

The Second Paradox Deep-Wide

5. A Matter of Perspective 71

6. Building the Team . . . One Relationship at a Time 83

7. Putting It into Practice 98
A Word to First Chairs on the Deep-Wide Paradox 111

The Third Paradox Contentment-Dreaming

8. Contentment in the Second Chair 121

9. Dreaming in the Second Chair 136

10. Leaving the Second Chair 151
A Word to First Chairs on the Contentment-Dreaming Paradox 164

Epilogue 169

The People Behind the Stories: Profiles of Second Chair Leaders 171

Bibliography 177

Acknowledgments 179

About the Authors 181

Index 183

"In Leading From the Second Chair, Mike Bonem and RogerPatterson take a fresh and rare approach to leadership byunleashing some invaluable principles and guidelines specific tohealing to the second tier leader. Wherever you are in yourorganization, this book is sure to help you appreciate the uniquechallenges and valuable contributions of all those who lead fromthe second chair."
-- Ed Young, senior pastor, Fellowship Church

"Bonem and Paterson tell the truth about leading from the secondchair. Leaders will be set free to lead to their true potentialbecause of the practical and profound insights in this book."
-- Dan Reiland, executive pastor, Crossroads Community Church

Find Out How to Lead Effectively--Even When You're Not inCharge

"Somebody said the hardest instrument to play is second fiddle.But since Jesus had one or two things to say about serving andsubmitting, this is a rich field. Mike Bonem and Roger Pattersonhave addressed a key need with wisdom and clarity."
--John Ortberg, author, If You Want to Walk on Water, Get Outof the Boat; teaching pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church

"The mission of an organization either hangs together or fallsapart at the critical interface between first and second chairs.This helpful volume from seasoned practitioners identifies andaddresses the character, competencies, and chemistry that make foreffective second chair leadership. It's a book for you, no matterwhich seat you're in."
--Reggie McNeal, author, The Present Future; director,Leadership Development, South Carolina Baptist Convention

"The Bible is full of strategic leadership partnerships: Mosesand Aaron, Mordecai and Esther, Paul and Silas, and even theTrinity. Each one demonstrates individual gifts being cojoined formaximum ministry effect. Leading from the Second Chair articulatesand celebrates the necessity of God's strategicpartnerships."
--Mike Slaughter and Kim Miller, lead pastor and creativedirector, Ginghamsburg Church

"If you are a second chair leader, are considering a secondchair role, or work with a second chair leader, this book is amust-read! Mike Bonem and Roger Patterson have done a superb job ofdefining the living paradoxes a second chair leader deals with dayin and day out. Don't consider a second chair role without readingthis book first."
--Warren Schuh, executive pastor, Calvary Community Church

"Leading from the Second Chair targets the misunderstood andoften unrecognized paradoxes of empowered second chair influence.Leaders in the twenty-first century church can avoid tragicpitfalls while leveraging the powerful contribution of second chairleaders by understanding and engaging the experience-forgedinsights in this important book."
--Jared Roth, vice president, International Church of theFoursquare Gospel