I was recently asked by a colleague to help put together a list of some resources for lay leaders in the Church. What I put together is by no means complete, but it does include a number of resources that I have found extremely helpful in the six years I have served as a catechetical leader in our diocese.
In the interest of sharing, here’s the list I supplied:
Books
- Allen, David. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (Penguin Books, 2001).
- Catmull, Ed. Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration (Random House, 2014).
- Collins, Jim. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… And Others Don’t (Collins Business, 2001).
- Drucker, Peter. The Effective Executive: The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done (HarperBusiness Essentials, 2006).
- ——-. Managing the Nonprofit Organization: Principles and Practices (HarperBusiness, 2006).
- Garrido, Ann M. Redeeming Administration: 12 Spiritual Habits for Catholic Leaders in Parishes, Schools, Religious Communities, and Other Institutions (Ave Maria Press, 2013).
- Heifitz, Ronald A., and Martni Linksy. Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leadership (Harvard Business School Press, 2002).
- Lowney, Chris. Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company That Changed the World (Loyola Press, 2005).
- Patterson, Kerry, et al. Crucial Conversation: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High (McGraw-Hill, 2002).
- Shaw, Russell. Catholic Laity in the Mission of the Church: Living Out Your Lay Vocation, Expanded Edition (Chartwell Press, 2013).
- United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord: A Resource for Guiding the Development of Lay Ecclesial Ministry (USCCB, 2005).
Websites
- Intentional Leadership by Michael Hyatt (www.michaelhyatt.com)
- Manager Tools Podcast (www.manager-tools.com)
- Thom Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources (www.thomrainer.com)
Films
- 12 Angry Men (dir. by Sidney Lumet, 1957)
- Amazing Grace (dir. by Michael Apted, 2006)
- Apollo 13 (dir. by Ron Howard, 1995)
- Chariots of Fire (dir. by Hugh Hudson, 1981)
- Chicken Run (dir. by Peter Lord and Nick Park, 2000)
- Jiro Dreams of Sushi (dir. by David Gelb, 2011)
- Mr. Holland’s Opus (dir. by Stephen Herek, 1995)
- Office Space (dir. by Mike Judge, 1999)
What leadership resources have you found helpful in your ministry?