Impacting Others Through Teaching and Leading

The title of this blog is my life purpose, relating to Luke 12:48, “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”

Much is Given

The words “much is given” has nothing to do with a free handout, and the phrase is coupled with “to whom much has been committed.” These words involve my purpose in life and what God has given me in the way of gifts and talents, and what experiences, joys, hardships, and tragedies that have entered my path over the years.

Life is Full of Choices

The question I face everyday is, what do I do with everything mentioned in the previous paragraph and how do I use them to impact people? That boils down to choices. When I have an answer to the previous question then I have a choice of what I am going to do. One of those choices was authoring a book.

Why I Wrote The Furnace of Leadership Development

Since the mid-1990s, my wife, daughters, and many of my co-workers encouraged me to write a book so I could share my experiences and lessons learned with others. Some of my fondest memories as a fire department battalion chief were the times I visited with the crews and during mealtimes. Often, we discussed leadership, decision-making, personal development, and lessons learned. The desire to do the same thing and impact others beyond my personal reach compelled me to author the book.

Why Should You Read The Furnace of Leadership Development?

Have you ever read a book where the author writes stories about mistakes other people make, but they only talk about their successes? I have a few of those books on my shelf. The Furnace of Leadership Development is not like that. I write about my good, my bad, and my ugly. Why? Because people relate more to authentic examples then to hypothetical illustrations or academic research. They draw parallels to their own lives, make practical applications, and grow. Readers learn: