Overcoming the Dark Side
The theme of this book is the “Dark
Side” of leadership. It looks at the paradox between the traits we all have
that drive us to succeed as leaders, and how these same traits that help us
succeed, are also the traits that can potentially bring out the dark side of us,
causing our downfall and possible ruin. The
issue is that every leader has a dark side within them that can ultimately
destroy their life if they do not learn to recognize it and control it.
This book will help its reader accomplish three things. First, it will help the reader gain an understanding of what the dark side is. Second, it will assist the reader on how to discern where the dark side is hidden within them. And third, it will give the reader some specific steps for overcoming the dark side that is lurking in their life before it blindsides them.
The authors of this book present their ideas in an easy to follow format that make for an easy read. They do a superb job in reemphasizing their main points of each chapter in the “Targeting Insights” section, located at the end of the chapter. They also do a great job in assisting their readers to apply the information they are reading by having them complete the “Applying Insights” section that follows the “Targeting Insights” at the end of each chapter. The questionable part of the book for me was the overemphasis of the psychological effects each person had while growing up. Rather than placing the blame on each persons choice to disobey God, and calling sin for what it is, sin. I got the impression that the individuals used as examples in this book – ranging from King Solomon all the way to Bill Clinton – were not being held responsible for their sin, but instead, their poor choices and disobedience to God was attributed to their dysfunctional upbringing. However, even with this questionable blame placement, the authors did a wonderful job in defending their thesis, and equipping their readers with some practical tools to protect themselves against their dysfunctional upbringing and/or sin nature.
This book will help its reader accomplish three things. First, it will help the reader gain an understanding of what the dark side is. Second, it will assist the reader on how to discern where the dark side is hidden within them. And third, it will give the reader some specific steps for overcoming the dark side that is lurking in their life before it blindsides them.
The authors of this book present their ideas in an easy to follow format that make for an easy read. They do a superb job in reemphasizing their main points of each chapter in the “Targeting Insights” section, located at the end of the chapter. They also do a great job in assisting their readers to apply the information they are reading by having them complete the “Applying Insights” section that follows the “Targeting Insights” at the end of each chapter. The questionable part of the book for me was the overemphasis of the psychological effects each person had while growing up. Rather than placing the blame on each persons choice to disobey God, and calling sin for what it is, sin. I got the impression that the individuals used as examples in this book – ranging from King Solomon all the way to Bill Clinton – were not being held responsible for their sin, but instead, their poor choices and disobedience to God was attributed to their dysfunctional upbringing. However, even with this questionable blame placement, the authors did a wonderful job in defending their thesis, and equipping their readers with some practical tools to protect themselves against their dysfunctional upbringing and/or sin nature.
