Kim Gentes

I've read business books. I've read leadership books. But what I haven't read is a real, honest-to-goodness, practical play-book of how to do small business. Until now. Dave Ramsey's book, EntreLeadership, is just that- a fairly comprehensive and integrated manual for growing small businesses that (whether they know it or not) will need training in leadership development and core business skills.  For those that don't know, Dave Ramsey is a radio show talk personality who largely is known for his on-air advice to callers on the topic of personal finance. Something of a combination of Suzie Orman and Clark Howard, with Christian values contextualizing his perspective, Ramsey is strongly opinionated but has proven to be practical and effective as an advisor on money matters, especially concerning the topic of debt.

Ramsey's advice and radio show have been the centerpiece of a company that also sells products and training services to millions of people looking to manage their finances and pay off their debts. The success of his sales of those goods and services has turned him into the leader of a small but growing and successful enterprise in its own right. The author clearly knows what it takes to actually build a business, and he understands how to effectively dissect and represent good thinking about the strategies that can be transferable to other people. In short, Ramsey is as capable a coach as he is an implementer, and this is a rare trait.

EntreLeadership not only defines the generalities of vision, mission and goals, he gives play-by-play details on very well thought out execution plans for sales, marketing, employee management, financial oversight, leadership and much more.  Actually, I found that Ramsey abbreviates points I've heard in other books, but does so with sharper focus than other business "leaders" who tend to leave their advice open-ended to work with various situations. Dave Ramsey is more "black-and-white" than most. And to be frank, this makes his book worth its weight in gold because he doesn't mince words. He has some opinions about how to get things done - sales for example- and they are about 99% right. I caveat the remaining 1% because he falls trap ever so slightly to one of his own mentioned vices- believing his own press.

I suspect that this comes from Ramsey's unflappable personality, but more than once, the author expounds his success as a validation of his book. For sure, this is essential for any great teacher- do first, then teach to do. Ramsey's success is certainly a proof for his passing on his wisdom. But his salesmanship bleeds through. In the introductory section of the book, Ramsey goes from saying "our tremendous success"1 to declaring "This is the personal play-book of an ultra-successful EntreLeader."2 in just a few sentences. Microsoft, Dell Computer and Chick-Fil-A are examples of "ultra-successful" leaders and companies (all examples that Ramsey acknowledges in his book). But self-identifying Ramsey's company as "ultra-successful" seems comically ill-advised.

However, that minor brush of hype aside, no small business leader should pass by a chance to read this book and put its points into practice. It really is a succinct and arduously well organized course that can do nothing but help anyone trying to "make it big" with their big idea.  Ramsey is a great doer and an even greater instructor. Don't skip over EntreLeadership. You can't afford to. It's that good.

Amazon Book link: http://amzn.to/1cnWXKR

Review by Kim Gentes

1. Ramsey, Dave (2011-09-20). EntreLeadership: 20 Years of Practical Business Wisdom from the Trenches (p. 2). Howard Books. Kindle Edition. 

2. Ibid. Pg. 2

[Free Devotional Download "7 Sacred Steps" from writer Dan Wilt- see at the bottom of the review.]

OK. Confession time. I'm one of those people who prays everyday, and reads most days. For a long time, I would go on the "energy" of a scripture section, allowing the concepts, fused as they are with a perfusion of love and truth, to propel me through an ongoing desire to read and meditate on the Bible. But what I found is that I actually need to be more intentional about my devotional life. Not because God is standing over me, frowning for my lack of enthusiasm, but because at the core of my human condition is a lack. A lack of the real material of heaven that is required to live life on earth.

When I feed regularly on the scriptures, my soul is filled with what Jesus promised - "a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." But often enough, as silly as it sounds, I just forget or let myself become overwhelmed with the cares of daily life that I don't leave enough space in my day for meditations on God's word. When I lose focus, I find it is helpful to reset myself by using a guidebook or plan to help structure/lead my devotional time. The last month, I was privileged to get an early copy of Dan Wilt's "A Well-Worn Path" book. 

It was just the kind of simple structured path I needed to get my daily walk into a regular rhythm again. I've read a number of things Dan has written, and this may be his most piercing work yet. He doesn't mince words or paint pictures for pages. He gets to the heart of an issue in short order. Each scripture. Each day.

In fact, as I read each day through, I felt as though the devotionals were a sort of scriptural, even prophetic, declaration over my life. "Believe, Then See", "Enter Light", "Cease Worry", "Do Good", "Create With God", and on it went. Rather than giving placid generalities, Wilt throws a spear into the heart each day, by taking the most poignant edges of scripture and punctuating it with a simple phrase of instruction. After a further paragraph or two of clarity he offers up a prayer that we can join in immediately.

The devotions are simple, one page, and a pure gasp of clean air from the atmosphere of heaven. Much of Dan Wilt's writings are crafted stories and imagery meant to bring you into the heart of the matter. "A Well-Worn Path" is much more direct and works well as a month-long progression that doesn't tire you out from his style or topics. In fact, the nice thing about using a well-written devotional like this is that the choice of topics makes the journey authentic and prone to learning. I wouldn't have chosen to challenge myself in the same way the author does, and this is good. We are often too easy on ourselves.

Having gone through the devotional, I can honestly and completely recommend it to you. It is powerful, succinct and absolutely worth-while. In my opinion, it is Dan Wilt's best writing yet.

Amazon Book Link:  http://amzn.to/18RRXdx

Review by Kim Gentes

DOWNLOAD! Check it out below!

Be sure to chime in and let us know what you thought (post comments) and you are welcome to share this with friends on Facebook and twitter with your friends. 

Free Devotional Download "7 Sacred Steps" from author Dan Wilt

[Free Devotional Download "5 'Makes' of Great Relationships" from writer Dan Wilt- see at the bottom of the review.]

 I've read a lot of books that deal with Christian topics, but many of them diverge into two camps:
A) theoretical advice that falls far afield from the reality of having to live here on earth, and
B) personal stories of victory and rescue that seem as foreign and contrived as movie fiction with no connection to what might actually help me.

What I love about Dan Wilt's book here is that he is our "everyman" talking about real life stories that meet you and I on the playing field of life, not some super-stardom miraculous happenings that never seem to happen to you and I. Dan talks about moms, dads, children, working, friends, struggles and real life- and shows the absolutely glorious rays of hope that shine into our lives from the source of true hope- God Himself. I won't share details of these stories because they are rich in their reading and well worth the individual time to digest one a day until you've filled up with the kind of life-giving inspiration Dan weaves with words. Dan's gift is story-telling, and judging from the 2 million listeners he speaks to each week, there is little doubt that his message is heard, loud and clear.

I've had plenty of tough times, personally, and the stories Dan tells are part of a diet of encouragement that our world is desperately in need of. And it's not just because they are clever stories. Rather, it is because the center of his hope-telling is the person of Jesus, in whom all Dan's stories source their glistening ray of light.

I love this book because I can read something reasonably sized for my busy day and just let it digest for 24 hours. Some times I feel like a story is good enough for a few days. But I like that the book is set up for busy people like me. The story is powerful but succinct. Each story has a theme, a real life application and a foundational scripture verse he ties things together with.

I can't recommend this book enough. Really, it is a great treasure.

Amazon Book Link:  http://amzn.to/1fYNCut

Review by Kim Gentes

DOWNLOAD! Check it out below!

Be sure to chime in and let us know what you thought (post comments) and you are welcome to share this with friends on Facebook and twitter with your friends. 

Free Devotional Download "5 Makes of Great Relationships" from author Dan Wilt

I've spent the last 15 years evaluating and recommending resources for worship ministries, churches, leaders, musicians, vocalists, audio/video techs and pastors. I've even written a book highlighting the best of those resources that I've found relevant to worship and music. But in that time and search, I've yet to recommend a resource that completely covers the topic of how to lead worship. There are several books and DVDs and resources that drill down on specific details, skills, issues or ideas- all of them good and needed. But what I was looking for was the one book that could serve as the manual or textbook for those with a calling to leading worship.  My search has ended.

In "How To Lead Worship Without Being a Rock Star", Dan Wilt has crafted a values-based approach to the calling, development and practice of worship leading. As the title indicates, Wilt is as concerned with answering the question of why to lead worship as he is to how. Right from the start, the author identifies the 800lb gorilla in church music: the fact that leadership of sacred worship has collided with the "American Idol" pop-culture on the Sunday morning music platforms of churches around the world. Wilt's pithy phrase brings these tensions into crystal clear focus in his introduction:

Excitement and danger - that is the privilege of worship leading.1

From that place, the book takes the reader on an eight chapter course that will engage all the necessary components of development to bring a person through detailed information, study, evaluation and questioning- all as a means to growth into worship leadership. The first chapter drills deep into the subject of why we worship and why leading is a part of local church expression of worship. This flows nicely into the second chapter which continues to carve out the foundations by addressing the core values that we must have undergirding our understanding and practice of worship leading. The final foundation stone of his book comes in chapter three, which is titled "The Character of the Worship Leader", in which the reader is made to face the hard questions of motivation, calling and desires in their hopes of participation in leading worship. These first three chapters are worth the cost of the book on their own, and as someone who has worked for years at developing other worship leaders the importance and value of these foundations can't be overlooked.

Chapters four and five kick into practical guidance on the skills, planning, practices and thinking behind great worship leading. Chapter four focuses on the functions, techniques and skills of the worship leader and chapter five drills down on the leadership of a worship band. Chapter six deals with the pastoral relationship and the role of mentorship as you help others in growing in worship leading. Chapter seven culminates this practical guidebook approach by articulating excellent points to helping you in "Becoming a Great Worship Leader". The final chapter revisits the main points of the book and returns the reader to foundational concepts of values that undergird this book.

Dan Wilt's book is as virtual "course in a book" on worship leading 101. If you are looking for a rock solid manual to help with teaching the foundational values of worship leading along with the essentials of practical worship ministry, you have struck gold with "How To Lead Worship..." by Dan Wilt. I would especially recommend this to those of you who may be training, mentoring or leading other worship leaders (whether Sunday morning or small groups)-- this is the one manual that can help you and those that you are mentoring! Because the book is laid out in eight distinct sessions (including salient points, chapter discussion questions and summaries), you can use it as you "ready-to-use" study that both you and your trainee will learn from. Wilt has used his years as a local church worship leader, pastor, college professor and mentor to worship leaders around the world to inform his very practical approach to creating and developing this manual- and it shines through.

There are certainly more things to learn and technical concepts to be drilled down on as a worship leader develops, but this book should be at the starting point as a foundational course text for churches, worship departments, and Christian colleges everywhere. It is practical, readable, honest, values-centered and encouraging! Get a copy of this physical printed book in your hands now! While it will be life-changing for the beginner, it can also serve as a great structural inspection for the values and operational architecture of those already operating in the call of worship leading.

Book Link: http://bit.ly/1a3U5w9

Review by Kim Gentes

1. Wilt, Dan (203). How To Lead Worship Without Being a Rock Star: an 8 week study.  (Page 4). Wild Pear Creative.

I was a 20-year old, newly married man. One evening I got a call from a musician friend. Both he and his wife were musicians and church friends. I was excited that he was calling me, and even more that he invited Carol and I to dinner at their house. Wow! It was our first official invitation to dinner as a couple! I remember driving to their house, looking forward to making “couple friends”, eating together and maybe playing some music together that night. We were welcomed with hugs and smiles. We sat down and ate a great dinner and were just beaming with anticipation. After dinner, my friend turned to me and smiled. 

“We have something important to tell you”, he said. Wow, I thought!
 
“Would you like to be able to take yearly vacations? Would you like to buy Carol nice things, and have extra money for savings and kids later?”, they asked. I was lost. Carol was a customer service trainer at a local airline, and I had just begun my career as a software engineer. We were just beginning, but it seemed like we had what we needed.

“I guess”, I answered, uncertain where this was going, genuinely lost at the turn of conversation.

He smiled, “We’d like to introduce you to Amway.”

If I’ve ever an awkward and empty moment, it was at then. In an instant, the entire experience, invitation and hope of friendship faded. I had become an opportunity for someone to build their downline.  Ugg.

I hate sales. I am the ultimate anti-sales person. I hate anything that smells like sales. Not sure if I am being clear here. Sales = yuck! And I suspect that as you read my brief story above, many of you could relate similar experiences from your own life. In the context of the modern economy, sales seems like an all pervasive “necessary evil” of our world. It is from that perspective that I hesitantly began reading Daniel Pink’s “To Sell Is Human”.

The truth is, the only reason I even dared to consider reading this book was that several customer reviews of it lauded it as a “non-sales” understanding of the art of persuasion. Sales without decept. It seemed too good to be true. So, the eternal optimist that I am, I peeked inside and found this book to be a delightful example of what Pink preaches- learning to move people. There was indeed a way to commend people to a certain direction without leaving your conscience at the door.

At the core of Pink’s thesis is that you must always approach convincing people with deeper notions than simply selling wares and collecting commissions. In fact, understanding the motivation of “sales” is more crucial than the execution. Pink states it this way:

To sell well is to convince someone else to part with resources— not to deprive that person, but to leave him better off in the end. 1

From that foundation, the author treks through a number of other pinnacles of his new “sales” paradigm that re-envision persuasion by trying to help others. This means approaching your “job” (even if it is called “sales”) by inquiry and investigation rather than determination and demand. For example, an important step is asking people what their goals are not to try to do an “end-round” and force the issue back to a sale, but to find out how to help meet their needs, even if the “product” you are selling doesn’t happen to fit this time around. Even the “salesman” motivational techniques change from deterministic self-hype to interrogative self-talk: asking questions about yourself as preparation for a customer meeting.

Finally, even the “after the sale” approach is completely different. Pink says it well:

Anytime you’re tempted to upsell someone else, stop what you’re doing and upserve instead. Don’t try to increase what they can do for you. Elevate what you can do for them.2

The whole personality and attitude approach in sales reverses course from being the pushy schmuck in a plaid coat to an approachable acquaintance who is there to help. The book highlights, of all things, humility!

And it demonstrates that as with servant leadership, the wisest and most ethical way to move others is to proceed with humility and gratitude.3

Throughout the book Daniel Pink shows a new set of ABC’s for selling. In the old world of sales it meant “Always be closing”. In today’s landscape of information ubiquity, the ABC’s of sales means “Attunement, Buoyancy, Clarity”. In these, Pink re-examines why the internet has changed the world of consumer purchasing into a place where the seller no longer holds an information advantage over the purchaser. The entire book is devided in three main parts: the first is a 3 chapter section exploring the redefinition of many terms that once ruled sales and the people involved. The second section is based in inquiry- investigating and understanding the needs of the customers (where we discover the new ABC's). The final section explores actions- that we engage in to help our customers (pitch, improvise and serve). The sections are clear and points strong. There is little fluff in this 260 paged book, and it goes by fast.

Another very powerful insight that Daniel Pink makes is the research about what kinds of people are truly successful sales-people. And it is not the pushy extroverts that has been the conventional wisdom! Without making up some incoherent or recursive logic about why some personalities sell better than others, Pink brilliantly explores the truth about why we trust some people and buy from them. The new world of “ambiverts”. As someone who is not an “extrovert”, this was a gem in the book for me!

If I had to summarize the book’s approach in one word, the new world of sales is about: serving.

The book is much more scholarly than other sales motivational books I’ve seen, and contains a well-thought set of studies to help explore the main points Pink makes. He has done his research and it is convincing and insightful. I was more than impressed by this brilliantly sculpted, inspirational and (yes) humble approach to sales.

If you are not a hyper-psyched, extroverted, type-A personality, but know that you are needing to be better at “sales” (or moving people to make decisions), this book is for you! It was for me, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Really! Check it out!. 

Amazon Book Link: http://amzn.to/14RcjAi

Review by Kim Gentes

1. Pink, Daniel H. (2012-12-31). To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others (p. 39). Riverhead Hardcover. Kindle Edition. 

2. Ibid., Page 226

3. Ibid., Page 228