"The Way of the Shepherd"

[Han Delaguna]

"The Way of the Shepherd" by Dr. Kevin Leman and William Pentak is about the 7 ancient secrets to managing productive people.

A required reading for executives and middle managers of the Provincial Government of Bohol, the principles of the way of the shepherd are:

1. Know the Condition of Your Flock
- Follow the status of your people as well as the status of the work
- Get to know your flock, one sheep at a time
- Engage your people on a regular basis
- Keep your eyes and ears open, question, and follow through

2. Discover the Shape of Your Sheep
- Your choice of sheep can make flock management easier or harder
- Start with healthy sheep, or you'll inherit someone else's problems
- Know the SHAPE of your sheep to make sure they are in the right fold

3. Help Your Sheep Identify with You
- Build trust with your followers by modeling authenticity, integrity, and compassion
- Set high standards of performance
- Relentlessly communicate your values and sense of mission
- Define the cause for your people and tell them where they fit in
- Remember that great leadership isn't just professional; it's personal

4. Make Your Pasture a Safe Place
- Keep you people well informed
- Infuse every position with importance
- Cull chronic instigators from the flock
- Regularly rotate the sheep to fresh pastures
- Reassure the sheep by staying visible
- Don't give problems time to fester

5. The Staff of Direction
- Know where you're going, get out in front, and keep your flock on the move
- When directing, use persuasion rather than coercion
- Give your peoplew freedom of movement, but make sure they know where the fence line is. Don't confuse boundaries with bridles.
- When your people get in trouble, go and get them out.
- Remind your people that failure isn't fatal.

6. The Rod of Correction
- Protect: Stand in the gap and fight for your sheep.
- Correct: Approach discipline as a teaching opportunity.
- Inspect: Regularly inquire about your people's progress.

7. The Heart of the Shepherd
- Great leadership is a lifestyle, not a technique.
- Every day you have to decide who's going to pay for your leadership-you or your people.
- Most of all, have a heart for your sheep.

[-<GEC348>-]

When I shall have gained enough wisdom and time, I too will write a tome about:

"The Way of the Carpenter"

(the ancient principles of building a political empire)

[-<GEC348>-]

And maybe also...

"The Way of the Boxer: Dedicated to the ex-future congressman Manny Pacquio"

(the long forgotten techniques of surviving in the Halls of Congress)

[-<GEC348>-]

Ah... dia pa jud"

"The Way of the Landrywoman"

(The esoteric teachings of home management)

[-<GEC348>-]

.

[grazie7y]

Thanks for sharing The Way of the Shepherd to us, DeLaguna!  I saw in your post in another thread that you gave a copy of this book to Mike.  I kind of confused The Way of the Shepherd with that of Og Mandino's Greatest Salesman In The World.