Clout: Tapping Spiritual Wisdom to Become a Person of Influence

"Our clout is the core of our personal influence. It can be used correctly for exciting and fulfilling results or it can be used wrongly for disappointing and nagging results. It can be rooted in a source bigger than ourselves, which is wisdom, or it can be homespun and tied down by a ′me only′ perspective. It can be maximized with a few tools and it can be customized with a few tips. . . . Steve and Tom have provided a personal book full of fun stories and ready–to–apply guidance. Clout is for anyone hoping to better understand and improve their personal influence. It is timely, and it has the potential to change your life. Don′t miss a page."
from the Foreword by John C. Maxwell

Foreword by John C. Maxwell.

Acknowledgments.

1. An Extra Dose of Vitamin I.

Expanding Your Personal Influence.

2. Wisdom.

Life?s Greatest Asset.

3. Aristotle Speaks on Wall Street.

Three Ancient Tools of Influence.

4. Logos.

A Message That Is Meaningful.

5. Pathos.

An Audience That Is Receptive

6. Ethos.

A Life That Is Believable.

7. A Pinch of Salt and a Ray of Light 89

Jesus on Influence

8. Mentoring.

Strategic Life Coaching.

9. Breaking the Genetic Code on Influence.

Universal Models of Applying Influence.

10. Influence Has an Org Chart.

Understanding the Four Spheres of Influence.

11. When Influence Becomes Influenza.

Influence Gone Bad.

12. Class–Seven Influence.

10,585 Days and Counting.

References.

The Authors.

About Cornerstone Group.

Index.

Stephen R. Graves and Thomas G. Addington have been business partners for over a decade. For the last twelve years, they have been exploring how to blend business excellence with biblical wisdom through consulting, teaching, mentoring, and writing. This mission statement, originally scratched out on a breakfast napkin early one morning twelve years ago, has been their "′never lost" system as they have journeyed through a variety of entrepreneurial endeavors and experiments. They founded Cornerstone Group Consulting and the Life@Work journal, they speak regularly in business, ministry, and academic settings, they publish frequently, serve on national boards, and they are active in coaching leaders toward the finish line. Both hold a doctorate, both are deeply devoted to their families, and both love the never–ending challenge of meshing real life with the message of Jesus. They are the authors of Life@Work on Leadership and Behind the Bottom Line, both from Jossey–Bass.

Clout, or influence, according to Graves and Addington (co–authors of Behind the Bottom Line: Powering Business Life with Spiritual Wisdom and cofounders of the popular journal Life@Work), is "a person′s ability to shape people and mold outcomes." It is a powerful force in society, but one often used primarily for personal ends. Graves, and Addington are business consultants, teachers and mentors whose goal is to help people negotiate the intersection between the world of business and the wisdom of the Bible. In this book they offer practical, engaging advice on how to gather, expand and wield influence for the good. They weave together personal anecdotes, quotes and themes from contemporary pundits, ancient wisdom about influence (a handful of fine chapters on Aristotle) and commonsense observations. Sometimes these are buttressed with biblical proverbs or examples (e.g., "Jesus was less concerned with enforcement of rules and regulations than He was about an individual′s heart"). It′s easy to read, and the bullet points that conclude each chapter make it easy to review and apply. The authors′ familiarity with the evangelical subculture – and their direct address to those who feel at home in it – might put off those who are hostile to faith–informed truth. However, almost anyone else will find this a valuable and influential resource. (May) ( Publishers Weekly, April 28, 2003)