Leading from the In-Between. John McAuley

      FOREWORD

      The oaks of the future lie in today’s acorns. Accordingly, nurture and care provided in the present is crucial to ensuring healthy and mature growth in the years to come.

      In Leading from the In-Between, John draws on his many years of working with emerging leaders. When built into the lives of younger leaders, the mindset and skills he shares nurtures them into strong, well-rooted “oaks.”

      John’s experience with younger leaders and others seasoned in leadership is captured in these pages. His insight is a roadmap to success that avoids pitfalls and celebrates the prizes to be won.

      The depth of John’s understanding is clearly in evidence throughout the book. He creatively explains the viewpoints of those being served and illustrates how to equip future leaders for their maximum impact and success.

      John’s faith story is part of the weaving that underscores the importance of each individual’s relationship with God. The idea of “cadence,” which invites emerging leaders to “be in step with God,” is refreshing.

      The book is enriched by John’s leadership experiences at Muskoka Woods. His passion for developing emerging leaders into all their potential inspires the rest of us to do the same.

      PHIL GELDART

      President/CEO, Eagles Flight

      AUTHOR’S NOTE

      When a band releases an album, you can be sure that many people have contributed to each track. There are songwriters, session musicians, singers, engineers and producers. Yet, when authors release a book, we often imagine they have sat in isolation in a room with a laptop and written every word and then pressed print.

      This book was put together like a music album. The content was born out of my two decades of experience with emerging leaders, as the president and CEO of a large youth organization, and as a leader in the camping industry as a Christian minister. The content also springs from my graduate studies and teaching in leadership development over the past several years. I recognized early in this process that sitting alone with a blank screen and trying to write my thoughts on leadership was not going to work. Instead, I pulled together a team of people to bring this project together.

      Brenda Melles played the most important role. I talked out my thoughts to her in many hours of interviews and phone conversations. She helped me organize and write my stack of stories in a way that could work for a reader. I invited other youth leadership development practitioners to participate in focus groups on some of the key content. I sat with writers who helped me organize the material. In the end, we wrote this book, which I hope reads like a great playlist, each chapter a fresh melody that echoes what is before and crests toward what is next.

      In 2010, with the help of Ellen and Tim Duffield and Dave Garda, I published a napkin sketch model of leadership development in a small fieldbook called Leader to Leadership. This book expands that basic framework and puts flesh on the bones of what were simple graphics and short phrases. I’m indebted to Emily Duffield, Kathlene Evans and Rachel Thiessen, who spent time and energy sharpening the Leader to Leadership Model, which contributed to the clarity of this book.

      Everything I am as a leader, earthly speaking, is made possible because of my family. Lori, you are the reason I am able to daily stand firm; you are the most gracious leader I know. Kasi, your incredible creativity reminds me every day to look deeper at our world and do something about it. Jake, your bold loyalty and positive presence remind me every day to believe the best in all. My love for the three of you is my most important leadership work.

      I first saw leadership embodied in my own home. My mum and dad surrounded themselves with young emerging leaders; all else is measured by their godly example and love. I continue to be energized by the lives of Nana and Poppa Boddy. Their vision and generosity inspire us all to believe we can “shape our world.” One day, we truly hope and pray we can see their vision become a reality—to raise up a future prime minister.

      To all the Muskoka Woods staff and family, you have patiently endured my leadership, including those best-self and not-so-best-self moments. I pray I will live up to all this book seeks to affirm.

      I am a better leader today because of a rich cluster of mentors, past and present. Thank you for creating both the space and the personal encouragement to stretch my wings and fly.

      To Bono, The Edge, Larry and Adam: your life and music inspired me as a teen growing up in Northern Ireland. Bono, you are the impetus of the leadership definition I wrote and seek to inspire others toward each day: “Leaders are people who look at their world and say ‘It doesn’t have to be this way’ and do something about it.”

      PREFACE

      Each week, five new books on leadership hit the market.

      As one writer said, “We may be out of trees before we understand leadership.”

      This book is my contribution.

      Leadership is situational. The dynamics of leadership cannot be reduced to a rigid formula. Sometimes, more experienced leaders are in front, paving the way. In other situations, they are walking alongside. And then there are occasions when they lead from below. The more experienced leader surrenders to the less experienced and invites them to “stand on my shoulders.”

      My preference is to multi-image leadership dynamics as bridges. When working with emerging leaders, we can be the bridge. We can bridge what is with what can be. Other situations require us to be bridge builders. The challenge is to span the distance of “the in-between.” Whatever the distance, the objective is to get over the bridge together.