Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Emotional Self-Awareness as a Foundation
Chapter 3: Developing Self-Awareness
Chapter 4: Utilizing Emotional Self-Control
Chapter 5: Gaining Empathy
Chapter 6: Learning Organizational Awareness
Chapter 7: Establishing Influence/Assertiveness
Chapter 8: Embracing Conflict Management
Chapter 9: Spirituality of the Emotionally Intelligent Pastor
Chapter 10: Conclusion
John Lee West served as a Baptist pastor and has also treated
pastors as a licensed professional counselor. He has held the
position of university dean and currently serves as a higher
education consultant and faculty member. His unique combination of
education and experiences, combined with his own successes and
failures in ministry, provide the motivation for his research and
authorship regarding emotional intelligence and religious
leaders.
Roy M. Oswald is an ordained Lutheran (ELCA) pastor who is emeritus
executive director at the Center for Emotional Intelligence and
Human Relations Skills. He served as a senior consultant for the
Alban Institute for thirty-one years after serving as a church
pastor. He is author or co-author of sixteen books on churches and
ministry, including his most recent The Emotional Intelligence of
Jesus: Relational Smarts for Religious Leaders.
Nadyne Guzmán is an ordained minister in the United Church of
Christ. Her ministry includes service as a hospital chaplain and as
a consultant and coach for international organizations, developing
programs for leadership development, inclusivity, transformation,
and spiritual care. She has served as a professor of leadership, a
researcher, and as an administrator in public schools and higher
education.
I can think of no other subject more essential for spiritual and
religious leaders today than what is written in this book. How
grateful I would be if I had read this at the beginning of my
ministry. If you are considering becoming a spiritual or religious
leader or you already one, please: read this book.
*Erin Gilmore, Rocky Mountain Conference United Church of
Christ*
As a pastor and professional counselor, this book does an excellent
job in describing emotional intelligence both theologically and
psychologically. The authors have a great understanding of the
proper balance of what God expects of leaders and the unrealistic
expectations we can place on ourselves. Each chapter contains
in-depth analysis and practical applications for all leaders.
*Ken Pott, LPC, executive director, BridgePoint and Transition
Counseling Centers*
As I finished reading Emotional Intelligence for Religious Leaders,
my first thought was how valuable this would have been more than
twenty years ago when I started ministry. I was equipped with
Biblical knowledge, but I was clueless of the internal demands and
stresses of ministry. My degrees were beneficial, but all three
were sorely lacking in the area of emotional intelligence.
*Barry Park, senior minister, University Christian Church*
For decades, we have mistakenly downplayed the importance of
pastoral leadership. And yet, congregations succeed or fail in
their mission, oftentimes, in direct relation to the effectiveness
of their pastors. Emotional Intelligence for Religious Leaders
recognizes not only the importance of pastoral leadership but
emotionally intelligent and healthy pastoral leadership. It is a
must-read for any pastor seeking to maximize her or his potential
as a spiritual leader.
*John Wimberly, congregational consultant*
C.S. Lewis said, in reference to his writings, ‘Until the
theologians and the ordained clergy begin to communicate with
ordinary people in the vernacular, in a way that they can
understand, I’m going to have to do this sort of thing.’
Thanks to libraries, bookstores, and websites we have Lewis. Thanks
to John West and his fellow writers, whom I strongly suspect
already see through the wry scholar’s eyes, there is added hope for
our generations of clergy and lay professionals. Emotional
Intelligence for Religious Leaders offers no less than
collaborative brilliance. It serves up fresh insight and access to
tools already at work in the helping sciences.
Some in the clergy cringe at the mere mention of psychology. They
shouldn’t. The word originates in the Greek, and ‘psych’ translates
as ‘soul’ and suffix ‘logy” or ‘logos’ translates as premise,
discourse, or opinion. ‘Discourse of the soul’ is shared territory
for pastors and psychologists alike. It’s the same turf.
Clergy moves in these arenas just as ably the behavioralists.
Perhaps even more so, for a fire burns in the souls of pastors and
lay leaders alike, a fire unrestrained by limits of reason,
hypothesis, or the scientific method.
Clergy should know that wisdoms lay on the other side, answers that
address the ordinary, irksome issues that confront faith
professionals almost daily. The writers share their own stories.
They share how added skills in communication, sensitivity, and
emotional intelligence worked for them; how they’ve shed
administrative weights. They’ve separated the wheat from the chaff
for us, and, in doing so, served the readers with a rich menu of
ideas. They offer an approachable, understandable frame of
reference that serves the cause of our faith without undermining
any of the orthodoxy in its mission. Please, check it out.
*Mark Sellers, founder, New Covenant Soul Care*
When I read the title of one chapter, ‘Religious Organizations are
not Families’, I was instantly sold on this book. It is a
much needed resource at a time when emotional intelligence is
crucial to the success of any leader and any congregation.
*Greg Rickel, Bishop of the diocese of Olympia*
‘If you will not take too much time, I will wait for you the rest
of my life.’ Every year or so, something comes along that I feel I
have been waiting for a long, long while. This describes perfectly
the impact on me of Emotional Intelligence for Religious Leaders by
John Lee West, Roy M. Oswald, and Nadyne Guzmán. These three
authors, through their intellect, their honesty and openness about
their own journeys and clarity of presentation have provided a
personal ‘GPS’ for all who want to understand and move toward
effective and human leadership within any and all religious
systems.
By focusing on six basic traits within the EQ Model, they have
created a road map to Emotional Intelligence that is both
manageable and usable.
No longer can anyone say, ‘If only I had known about this earlier
in my career.’ As the Chinese proverb says: ‘The best time to plant
a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is NOW!’
*C. Waite Maclin, chair, The Center for Emotional Intelligence and
Human Relations Training*
One only needs to read the highlights of the latest religious news
to know the tremendous importance for just not religious leaders,
but boards and leadership teams of religious groups, to understand,
learn, and apply the information in this wonderful book on
Emotional Intelligence (EQ). From the Catholic Church's relatively
recent focus on affective maturity in the formation
of priests to the burn-out of Protestant megachurch leaders, the
clear message is right dogma, proclamation skills, and
business acumen are not enough. EQ is also required for not only
effective but sustainable ministry. The book's layout of
progressive steps in developing EQ will be an excellent journey for
those who have the courage to truly look behind the "false self" to
develop their EQ for leadership, and as noted in chapter nine, to
see how deeply these steps tie into one's own spirituality. I heard
the ring of truth throughout this book and realized part of this
ringing is from knowing and working with one of the authors, Dr.
John West. His life is one of authentic EQ in his life and work
with others.
*Harvey Payne, Divine Mercy University*
As a faith leader pastoring a congregation I cannot think of more
important work than what is offered by West, Oswald, and Guzman.
This books ability to articulate what Emotional intelligence is
while also providing a framework for engaging and strengthening
one’s own Emotional Intelligence (EQ) should be required reading
for all religious leaders, lay, and clergy.
*Corbin Tobey-Davis, Parkview Congregational Church UCC*
![]() |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
![]() |