Title: Lead with Courage: Unleash the Lion In You
Author: Arthur E. Puotinen
Publisher: BalboaPress
ISBN: 978-1504341899
Pages: 228
Genre: Self-Help / Non-Fiction
Reviewed by: Susan Milan
Pacific Book Review Star
Awarded to Books of Excellent Merit
Pacific Book Review
In Lead with Courage: Unleash the Lion In You, Arthur E. Puotinen helps readers discover what makes them “roar,” as he offers insights into turning those discoveries into actions. Drawing from his own experiences and those of his forbears, colleagues and other leaders, Mr. Puotinen illustrates the ways “lions” learn from both failure and success, face challenges and deal with the ups and downs in their personal and professional lives.
As a boy, Mr. Puotinen watched his hardworking Finnish American parents work their farm. Later, his father is elected to public service, and his mother supports his father as a volunteer. Mr. Puotinen carries his parents’ work ethic, community mindedness and Lutheran faith with him throughout his life. In addition, although deliberately given an American name rather than a Finnish name, he remains deeply involved with the Finnish community. Early on, Mr. Puotinen decides to enter the ministry. Fortunately, he finds in wife Judy the perfect mate to stand beside him throughout his doctoral studies and the long, winding road to becoming president of a university. They set goals early in their marriage, and each of them makes sacrifices to accomplish those goals.
A self-help book, Lead with Courage stands apart from many in its category. The reader is pulled into Mr. Puotinen’s life and his story could stand alone easily as an autobiography. Much of the book’s success comes from the way in which Mr. Puotinen’s voice as an author reinforces the information he wants his readers to take away from the book. Several times, it is evident Mr. Puotinen faces unhappy, perhaps even rancorous, situations in his work life. However, he never “raises” his voice or disparages those with whom he may disagree. Instead, Mr. Puotinen finds something to be learned from each bend in his professional path, which gives credence to the advice he offers. Additionally, over the course of five decades as an academic, he grows and adapts to changing attitudes within his profession and society. Mr. Puotinen’s support of three daughters, who themselves become highly educated professionals, is also heartening and supports the book’s message. The text is enhanced by the numerous moments when he asks readers to lay the book aside and think of how its words can be applied to their lives. The author also provides links to other works and sites that amplify the text.
Using personal experiences told in a highly relatable way, Lead with Courage provides readers with ways to find their voices and roar like lions in their personal and professional lives and within their communities. Mr. Puotinen, his family and most of his colleagues live within a community that is closely tied to religion. However, he never takes a heavy-handed, judgmental tone, nor are the book’s lessons only for those who attend church. Any reader looking for ways to live life more fully and confidently will find something of value in Lead with Courage.
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