Clout: Tapping Spiritual Wisdom to Become a Person of Influence

Can Biblical content meet business objectives, much less give you clout? Well, yes, according to the authors. In fact, this is an effective balancing act, posing business objectives on one end of the seesaw and inspiration on the other. The content is simultaneously spiritual and businesslike - if a little misty on facts, such as a bit of fuzzy history in the pages that cover Aristotle's teachings. To their credit, when authors Stephen R. Graves and Thomas G. Addington get businesslike, they are good at it. They convey reliable instructions about influence, mentoring and clout echoed by other books on management and spirituality. They also make some original, if banal, inspirational observations. For example, their key point is that Jesus intended to influence people. Well, that's the point of ministry, isn't it? And of clout. The book's evangelical tone focuses on Christianity - as opposed to the general business impact of spirituality and mentoring - thus, we note that for those Christians who are trying to integrate their faith and their work effectively, this book could be a welcome guidepost.