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Teach Your Team to Fish: Using Ancient Wisdom for Inspired Teamwork
Laurie Beth Jones has given hundreds of thousands of business readers insight into how the ideas of Jesus can be used to enhance performance. One of the most critical work areas for anyone, whether a manager or a CEO, a teacher or a pastor, is cooperative teamwork. Leaders today face their greatest challenges not only in defining strategies and getting updated information but also in getting diverse human beings to pull together without falling apart.
Jesus can be a role model for team leaders everywhere. When Jesus called out to his future disciples, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” he transformed them from people who worked for themselves to people who were part of a larger team. Jesus was constantly exhorting his people to “gather in my name” and “go out two by two” and always think and pray “as one.” Jesus’ final prayer was “that they might be one, Father, even as you and I are one,” which is ultimately about union and communion, common values and purpose—all of which form the bedrock of an inspired team.
Teach Your Team to Fish offers dozens of stories from the Bible showing how Jesus managed his team of disciples and other followers, with suggestions for how to apply these lessons to real-world teambuilding and management problems. It offers guidance and inspiration
* how to excite your team in order to motivate them;
* how to ground them so they’ll be realistic about what can be achieved;
* how to transform them into a truly well-functioning team;
* and how to release them into the world to improve other teams elsewhere.
Along the way, the book gives examples of companies in which teams work well together and offers lessons that can help team leaders everywhere sustain themselves and achieve their common goals.
Jesus can be a role model for team leaders everywhere. When Jesus called out to his future disciples, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men,” he transformed them from people who worked for themselves to people who were part of a larger team. Jesus was constantly exhorting his people to “gather in my name” and “go out two by two” and always think and pray “as one.” Jesus’ final prayer was “that they might be one, Father, even as you and I are one,” which is ultimately about union and communion, common values and purpose—all of which form the bedrock of an inspired team.
Teach Your Team to Fish offers dozens of stories from the Bible showing how Jesus managed his team of disciples and other followers, with suggestions for how to apply these lessons to real-world teambuilding and management problems. It offers guidance and inspiration
* how to excite your team in order to motivate them;
* how to ground them so they’ll be realistic about what can be achieved;
* how to transform them into a truly well-functioning team;
* and how to release them into the world to improve other teams elsewhere.
Along the way, the book gives examples of companies in which teams work well together and offers lessons that can help team leaders everywhere sustain themselves and achieve their common goals.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 14, 2002
19 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 18, 2021
Rated: B-
Love the works that Laurie Beth Jones does with her books -- using scripture and biblical principles to demonstrate just how practical God's Word truly is. In some cases, it is a stretch either bending a verse to support a business principle or bending a business example to fit a verse. Intent is good. Not sure all the wisdom may not have a counter principle that could also be biblically supported. Good read with some notables.
Love the works that Laurie Beth Jones does with her books -- using scripture and biblical principles to demonstrate just how practical God's Word truly is. In some cases, it is a stretch either bending a verse to support a business principle or bending a business example to fit a verse. Intent is good. Not sure all the wisdom may not have a counter principle that could also be biblically supported. Good read with some notables.
January 8, 2026
DNF
I thought that I could power through this for the sake of my professional development.
...then Laurie used the word genitals completely out of context.
I didn't learn much in the first quarter of this book other than how to apply business models to Jesus' teachings and that the author is a mediocre storyteller.
I thought that I could power through this for the sake of my professional development.
...then Laurie used the word genitals completely out of context.
I didn't learn much in the first quarter of this book other than how to apply business models to Jesus' teachings and that the author is a mediocre storyteller.
December 20, 2018
A book worth reading many times!
July 16, 2019
spiritually enlightening on how to create a great team based on jesus’ leadership style.
March 3, 2014
One of the best books I've ever read about management...it's simple and has great flow; as each chapter unfolds a new story about Jesus and what we can learn from his qualities as the greatest leader to ever walk the earth. If you work in the business world with people and especially if you manage others in a Team environment; I recommend this as the first book to read regarding management instruction......next of course is the One Minute Manager!
July 28, 2007
This book showed me the "down-hearted" ways in building team through Jesus' leadership. www.iralennon.blogspot.com
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August 16, 2008Teach Your Team to Fish: Using Ancient Wisdom for Inspired Teamwork by Laurie Beth Jones (2004)
November 3, 2012
I liked parts of it. The author and I come from a different starting point, but there were some nuggets to be gleaned.
July 13, 2012
Great professional read.
March 10, 2013
Shows how Jesus managed his team.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews