20/20 Leadership Lessons: Seeing Visions and Focusing on Reality

A Guide to Becoming an Effective Leader

Leaders in all industries and arenas must understand that leadership needs to be shared by many and experienced by all. 20/20 Leadership Lessons: Seeing Visions and Focusing on Reality is written for those leaders.

The lessons in this book center on encouraging leaders to see clearly all that is emerging and happening in our world. At the same time, this book is based on the premise that even amid rapid and incessant change, there are some principles that stand the test of time. Space is given at the end of each section to reflect and journal on your own relationship to these principles, texts, and prayers. That is where the true power of this book lies.

Leadership has exponentially evolved in recent years. Yet, there are few resources available to motivate and prepare religious and nonprofit leaders for the seismic shift taking place.

This book was not written as a continuous narrative. The stories and observations can be interpreted from multiple points of view. The point is to challenge every leader to look at situations, individuals, surroundings, and options, and make way for something innovative, revolutionary, or visionary to emerge. Each section contains a particular leadership attribute or behavior to be examined one at a time and over time. This may be accomplished in solitude, with an accountability partner, or in a small group.

There are a number of quotations, musings, and sacred texts included as prompts. The space provided for journaling invites you to explore the range of possibilities that exist for the conversations, relationships, impacts, or outcomes. These reflections will guide you as you seek clarity of vision and lead yourself and your organization into a future that brightly bends toward justice.

Dr. Bridgeforth lives in the Los Angeles area. Serves as a coach, consultant, and educator among nonprofit organizations. Holds Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Leadership (Pepperdine) and a Master of Divinity degree (Claremont School of Theology). While completing his studies at Claremont, Cedrick worked as an Admissions Counselor and was later appointed as Director of Alumni and Church Relations (2001-2003). He earned a Doctor of Education degree in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University. In addition to serving as a pastor, Cedrick has served as Director of Academic Programs and Outreach and as a course instructor at the University of La Verne’s Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies. Bridgeforth published a book “Thoughts and Prayers” (2012) and he is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.