Born in Circleville, Ohio, in 1983, Austin Kleon\u2019s work focuses and rambles around non-fiction and \u201cmotivational\u201d niche. Being a millennial himself, Austin realizes the cursory attention span of the internet generation and therefore, he keeps it short and hurls doodles and illustrations frequently just to make sure that the focus stays intact. [1]. This millennial author understands himself and his culture. Regarding leadership Eve Poole commented, \u201cWhat message does your working pattern send out to others?\u201d [2]. Kleon\u2019s message is I\u2019m going to use my millennial skills to help a fast-paced world understand a very important message to get ahead in life. \u201cGreat stewardship\u201d says Camacho, \u201cis caring for the resources that belong to someone else.\u201d [3]. In Kleon\u2019s world you care for those resources by \u201cstealing\u201d them. Kleon says, \u201cI\u2019m a writer who draws. I make art with words and books with pictures.\u201d [4]. Kleon is a masterful writer who knows himself, the world around him and how to use the best the world has to offer to help himself become a better writer and leader. This creative writer gifted the world with the book, \u201cSteal Like an Artist.\u201d
\nHis concept is based on the idea that no creativity is original and that all ideas are stemmed from other ideas. There are ways to \u201csteal\u201d ideas without doing so in a negative way. Good theft means honoring, studying, crediting and transforming ideas. This is opposed to bad theft which means degrading, plagiarizing, imitating and ripping off ideas.
\nI think what I love most about this book is that it whole heartedly validates my creative process and everything I already believed long before I discovered this book. Even though this book is a fun read, there was one page that really struck me. In fact, it was the only page I read three times. After reading page 133, my excitement turned to seriousness because there is no way to joke about his idea of \u201cmarry well\u201d [5].
\n\u201cMarry well doesn\u2019t just mean your life partner,\u201d Kleon continues, \u201cit also means who you do business with, who you befriend, who you choose to be around…a good [business] partner keeps you grounded.\u201d [6]. After reading page 133, I thought of my Board of Directors and the many other ministries that want to partner with our counseling center. Camacho\u2019s words echoed in my heart, \u201cWe need to see the value of things (especially the people) that are right in front of us.\u201d [7]. I value my Board of Directors, but have I truly married them? What does it mean to marry my Board? It can mean to:
\n1.\tInvest in them emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
\n2.\tPray for them, with them, and let them know I am taking them before the throne of grace.
\n3.\tListen to their ideas, concerns, and victories.
\n4.\tLead them by example and lead them well.
\n5.\tHave tough conversations with them.
\n6.\tKnow their spiritual gifts, personality profile, mannerisms, and insecurities.
\n7.\tAllow them to see the real me. The good, the badly, and the ugly.
\n8.\tHold them accountable to help strengthen our \u201cmarriage.\u201d
\n9.\tGive them feedback to build deeper intimacy in this \u201cmarriage.\u201d
\nNow I need a good book on marriage to steal all the ideas to inspire me to use them with my board members and other business partners. With the pop culture oozing every now and then with the inspirational stories of how a prodigy teenager becomes a millionaire with his side project, it\u2019s difficult to even imagine that any ordinary person could pull it off. But the author believes otherwise. What he advices is that don\u2019t wait for the idea. Just immerse yourself in what you love doing, internalize and build from there. And for that, don\u2019t find it embarrassing to build up from others work. I have never thought about using a book on marriage to inspire me to \u201cmarry\u201d my board but now, I am going to look into it and see what happens.
\n[1] Blake Snyder reviews Steal Like An Artist. Theusualstuff.com, November 24, 2018. Accessed March 9, 2023.
\n[2] Poole, Eve. Leadersmithing: Revealing the Trade Secrets of Leadership. London; New York, NY: Bloomsbury Business, 2017, 16.
\n[3] Tom Camacho, Mining for Gold: Developing Kingdom Leaders through Coaching London: IVP, 2019, 56.
\n[4] About Austin Kleon. austinkleon.com. Accessed March 9, 2023.
\n[5] Kleon, Austin. Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative. 1st edition. New York: Workman Publishing Company, 2012, 133.
\n[6] ibid, 133
\n[7] Tom Camacho, Mining for Gold: Developing Kingdom Leaders through Coaching London: IVP, 2019, 26.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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