Through Colored Glasses: How Great Leaders Reveal Reality

Fearing this would be the final time he'd address his management team and board as CEO, Leo Perkins prepared to give the presentation of his life.

"So, tell us your new plan," the chairman said, "and explain why it's better than your last one."

In Through Colored Glasses, author Tom Harper addresses a leadership challenge identified in Proverbs 16:2: "All a person's ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord."

Leo Perkins wants to save the company, but his real motivation is to prevent a blow to his ego. His colleagues are dominated by their own ambitions and fears. It's as if they all wear colored glasses, blinding them to reality.

In a story full of twists and confrontations, one executive boldly speaks truth to Leo. Her persistence — and the Word of God — lead to an outcome no one expects.

In the afterword, the author presents scripture-based lessons to help leaders unlock reality in their own organizations:

• How to reveal people's real desires
• How to use God's Word in everyday leadership
• Discovering the hidden motivations behind people's words and actions

About the Author

TOM HARPER is CEO of Networld Media Group, a business information publisher based in Louisville, Kentucky. He serves as a deacon at Southeast Christian Church, which he attends with his wife and three children. Tom is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and wrote Leading from the Lions' Den: Leadership Lessons from Every Book of the Bible (B&H, 2010).

Endorsements

"If our leaders are not passionately driven by the right beliefs, we are headed for disaster. At the same time, if believers cannot lead, we are headed nowhere. In his book, Through Colored Glasses, Tom Harper mixes right beliefs and leadership skill. His thoughtful, engaging presentation of biblical leadership is a sorely needed message for Christians in leadership positions, both in the workplace and in the church."
—R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"Leaders lead people, not organizations. Tom Harper brings this out brilliantly in his new book, Through Colored Glasses. This engaging, contextual leadership parable will enlighten you about what happens behind the scenes, when people attempt to lead others."
—Dr. Richard Blackaby, president of Blackaby Ministries International, and author of Spiritual Leadership and Living Out of the Overflow

"Understanding and defining reality requires leaders to be truth seekers and tellers. This book illustrates the power of truth and the spiritual insight that the Bible provides to guide leadership."
—David Novak, co-founder of Yum! Brands and author of Taking People with You and O Great One

"Infusing Patrick Lencioni's leadership fable motif with market­place discipleship, Tom Harper's Through Colored Glasses encourages business leaders who follow Christ to realize their impact at work. A weary CEO, a mutinous CFO, a consultant, and a praying manager meet at the intersection of faith and corporate America, demonstrating how biblical witness is effective even in difficult places."
—Thom S. Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources and best-selling author of I Am a Church Member and Simple Church

"Tom Harper combines story, time-tested principles, and innovative ideas to help leaders see and conquer tomorrow's challenges. You will be absorbed by the fast-paced story and biblical insights that can transform your leadership."
—Bob Whitesel, PhD, award-winning author, consultant, and founding professor of Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University

"In Tom Harper's latest book, Through Colored Glasses, his fast-paced parable takes you into the leadership struggles men and women face every day. You witness the strongholds of pride and fear and how the sin of both distorts thinking and doing. But God knows the motivation of the heart and always presents a way home. Truly a perfect book for anyone in leadership as it has the power to both encourage and convict."
—Tami Heim, president and CEO of Christian Leadership Alliance

"In his intriguing book, Through Colored Glasses: How Great Leaders Reveal Reality, Tom Harper presents a fable that is sure to capture your imagination while prompting serious thoughts about your effectiveness as a leader. Your philosophy and practice of leadership will never be the same."
—Bob Russell, retired senior pastor, Southeast Christian Church, and author of After 50 Years of Ministry: 7 Things I'd Do Differently and 7 Things I'd Do the Same

"Tom Harper has taken an easy-to-read leadership fable and not only helped us with leadership, but turned it into a powerful teaching about life."
—Ron Edmondson, pastor and author of The Mythical Leader

"Leading people can be tough work, especially when we don't know their motives, beliefs, and biases. Tom's book is a clever tale that delivers a profound lesson. You'll not only be engaged by the easy-to-read story, but you'll gain new insights on how to understand the people you're called to lead."
—Kent Evans, author of Wise Guys: Unlocking Hidden Wisdom from the Men Around You

"The Holy Scriptures provide timeless principles on leadership. In his book Through Colored Glasses, Tom Harper brings those biblical principles to life in a moving parable that illustrates the power of humility in leadership and the impact of turning your business over to God."
—Mark Deterding, author of Leading Jesus' Way