Reviewed by Barbara Kudwa

• Genre:  Non-fiction
• Author’s Worldview:  Catholic
• Year Published:  2017
• Audience: Adult
• Themes: Religion, Personal Growth, Leadership, Saints, Spirituality, Inspirational, Finding self, Christian Life

If you think that you could never become a leader or a saint, then this book is for you.  Many think that becoming a leader and a saint is improbable for them, even impossible. Author BJ Gonzalvo uncovers how the call to leadership and the call to holiness intertwine and are essential for what God wants us to do. Throughout the book, Dr. Gonzalvo gives many examples of saints he is familiar with that will both motivate and inspire you to seek holiness and leadership.

As Christians, we need to help lead one another, empower one another, bring out the best in one another and inspire others to holiness.  Author Gonzalvo helps us to remember the saints’ daily invitation to walk the path toward oneness with God. When we see saints memorialized, we forget to look at their human side, imperfections, and struggles. Greatness and sainthood are not achievements we can be born with.

Gonzalvo thinks we must get to know the saints, the details of their lives, so we can find the road that will lead us to God. Saint Augustine’s autobiography, Confessions, is the first saint book he picks up by providence at a bookstore. Though he didn’t like to read much, he is hooked immediately. Saint Augustine talks about his childhood, his mother, his encounter with philosophy, his promiscuous lifestyle and about otherjuicy details of his life. After reading the book, Gonzalvo changes course. He yearns to know more about God his Almighty Creator, to study philosophy, psychology, and the human soul.

Dr. Gonzalvo is an organizational psychologist focused on researching leadership and organizations. His background helps you to understand the different types of leadership and how the leadership style of the saints make an effective model for us to follow in the world we live in today.  Gonzalvo encourages you to uncover your own vision of becoming a leader. Beautiful prayers, Scriptures from the Holy Bible and lessons are written throughout this thought-provoking book. Reading the many parables, inspiring quotes and stories from the saints are very helpful to understand our call to holiness and to lead, moving forward to journey towards Christ. 

Dr. Gonzalvo encourages you to take the time to explore the lives of all the saints and to find the ones you would like to resemble. He remarks how there is a saint for every occasion and for every unique person. The saints are our friends. Dr. Gonzalvo book introduces or reintroduces to you saints with some of the most inspirational leadership styles. Find a saint’s leadership style that fits your personality so you too can lead, motivate and inspire others. I know personally the book, Lessons In Leadership from the Saints, is prompting changes in my own life.