In this time of seemingly never-ending crises, Leading From The Stop invites the reader to consider three questions and a practical insight.

Leading From The Stop invites the reader to consider three questions and a practical insight:

1. What have you been doing differently to get ready for another crisis?

2. What can I now turn into something magical while other people are possibly in fear or sitting on their hands, or blaming or whatever they’re doing? Because these are stages of grief that we’re at. … having lost what we thought was stable, what we thought was what we could do, and learning to turn it into something new?

3. And for Christians, pray: “Lord, how can I turn this thing you’ve given me, that I may not have used, this idea, or this talent or this skill – that will bring value to others and that will create an income for me?”

[M]ost people do not have enough margin in their lives, … enough financial margin,

enough time margin, … [or] “enough emotional, mental or relationships margin”, but

they have enough thinking margin. And what that means is the margin is the excess – so

that when the times of famine come … [they] have something in the storehouse.”

Author, Elias Kanaris, is a world-class, professional keynote speaker, executive coach, leadership trainer, entrepreneur and founding partner of “the world’s largest and fastest-growing” John Maxwell Team of leadership trainers. He lives in Murrays Bay, Auckland. Son of Greek migrants in Libya, Kanaris was forced early in life, at age eight, to learn to adapt when his family moved to London. On 11 September 2011, he was a passenger on United Airlines flight 929 bound for Chicago, one of 38 planes diverted to Gander Airport in Newfoundland, Canada when all US flights were shut down during the events of 9/11.

This little book is both a practical guide on positive leadership principles and an inspirational record of lessons learned from how the people of the tiny towns of Gander and Gambo in Newfoundland rallied to instinctively and compassionately meet the needs of the 6,600 passengers and crew who suddenly descended into their community for five days until America’s skies re-opened. Kanaris writes, they brought “order and comfort out of chaos” – “a pretty good description of leadership”.

Structured in a pattern of observation, response, learning and reflection, each short chapter concludes with “A Time To Reflect”. A couple of important reflections: “Before you ask for a hand, you have to touch a heart … Before you buy from someone you have to get to know, like and trust them.” And reflecting on how our Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, grew New Zealand’s “team of 5 million”, Kanaris posits that, “As a leader you may need to refocus your followers … and shift the energy from negativity and fear, to positivity and hope.” So, do you have “enough margin in your life?” A good question for every home or study group. Perhaps we all need to read and absorb this insightful little book.