Book: Fly Fishing for Leadership

Countless books have been written about fly fishing, and countless more about how fly fishing relates to other aspects of life. But John Childress's Fly Fishing for Leadership (Principia Associates, $25) may be the first to explore how this increasingly popular pastime can help people be better leaders. At first glance, one might assume that this is just another overly enamored hobbyist reading way too much into his chosen avocation, as we are all bound to do. But Childress makes a series of compelling correlations that may just have you, too, pondering the lessons learned on the river, and how they can improve one's ability to guide and mentor others. Ideas are often best expressed through analogy, and leadership—a notoriously complex, amorphous, and elusive subject—benefits from this approach, particularly in the author's capable hands. If you like to read, like to fish, and want to enhance—or at least better understand—good leadership, this collection of anecdotes and instruction is worth the time and money. Available online.