Momentary Leadership: How Leaders and Followers Realize the Potential of Leadership Moments by Jeffrey L. McClellan offers a refreshing and practical take on leadership, shifting the focus from abstract ideals to real-world moments that define how people lead and follow. With an emphasis on the co-creation of leadership between individuals rather than relying on hierarchical roles, McClellan provides a framework that’s dynamic, inclusive, and grounded in actionable insight. The book invites readers to explore what a ‘leadership moment’ is and how to recognize and cultivate these opportunities in both personal and professional contexts. With reflective exercises and practical strategies, it encourages readers to develop leadership skills through intention, presence, and collaboration, making it an invaluable resource for anyone interested in authentic growth and effective influence.

Author Jeffrey McClellan has a fantastic focus on people that makes this work unique in the leadership field, offering readers a thoughtful and empowering redefinition of leadership as a shared, lived experience between everyone involved. Where many books about leaders encourage a focus that’s purely on the self, this is a very inclusive read with hands-on guidance supported by real-world insights and a common empathy for your fellow human that’s rare in the business world nowadays. With clear and confident writing that hits both heart and mind, it’s an ideal read for professionals and students seeking to lead with intention in any role, in any sector, because the advice is universally about improving your skills in genuinely caring about your team. McClellan shows the skills he preaches, too, by making those genuine connections with his readership through warm and positive narration, breaking down traditional leadership myths to reveal the value of everyday influence. Overall, Momentary Leadership is a highly recommended read for anyone seeking to improve their skills from a genuinely helpful, selfless viewpoint.

Momentary Leadership: How Leaders and Followers Realize the Potential of Leadership Moments by Jeffrey L. McClellan offers a comprehensive exploration of leadership as a series of brief, influential moments rather than a constant state or role. The premise is that leadership occurs in fleeting, goal-directed social influence interactions involving a leader, followers, a context, and specific processes. The book dissects these moments by examining their anatomy, emphasizing that effective leadership is about intentionally recognizing, preparing for, and acting within these critical instances. It emphasizes the mutual influence between leaders and followers, the importance of their way of being, thinking, and acting, and how these elements co-create leadership outcomes. McClellan advocates for shifting from traditional hierarchical paradigms toward understanding leadership as a dynamic, influence-based process co-engineered in each moment, encouraging readers to develop skills like awareness, communication, relationship-building, and decision-making to maximize leadership impact in real-time.

Jeffrey L. McClellan’s book is the best I have read on leadership. I have had the experience of working with different kinds of leaders, and those who are collaborative have had a significant impact on me. What makes this book unique is its emphasis on leadership as a collection of "moments" rather than a fixed role or personality trait. It integrates interdisciplinary insights—from neuroscience to cultural studies—to underline that leadership is situational and relational. The structure encourages active engagement through reflection, activities, and self-assessment, driving practical application rather than mere theory. Momentary Leadership challenges conventional notions of heroism and authority, promoting a nuanced view of leadership rooted in mutual influence, relational dynamics, and contextual awareness. I learned a lot from this book. Any leader who implements the leadership principles in this book can create a more positive influence, drive more success, and transform organizations positively.

Momentary Leadership: How Leaders and Followers Realize the Potential of Leadership Moments by Jeffrey L. McClellan, Ph.D., presents a pioneering perspective on leadership, emphasizing that leadership does not solely entail individuals or hierarchical positions but unfolds in brief, influential moments. The book explores how leadership and followership are dynamic, created by followers and leaders, and processes in real-time interactions, often lasting seconds or minutes. It dissects the anatomy of a leadership moment, underlining key elements such as influence, relationships, context, and goals. The author highlights the importance of mutual influence, personal philosophy, and the transformative potential inherent in everyday interactions, advising readers to move beyond traditional static models toward a more fluid, responsive understanding of leadership.

Jeffrey L. McClellan, Ph.D., writes with confidence and simplicity, presenting a nuanced leadership style and model in a way that any reader can easily follow. This book is about influence and collaboration, which goes beyond the idea of leading people. He introduces the traditional hierarchy, mutual influence, and relational paradigms, illustrating how each shapes behaviors and results. The book offers practical exercises designed for a diverse audience—leaders at all levels, followers, and those aspiring to influence—to foster self-awareness, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and systemic understanding. The exercises include reflection questions, skills assessments, values clarification, and relationship mapping, encouraging active engagement and behavioral experimentation. Targeted at aspiring and current leaders, followers, educators, and organizational practitioners, the book delivers the key ingredients for effective leadership. Momentary Leadership will teach you to lead yourself and others successfully. I found it to be packed with insight and wisdom.

Momentary Leadership by Jeffrey L. McClellan offers a transformative perspective on leadership, emphasizing that leadership occurs in brief, specific moments rather than through some form of established authority. The key idea is that every leadership interaction can influence results, relationships, and personal growth, no matter how fleeting. McClellan dissects leadership into six elements within each moment: a leader, followers, goals, processes, relationships, and context. He highlights that effective leadership hinges on awareness, intentionality, and the ability to co-create influence through mutual interaction. The book challenges traditional hierarchical paradigms, advocating for viewing leadership as a dynamic, influence-based process co-created by leaders and followers across varying contexts.

I have led teams in the BPO industry before and wish I had read Jeffrey L. McClellan’s book earlier. The author makes leadership seem like a fun exercise involving everyone, which it must be! Momentary Leadership explains different paradigms of leadership—traditional, mutual influence, and relational—encouraging readers to reflect on their implicit beliefs and how these shape their actions. It examines the importance of mindset, being, actions, and the development of core competencies like communication, attention management, relationship-building, and self-awareness. The author integrates exercises such as reflection questions, activity prompts, and self-assessment tools aimed at helping readers develop their leadership philosophies and skills. These activities encourage practising leadership in real moments, understanding personal values, perceptions, and strengths, and fostering growth through deliberate action. This book is informative, an eye-opening source of wisdom for leaders, and a strategic tool for effective leadership. I learned a lot from this book and discovered so much potential about myself that I was unaware of.