- Dr. Jennifer Wimbish is president emeritus of Cedar Valley College of the Dallas Community College District.
Dr. Jennifer Wimbish’s recent book, Leadership Wisdom for All Generations: Unique Insights from Authentic Leaders is a distinctive and engaging read.
It is first a memoir that takes readers through Wimbish’s childhood and youth in segregated Port Lavaca, Texas; her college years at a historically black college; and into her exemplary decades-long career as a community college educator and president. Additionally, this book is a leadership guide, and workbook. Wimbish’s approach is unusual in that she has combined her memoir with teaching tools. There’s even a section explaining how the book can be used.
Each chapter is followed by a section called “Lessons Learned from [chapter title]” and another called “Echoes from [chapter title]” in which she reiterates life lessons and leadership wisdom. There are 48 lessons packed into nine chapters and just over 200 pages.
Wimbish dedicates her book to her mentors, the “authentic leaders “of the subtitle, but I found it surprising that, with only one exception, she does not identify these leaders in her text along with the wisdom they imparted to her. If you are familiar with her life and career, you can intuit what wisdom came from whom, but if not, it remains a mystery.
Jennifer Wimbish is a deeply religious woman, and that is evident in Leadership Wisdom for All Generations. She knows her Bible and is very comfortable citing scripture, seeking wisdom from God, and encouraging readers to seek God’s guidance.
Leadership Wisdom for All Generations is aimed at a multigenerational audience. Wimbish is passionate about the need for history and knowledge sharing between the generations. Parents and teens can read this book together and young professionals can learn from it at the same time that older generations can glean ideas to pass along to younger ones. It is currently being used in high school and university classes to teach students leadership skills, another of Wimbish’s life-long passions.
Some things in Leadership Wisdom for All Generations: Unique Insights from Authentic Leaders, may seem familiar, but there are historical and leadership nuggets that you may find revelatory; and of course, Dr. Wimbish’s memoir will provide insights, no matter your age and knowledge base. This is a book that is worth exploring, and I recommend it.
Wimbish, Jennifer. Leadership Wisdom for All Generations: Unique Insights from Authentic Leaders. 2018. 208 pp. ISBNs: 978-1-64184-957-9, hardcover; 978-64184-958-6;, paperback; 978-1-64184-9593, ebook.
Speaking freely 