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Leadership
for Saints,
Part 13:
What Great Leaders Do by
Rodger Dean Duncan and Ed J. Pinegar
Some might imagine
that “what great leaders do” would comprise a very long
list of complicated and even mysterious activities. The reality
is that great leadership is relatively simple. Note that we didn’t
say easy. We said simple.
While it is
true that great leaders benefit from certain skills like communication,
organizing and planning, the real power of their leaderships flows
more from who they are than from what they do.
The best leaders
emulate the Savior himself. They constantly remember their role
as servant. They shoulder responsibility for the vision
and direction of the people they serve. They may have “official”
authority, yet they lead by influence instead of by position.
This part of
the book is a brief overview of what a leader does. It is not intended
to be all encompassing, but rather a simple summary. We want this
summary to be inviting, not overwhelming. We want you to remember
that leadership is a developmental process. It is the process of
becoming. You can become a great leader.
Great leaders
use their vision to maintain a wise perspective on life around them
and ahead of them. Dag Hammarsköld, the loveable Swede who
served as secretary-general of the United Nations, had something
to say that bears directly on the subject of righteous leadership:
“The road to holiness necessarily passes through the world
of action.”
As we have interviewed
and counseled with and learned from thousands of Church members
over the years, we have often begun with two simple questions:
• “What
is the health of your testimony?” and
• “How
do you make it grow?”
The answers
we’ve received from these wonderful saints provide a simple
tutorial on the kind of perspective (vision) that best serves great
leaders: they feed their faith and starve their doubts.
Like any self-respecting
verb, a good Latter-day Saint is active, not passive. Active verbs
have power. Look around you. The people in your branch or ward or
stake who exude the greatest happiness and who enjoy the most robust
spiritual health are those whose character and habits are fueled
by power verbs.
These are people
who honor their covenants.
They hold
to the rod of the word of God.
They obey
the commandments.
They choose
the right.
They serve
their neighbors.
They love
their enemies.
They forgive
their trespassers.
They repent
of their wrongs.
They lengthen
their strides.
They preach
correct principles.
They practice
what they preach.
They control
their tempers.
They share
their talents and gifts.
They resist
temptation.
They proclaim
the gospel.
They defend
the faith.
They testify
of the truth.
They listen
with empathy.
They teach
with conviction.
They lead
with power and energy and charity and hope.
These are the
saints who are able to feed their faith and starve their doubts
because their lives are characterized by power verbs such as renew,
resolve, sacrifice and consecrate.
To one degree
or another, all of us have faith. And in one way or another, each
of us has doubts. It may be self-doubt, but it is doubt nonetheless.
Great leaders feed their faith and starve their doubts. Their sense
of vision constantly reminds them who they are, whose they
are, and what they can become.
With proper
application of the principles of salvation, all of us can feed our
faith and starve our doubts. This is particularly important in our
family roles.
Quotes
to Remember
Being in power
is like being a lady. If you have to remind people that you are,
you aren’t. — Margaret Thatcher
… the Church has no corps of professionals it must depend
upon leaders developed from within the membership as a whole…
the Church's need is greater than ever now, both in terms of numbers
and a requirement for greater devotion and skill, … so must
the need for more capable and responsible leadership multiply. –
Neal A. Maxwell
… the successful leader has faith. He recognizes that the
greatest force in this world today is the power of God as it works
through man. – Thomas S. Monson 3
… a feeling
of deep responsibility to act as the Lord's agent, is perhaps the
highest attribute of leadership,... They seek only to serve, with
no desire for self-aggrandizement or acclaim. They see themselves
as the Lord's servants, on His errand, acting as His agents…
– Alexander B. Morrison
Those who take
seriously the covenants they make, who aspire to be numbered among
the covenant people of God, wish only to be humble disciples of
Jesus. …They recognize their dependence on God and His goodness…They
voluntarily accept covenants that require both sacrifice and consecration.
– Alexander B. Morrison
Note:
The excerpts of Leadership for Saints posted on Meridian
are only a fraction of the contents of this 349-page book. To learn
more about this ground-breaking book and to order copies, click
here.
Contents
Section 1: Understanding the Role of Leadership
Chapter 1
- What Great Leadership Is
Chapter 2 - What Great Leaders Are
Chapter 3 - What Great Leaders See
Chapter 4 - What Great Leaders Do
Section 2: Getting
the Results You and the Lord Want
Chapter 5
- Planning the Work, Working the Plan
Chapter 6 - Councils: Strength in Unity
Chapter 7 - Creating a Climate of Hope and Energy
Section 3: Skills
That Help You Sleep at Night
Chapter 8
- Communication: Building Bridges to Their Hearts
Chapter 9 - Stewardship Delegation: The Great Multiplier
Chapter 10 - The Power of Influence
Chapter 11 - Gatherings of Saints: Think Purpose, Not Meeting
Section 4: Special
Challenges and Opportunities
Chapter 12
- Discernment: The Gift of Great Price
Chapter 13 - Personal Balance: Your "Being" vs. Your
"Doing"
Chapter 14 - Common Questions, Humble Responses
About
the Authors:
Rodger Dean
Duncan, a descendant of 19th century Protestant evangelists, was
baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at
the age of 18. Early in his career he was an award-winning journalist,
editor and syndicated columnist. He has been a consultant to cabinet
officers under two U.S. presidents, members of the U.S. Senate,
and senior officers of major corporations. He earned a Ph.D. at
Purdue University, and is founder and president of The Duncan Company,
a consulting firm focused on leadership development and organizational
effectiveness.
Brother Duncan
has served on several stake high councils, twice as bishop, as stake
president, and as stake mission president. Under President Spencer
W. Kimball he served on the Advisory Council that first recommended
the subtitle to the Book of Mormon, "Another Testament of Jesus
Christ."
Brother Duncan
is married to Rean Robbins-Duncan, a fifth-generation Latter-day
Saint. They have four children and two grandchildren. The Duncans
live in Missouri, only a short walk from Historic Liberty Jail.
Ed
J. Pinegar, a dentist by training and vocation, graduated from Brigham
Young University and attended dental school at the University of
Southern California. While practicing dentistry, he taught seminary
for several years, then taught the Book of Mormon and Gospel Principles
and Practices courses at BYU for 18 years.
Brother
Pinegar's Church assignments include stake high councilor, bishop
(twice), stake president, member of the General Board for Young
Men, and member of the Missionary Programs Advisory Committee. He
also presided over the England London Mission and the Missionary
Training Center in Provo, Utah. He is author of several books for
the LDS market.
Brother
Pinegar is married to Patricia Peterson Pinegar, former General
President of the Primary for the Church. They are parents of eight
children and have 32 grandchildren. The Pinegars live in Orem, Utah.
