Leadership for Saints:
Part 67
When
Is It Okay to Coast?
by Rodger Dean Duncan and Ed J. Pinegar
Challenge:
My life is very busy and frankly I’m tired.
Isn’t it okay for me to coast a bit in my leadership
calling?
Opportunity:
It was October of 1978 and I was in Great
Britain on a special assignment for the Church. A colleague
and I drove to the London Temple to confer with President
Spencer W. Kimball, who was there to install a new temple
presidency.
President Kimball was his usual smiling,
buoyant self as he inquired about and expressed appreciation
for our work. After our brief interview we chatted for
several minutes and the Prophet stood by my side with his
arm locked in mine. He stayed in that pose while he talked
with others, and I was of course in no rush to move away.
I was especially impressed by one part
of his conversation. One of the brethren there asked President
Kimball if he was tired of his hectic pace. It was then
2:30 p.m. in England, 7:30 a.m. in Salt Lake City, and
President Kimball had just crossed the Atlantic the night
before after installing a new presidency at the Washington
Temple. Later on this day he was flying to South Africa
for an area conference. So he, especially at the age of
83, had every right to be tired. The Prophet’s response
to the question? “Oh, no, it’s hard to get tired doing
something you love!”
President Kimball survived throat cancer
and suffered a wide range of other serious illnesses. But
he never lost his resolve to serve.
If only all of us could feel that way about
Church assignments. Surely we may get tired from our
labors, but fatigue is usually ignored when we are truly
committed to a calling.
For someone who feels a little “burn out” from
serving, I would ask these questions:
· Have you developed a specific vision of what you should accomplish
in your calling? (vision brings energy)
· Have you considered the linkages between your good service and the
souls of others? (clear linkages spawn enthusiasm)
· Have you considered what the Lord may wish for you to learn from
sacrifice? (sacrifice literally means to “make sacred”)
· Are you organized in a way that makes the most of your time? (good
organization makes a task more “do-able”)
· Is your planning as careful as it could be? (good planning provides
perspective and pace)
· Are you delegating tasks that can appropriately be done by others?
(delegation frees you up to do the “vision work”)
· Are your meetings as effective as they should be? (good meetings
help eliminate duplication of effort)
· What are you doing to ensure that you are in appropriate personal
balance? (renewal is a critical key to vitality)
· Are you asking the Lord for help, and are you genuinely listening for
his answers? (the Lord is always “on duty”)
By definition, effective leadership is
no holiday. It requires commitment, focus, hard work, patience
and, yes, even some endurance. The scriptures don’t teach
us to “endure until it’s no longer convenient or comfortable.” We
are asked to endure to the end. If it weren’t possible,
the Lord wouldn’t expect it of us.
It’s been wisely said that “service is
the rent we pay for our own room on earth.” We should remember
that the rent is due on a daily basis and the receipt is
never stamped “paid in full” because the rent—service in
God’s kingdom—is due again today and due again tomorrow. – Rodger Dean Duncan
Challenge:
Dealing with change is one of the most
difficult things we do in life. How can I help myself
and others deal with change?
Opportunity:
Getting out of our comfort zone is often
full of fear and doubt. We struggle in new situations and
callings. If we haven’t done something before, there can
be some anxiety.
While serving as president of the Provo
Missionary Training Center, I witnessed this on a regular
basis. Missionaries struggled in the new environment. Some
even went home at their own insistence.
One day as I was pondering and praying
about this I was inspired to call the BYU registrar’s office.
I asked about the number of freshman students who left
prior to completing their first semester. I was astonished.
The percentage leaving BYU was the same that left the MTC.
They expressed reasons like: “It isn’t what I thought it
would be.” “I really didn’t want to come.” “I miss home,
family, friends and my girl friend.” “I wasn’t prepared
for this.”
From this I learned the difficulty of managing
change. Upon interviewing those leaving and the many thousands
who stayed, I learned how people can accept and deal with
change.
Preparation is key: When people have knowledge of a situation
and know what to expect, they are better prepared. If they
have studied and worked for this moment in life they come
with confidence.
Desire to succeed is a must: Those
who really want to do well simply will do well. It is the
inner motivator that drives one in overcoming challenges.
Recognition of self-image and self-worth: When we know who we are and realize our divine capacity we
can do all things in the strength of the Lord.
Plans and goals: If early on we write down our goals and
plans to accomplish them, we are more likely to succeed.
There are days that we all might give in if it weren’t
for our commitment to our goals.
Surely in relation to our eternal values
we are motivated to change because of our love of God.
Love is the motive. We can change and accept new roles
and challenges as we make the mental adjustments. We simply
choose to change. – Ed J. Pinegar
Quotes Worth Remembering
The gospel brings a spirit into people’s lives
which heals and also covers many of the so-called differences
we have. I’ve also learned that before the Lord, all people
are equal … – R. Val Johnson
Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he
will direct thee for good. – Alma 37:37
Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord,
but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves
know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and
in great mercy, over all his works. – Jacob 4:10
Men must have trust in their leader in order cheerfully
to follow him … – Improvement Era
Let
us support and sustain our leaders ... not only with our
hands but with our actions … – William T. Tew 13
If you listen carefully to their feelings, you will find out something
about the heart. – Henry B. Eyring
As you listen, listen to the feelings being expressed
more than to the descriptions of action … – Martha Nibley
Beck and John C. Beck
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.
