Leading Saints Podcast

Author's Edit 8/18: The purpose of this article is to help Latter-day Saint leaders and members understand why a large number of Millennial members are leaving the church (I personally see Millennials leaving the church as a negative thing, and something I would like to prevent). This article does not suggest that the LDS church should change its doctrines or lower its standards to cater to Millennials. But, I do suggest that the Church can change some practices (not doctrines and/or standards) to better engage Millennials and improve the retention of Millennials. An example of how the church recently changed a practice to cater to and improve the engagement of a certain demographic group is they began allowing women to say prayers in General Conference. This was a change in practice and not a change in doctrine or standards. The suggestions in this article are similar in nature. My hope is that all members of the church will work together to help all who need the atonement of Christ to feel comfortable coming unto Christ by worshiping him within the walls of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. About six months ago, as part of ward conference, my ward held a special ward council, with stake leaders also participating. The primary topic we discussed was what the ward could do to better support young adults and youth. As the discussion progressed, I made two observations. First, I observed a large age gap between those in the meeting and the demographic group being discussed. Most of the individuals in the meeting were from the Baby Boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964), a few were from the Generation X generation (born between 1965 and 1979), and I was the only individual that was from the Millennial generation (born between 1980 and 1996). Second, it became clear that most in the meeting did not understand the needs and perspectives of young adults and youth, and were thus not in a great position to support, serve, and reach them in a meaningful way. The purpose of this post is to help leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints understand why Millennials are unique, what their needs are, how their needs and philosophies may clash against Latter-day Saint tradition, and what Latter-day Saint leaders can do to better support, serve, and reach a generation that Baby Boomers and Gen Xers have a hard time relating to and understanding. What makes Millennials Before answering this question, it is important to point out two things related to research on Millennials. First, not all Millennials fit the “Millennial” mold or stereotype. While generational research focuses on the averages/generalities associated with different generations, there is great variation across Millennials. Second, while Millennials are unique from older generations, some of the differences are due to the difference in age common to different generations. Stated differently, while the needs, interests, and thought processes of Millennials are currently different than older generations, in many ways, the older generations had similar needs, interests, and thought processes while in their twenties and early thirties. For example, Millennials are currently more likely to change jobs than older generations, but that is a phenomenon that has always been the case for those in their twenties and early thirties, regardless of their generation. This is primarily the case because Millennials generally have fewer ties to others than older age groups. The following summarizes some of the primary ways Millennials are truly unique from other generations. Millennials: Have worse health than prior generations at the same age (e.g., more obesity). Have a lower level of general knowledge coming out of high school (National Center for Educational Statistics, U.S.

Craig Harline is an accomplished author and professor at Brigham Young University. He teaches Cultural and Religious History. He resides in Provo, Utah with his family but he also travels to Europe as he continues his research. Craig grew up in Fresno California. He was later called to Belgium to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was those experiences he had while on his mission that lead him to write the book Way Below The Angels, the Pretty Clearly Troubled but not even close to tragic confessions of a real life mormon missionary. In this book he shares what his expectations for his mission looked like, and what really happened as he enabled the power of the atonement. Episode Highlights: * 5:32- Expectations for your mission or calling. * 6:54- Your ideals are a starting point. * 7:39 - Avoiding feelings of failure. * 8:22 “Ideals are stars to steer by; they are not sticks to beat ourselves with.” (Barbara B. Smith) * 12:28- How to help young missionaries set expectations before they leave on a mission. * 15:45- The right answer is not always the heroic one. * 18:37- We are not called to save everything, the Savior has already done that for us. * 22:32- Sometimes we look for affirmations of success in all the wrong places. * 28:16- Why people convert? * 30:25-Helping missionaries understand social structures. * 31:16- Who am I converting vs. Who am I befriending. * 34:43-Learning to speak their language and learn their culture is an act of love. * 35:53-Having unrealistic goals makes the mission about you, and not the people you are there to help. * 38:15-The mission may not go the way you thought and it is ok to talk about it. * 39:48-Sometimes you will not get along with your companion. Links * Craig Harline website * Way Below The Angels, the Pretty Clearly Troubled but not even close to tragic confessions of a real life Mormon missionary * Craig Harline’s published books * Times and Seasons Blog

Richard Seaman is a business analyst and the founder of Beacon Leadership Development. Richard was raised in Flagstaff Arizona and now lives in Kaysville, Utah with his wife of 30 years. He has 5 kids and 6 grandchildren and currently serves in the High Council. Richard loves the youth of the church and has served as Young Men's president 6 times. Professionally, Richard is a certified executive life coach, trains leadership teams and is also a motivational speaker. He is well versed in leadership development, collaborative work group training and management consulting. In this episode Richard talks about being an intentional leader and having a vision statement in your calling. Episode Highlights: * 19:15 Advice for a new Young Men's president * 21:30 What can we understand about being intentional as a leader - know what your purpose is for the entire time you serve in your calling * 24:00 How to be intentional * 26:00 An example of a vision statement for a Young Men's presidency * 29:00 Ward council- not making it gossip * 29:30 Having a meeting facilitator in ward council * 32:30 Ward council- dealing with facts and not gossip * 39:00 Being addicted to LSD- lift someone daily * 41:15 Be intentional with leadership activities * 43:30 Example of lifting someone daily- Atlanta airport * 48:00 Smile more * 49:30 Leadership is one on one Links: * 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Steven Covey * Motivating the Minister Summit * Beacon Leadership

Brian Wilson who was born in San Diego, but moved frequently due to being raised in a military family, now lives in Kansas City Missouri. Brian’s was born into a family where both parents converted to the church. As a youth Brian overcame many struggles in his youth including being abused. In this episode he shares his story of being born into the church, leaving it, and the bumpy path back. There is great insight into the thoughts and stories in a member who has left the church, but still remembers what is right. Episode Highlights: * Suggestions for youth leaders that may work with abused youth (9:41) * Brian’s journey from baptizing a friend to inactivity in the church, “The farther he got the easier it was." (11:12) * How he slid on the slippery slope (14:14) * Fading strong friendships (15:20) * Removing his name from the records (16:10) * Realizing that anger lead to unhappiness (19:20) * Realizing his weakness (20:30) * Leaders can reach out and let less active members know they are needed and loved (21:13) * Some members are looking for a reason or an excuse (24:24) * It isn’t as hard as it seams to remove your name from the roles (24:50) * Finding purpose outside the church (25:45) * The bumps on the road to reactivity was rough (26:35) * Brian’s family didn’t give up (29:44) * The power of a good neighbor.  The invitation was always there. (30:55) * Receiving simple service (33:20) * “All that I ask is that you listen,” Brian tells about supporting his wife as she learned more about the gospel (36:14) The fellow shippers really wanted to get to know them (37:52) * "Going back to church after 20 years…" (39:04) * Process of being rebaptized (40:09)

We learn from the Fifth Article of Faith and from the Church Handbooks that "a person must be called of God to serve in the Church." Notice the preposition is “called of God,” not called by God. It's easy for leaders to assume that God has a calling board in heaven on the wall of His office covered with magnetic pictures of each person in your ward. We assume He has determined every calling in your ward and carefully placed individuals in specific auxiliaries, and He is waiting for you, the leader, to read His mind so that you put every person in his or her perfect calling so that your calling board matches His. This results in leaders straining to read the mind of God; or trying to figure out who was called by God, rather than who is called of God. Elder Bednar gave a similar message in the April 2017 General Conference when he said, "...a missionary is not called to a place; rather, he or she is called to serve." Likewise, a member of your ward is called to serve, and where they are assigned in your ward may not always be gift wrapped in revelation. I'll be the first to admit it’s a powerful experience when a specific person comes to the mind of the bishop, and he knows where this member should be called to serve. But leaders must also feel confident in placing individuals in callings per their own decision making capacity rather than expecting a clear revelation in every instance. Elder Robert D. Hales said, "I remind all of us that the Holy Ghost is not given to control us. Some of us unwisely seek the Holy Ghost’s direction on every minor decision in our lives. This trivializes His sacred role." This guidance can be applied to making decision in our wards and organizations. Often, revelation comes by leaders deciding with the good judgment the Lord gave him or her, and then considering it revelation. The life experiences and decision making ability the Lord has given leaders is a way He influences and directs through revelation. Once leaders recognize the autonomy they have in whom to select to serve, the more confidence they have to make a call and not fret when it doesn't work out, or the process is messy. That said, the following are key pitfalls some leaders experience in the calling process. My hope is that leaders can watch out for these pitfalls and act with confidence, minimizing the burden of trying to read the mind of God in every instance. Expecting Specific Revelation for Each Calling When leaders have the mindset of finding who is called by God rather than who is called of God, we tend to search for a specific name who could serve, rather than a list of options. This is often seen when the bishop is approached by the Relief Society president and the Primary president, both having received inspiration that a specific sister is to serve in her auxiliary. It may be that the Lord places the name of an individual in the mind of the leader not that the individual should be specifically called to that position, but rather, He is guiding you to consider someone you haven't, helping you arrive at a better decision. So, when two auxiliary leaders approach the bishopric with the same name coming from the same Heavenly Source, it is important for the bishopric to validate the auxiliary leader’s prompting that is part of the revelatory process, and know "that final responsibility to receive inspiration on whom to call rests with the stake presidency or the bishopric." (Handbook 2: 19.1.2) When the Bishopric Makes All the Assignments

The Next Step Podcast is a weekly podcast focusing on the joys of recovery and sobriety in an LDS context. Creators and hosts, Brad and Jay, join Kurt to talk about the Addiction Recovery Program and how everyone, including church leaders, family, and friends, in addition to those suffering from the disease of addiction, can benefit by understanding the 12 steps, knowing when and where meetings are held, and understanding how to reach out to those in need of help.  Jay explains how he became addicted to prescription painkillers while on his mission, his struggles with addiction after, and the moment someone reached out to him and invited him to an Addiction Recovery Program meeting. Together, Brad and Jay discuss the leader's role in addiction recovery, how a sponsor is different than a priesthood leader (and the important, but separate, roles that each play in helping those with addictions), how to help youth and teens struggling with addiction, and the important role the family plays in the ongoing recovery process. (38:30) What is a sponsor in the addiction recovery program? How does someone become a sponsor? (40:00) How does your sponsor differ from a priesthood leader? (44:30) As leaders, we carry the message, not the person (46:45) Helping youth with addiction (51:00) Treating addiction as a family (55:00) Addiction and "Betrayal Trauma" Links: Addiction Recovery Program Website The Next Step Podcast on iTunes The Next Step Podcast Facebook page  

Steve Russell, of Lehi Utah, practices law in Salt Lake City and is a graduate of the BYU’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. Steve completed an honorable mission in Bolivia and married a returned missionary. He and his wife Janice are the parents of eight children and he has served in many church callings: counselor, teacher, high councilor, youth choir/orchestra leader, family history consultant and as bishop in Tooele, Utah. Among the family traditions in the Russell household is the annual celebration of the Passover during the Easter season. At the time of his conversion to the Church in 1982, Brother Russell was a 22-year old jazz musician in Southern California. He was experiencing a season of serious contemplation about influential people and the nature of God when missionaries knocked on his door.  Through faithful study, prayer and participation he felt the light of the Lord enter his life, obtained a fervent testimony of the Book of Mormon and came to realize how someone can declare “I know” when speaking of spiritual convictions. When asked about milestones or turning points in his spiritual life, Steve references attending his first post-mission general conference where he was privileged to hear the stirring final testimony of the late Elder Bruce R. McConkie in 1985.(1) Brother Russell has an abiding testimony of the “commitment pattern.” He knows from personal experience and from serving as a bishop how vital it is to strive for personal purity by overcoming one’s sins, beginning with the most serious, and making definitive commitments to God through fervent prayer and “reporting back” to the Lord. This same pattern will help serious-minded Saints in dealing with a variety of challenges, including such things as compulsive behaviors (e.g. pornography, overeating, anger, etc.). He referenced pertinent and meaningful talks by President Spencer W. Kimball (2) and Elder David A. Bednar (3) on this same subject. Brother Russell asserts that Church leaders at any level must study the relevant handbooks and learn to love, serve and lead with the help of God through mighty prayer.  His experience is that there are many Church members who love deeply and desire to be valuable servants in the Kingdom. Serving and leading have helped Brother Russel appreciate the many blessings afforded by the gospel of Jesus Christ, especially the power of the Atonement. Five Principle of Leadership: Assume the best in the people serving. Don’t judge people by outward appearances, be they youth or adults. Find ways to connect with them and allow them to experience growth. (29:05) Every person has a unique perspective. Build on their strengths and do not make them feel inadequate. (30:35) Every person has something to offer. Don’t try to control circumstances to the point of stifling contributions. This occasionally happens in gospel classes. Consider their various contributions seriously, even if the meaning is not clear on the surface. Appreciate their courage in contributing. (32:05) Remember to discover and create joy in church service. It’s counterproductive to be stressed in church work. Leaders should seek to make serving joyful and/or fun. (34:10) If you are not loving those you serve, repeat steps one through four, above. (36:44) Links: “The Purifying Power of Gethsemane,” Elder Bruce R. McConkie, April 1985 "Converted Unto the Lord," Elder David A. Bednar, October 2012 Youtube Links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2v5K40Jghw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kfTZTJ2J4I

Kate Holbrook is the managing historian for Women’s History at the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Kate is co-editor of two books, The First Fifty Years of Relief Society, and At The Pulpit, 185 years of Discourses by Latter-Day Saint Women. Before working for the church Kate served a mission in Russia. She went on to earn her masters degree at Harvard Divinity School in World Religions. She also earned her PHD from Boston University in Religious Studies. Episode Highlights: At The Pulpit, 185 years of Discourses by Latter-Day Saint Women. Relief Society, The Early Years. *  While Kate was working on her PHD she worked on a comparative project where she examined women, food, and religion in the LDS religion and the Nation of Islam. She studied how our emphasis on self sufficiency helped shape our recipes. She is working on publishing this book. 8:33 *  Kate’s first task while working for the church was helping to publish The First Fifty Years of Relief Society. She worked on this for the first 4 years of her employment. 10:53 * In early church history adult women had to apply to become a member of the relief society. 11:35 *  Membership cards for relief society were distributed in early Nauvoo. 12:10 *  It was not until the 1970’s when you automatically became a member of the relief society if you were a female adult member of the church. 12:14 *  When the relief society was first founded it was referred to as the women’s quorum. 12:30 * The early years of relief society the women were very involved in the local board and local Red Cross. As the church grew, that fell away and they focused on ministry to a global church. 12:59 At The Pulpit, 185 years of Discourses by Latter-Day Saint Women. * The authors of the book wrote introductions to each discourse and gave biographical information on the speakers. 14:00 * In the early years of the church the women would speak at sacrament meetings and cottage meetings, Talks could also be found in the Women’s Exponent Newspaper. These were all looked at as they studied which talks to included in the book. 16:07 *  Eliza R. Snow was a champion in helping women to stand up and find their voice. 19:24 *  Belle S. Spafford’s picture is on the cover of this book. She was the General Relief Society President for 30 years (1945-1975). She was also on the General Relief Society Board for 40 years. 19:49 * The criteria for this book was timeless well written talks, and talks that engage doctrine, and inspire. 26:39 *  The women in the book had a strong vision of their potential. They were going to save the world, not just the Mormon world but the whole world. 27:51 *  The support the women had for the suffrage movement was to restore women to her rightful place so her voice can be part of the running of the world. 28:02 *  As they prepared the book, they picked two or three talks per decade. 29:10 *  The talk they included from Sheri Dew explains how to learn the language of revelation when the Spirit talks to you. 29:57 *  The early sisters in the relief society were very organized and great at mentoring the coming generation. 30:39 Links: * The First Fifty Years of Relief Society * At the Pulpit 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint Women * Church History Site: At the Pulpit 185 Years of Discourses by Latter-day Saint  

Dave Crenshaw is an author, speaker, and master of building productive leaders. He has appeared in Time magazine, USA Today, FastCompany, and the BBC News. His courses on LinkedIn Learning have received millions of views. He has written three books and counting, including The Myth of Multitasking which was published in six languages and is a time management bestseller. His fourth book, The Power of Having Fun, is due for release in September 2017. Dave was called to serve a mission in Portugal and was later reassigned to the Indiana, eventually assisting in the opening of Spanish-speaking Indianapolis. He attended Brigham Young University and currently resides in Herriman, Utah with his wife and kids. Episode Highlights: (14:00) Importance of clearly defined “dividing points” within the day/week. * “Bank of time” principle – time behaves like money. * Time demands and “interest rate” in repayment. * Determining your “budget” and then not crossing it – actually under spend your time. * Budgeting transition time between activities to allow for buffer time. * Google setting “Speedy Meeting” that automatically adds buffer time in calendar. (20:00) How to Communicate time budget boundaries to others. * Correct answer: Regularly scheduled meetings with those with whom you need to meet. * Establishing a clear “when” to reduce the occurrence of “now”. * Practical answer: Leave time each day/week unscheduled to allow for unexpected needs (buffer time). * Time budget equivalent of a rainy day fund/emergency preparedness for our time. (24:30) Principles for running an effective meeting. * Make sure that all meetings are action-oriented. * Every meeting ends with a question. * What are the actions that are going to be taken? * Who is going to do them? When are they going to deliver them? * Secretary makes note of the actions, gives reminders to the individuals assigned a task and a summary to the individual running the meeting. (27:20) The Myth of Multitasking. * Be aware of “switch-tasking”. * Switch-tasking on an individual communicates to them that they are not important. * “Back-tasking”. (35:00) Public speaking tips (sacrament meeting, teaching lessons, etc). * Went through seminary training program while at Brigham Young University. * Feel confident about what we are doing. * Teach Ye Diligently, by President Boyd K Packer. * (39:00) Effectively using principles of Readiness, Participation, and Application. Links: * DaveCrenshaw.com * The Myth of Multitasking by Dave Crenshaw * The Power of Having Fun by Dave Crenshaw * Teach Ye Diligently by President Boyd K. Packer

Kristen Jenson, is the founder of ProtectYoungMinds.org and best selling author of Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-proofing Today’s Young Kids. She serves on the Prevention Task Force of the National Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation. She received her Bachelors degree in English Literature and a Masters degree in Organizational Communication. She currently lives in Washington state. She recently wrote the book Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr: A Simple Plan to Protect Young Minds, a book aimed at 3-6 years old. It’s an easy way for parents to start the conversation early to protect their young children. Episode Highlights * Kristen shares that she didn’t receive a script on how to help talk to her children about pornography (4:34). * How pornography impacts children in general was covered in the prior episode. * The FBI did a study and found that among the growing problems with the internet and children the the biggest problem is sextortion (8:14). * The book teaches children that it is never okay for someone to take pictures of themselves with out their clothes on or to take pictures of themselves and to post or share pictures (9:19). * The best time to start taking to your kids about pornography is when they are 3-6, because this is when they are on the internet (10:32). * Kristen explains the how she decided to adapt the message from the first book to the second book, when it targets a younger demographic (12:04). * Introduces the Turn, Run & Tell plan for kids to use when they are exposed to bad pictures (14:12). * The book contains sticky notes to encourage parents to have discussion with kids about different topics (14:49). * This process is not just educating your child about the harm of pornography, but it’s about persuading them on an ongoing basis that you will be safer and happier if you stay away from bad pictures (15:41). * Parents say that the book has helped them have better relationships with their children by discussing these difficult topics (16:16). * The book compares bad pictures to poison and how it can hurt your body (17:28). * One of the most dangerous things parents can say is that their children are 100% protected (19:00). * If you start teaching your children young, the discussion won’t be awkward (21:20). * Focus on building an eternal filter, that the child can recognize what the bad, know it can be harmful and to know what to do when they find it (21:40). * How can church leaders use the book as a tool to help parents (22:38). * Seeing Pornography as an addiction (25:20). * Shame can fuel children to keep things they see a secret (31:17) Links Protect Young Minds Good Pictures Bad Pictures Jr: A Simple Plan to Protect Young Minds Good Pictures Bad Pictures: Porn-proofing Today’s Young Kids Past Leading Saints Interview with Kristen

Maurice Harker is a Clinical Mental Health Counselor (CMHC) based in Farmington, UT. Born in the Pocatello, ID area, he served a mission in Detroit, MI originally started his career focused on marriage therapy. He is the founder of Life Changing Services, which includes programs such as Sons of Helaman, Men of Moroni, Daughters of Light, and others. He is the author of “Like Dragons Did They Fight,” which bridges the gap between the Spiritual and the Temporal (physical) factors of addiction and addiction recovery. Highlights 16:30 “For such a smart kid, you sure do some stupid things sometimes”. * There’s a stereotype that the people we work with and have these problems are the “stupid” or undisciplined ones (they’re not) 19:00 “Watch your thoughts”. * What if Satan has learned to talk to us (in our heads) in our own voice? * What happens if he can get us to feel like we’re fighting against ourselves and create a civil war within our own minds – a psychological civil war – fighting ourselves within our own heads? * What can be the consequences of civil war? * It is a mistake to convince people they are fighting against themselves – there is an actual enemy fighting against them. 24:30 Fighting “harder” or “smarter” isn’t always the answer. * Must train the person fighting the battle to acquire the spirit of discernment to recognize microscopic brain chemical changes. * Thoughts cause chemical reactions (Satan can’t affect chemicals, but can affect thoughts). * Example: A basketball team calling timeout in an attempt to shake an opposing player out of “the zone,” a mental state wherein the chemicals of their brain are running smoothly. * Satan attempts to shake us from our “zone” state by creating a change in our chemical reactions (via our thoughts) 31:45 “Chemical Scale” – A useful way to identify how “off” we are. * Level 10: Crash - A crash, or lost battle, is when your behavior is against your value system. * Levels 5-10: “Stupid Mode”. * Level 5: “Give Up Moment”. * Level 4: “Irrational Conversation”. * Level 3: “Dude Moment” – the suggestion moment, trigger moment (as called by scientists), the temptation moment (as called by religionists), or the thought moment. * If we set our alarms to go off at Level 3, we’re missing the opportunity to win the battle at Levels 1 and 2 because those levels are being skipped (i.e. Bishops asking someone to call them AFTER they’re tempted – it won’t work). *  Level 2 – Emotions and Feelings – when looking at the thoughts or emotions themselves and not the chemical associated with them an important level is being skipped. * Level at which you’re having a strong negative feeling for legitimate reasons. * Satan’s “psychological massage” moment. * Level 1 – Chemical level – when you’re not deviant, but just “off”. * Level 0 - “Awesomeness Zone” – the natural, spiritual state of mind. 40:45 Doing spiritual things to stay connected to God is necessary, but not sufficient. * We still must train our bodies to respond correctly to being attacked. * Insight and motivation doesn’t conquer an addiction problem 45:00 The antidote is already in our head. * The chemical release needed to win our battles is similar to what David felt as he went up against Goliath – the chemical release that gives us the confidence that we can win. * This is the complete opposite of what someone feels when they’re feeling shame. * If we communicate with someone in such a way that they are depleted or more scared or weak we increase the likelihood they are going to lose their next battle.

Mark Harris, currently a bishop in Hawaii. He served his mission in Idaho, attended Ricks College, and was married in Idaho as well. 5 Principles of Leadership 37:09 - Center decisions on long term eternal perspective. 41:51 - Train, lift, and empower those you call. 46:16 - Sustain those in authority, your leaders and subordinates. 49:21 - Maintain order and humble obedience 51:31 - Go and Do Episode Highlights Where were you raised? As an “Army Brat” he lived all over the world. Where were you baptized? In Germany as an 8 year old. What is your church legacy? Martin Harris is a (many) great-uncle. 12:40 - Who’s the most famous Mormon you’ve met? 14:35 - Does your family have any General Conference traditions? 15:16 - Church callings, elders quorum instructor, elders quorum Counselor, elders quorum president, Single Adult Branch Presidency Counselor, Third Counselor in the Bishopric, HP Group Leader, and Bishop. 17:15 - What was the purpose of calling a third counselor in the Bishopric? There was a large military ward with high turnover with which a third counselor helped to lighten the load. 18:43 - Tell us the story of being called as a Bishop. 23:09 - Tell us about being in a “military” ward. 25:42 - Did you institute specific programs to make sure that everything was covered with military families schedules? 28:34 - Any general approach to keeping the ward staffed and not making it the focus of each bishopric meeting?         The bishopric was able to forecast callings as people’s military assignments changed. The counselors are also responsible for reaching out to their auxiliaries and making sure that staffing needs are understood. 30:08 - Are the current presidents training replacements?         It’s disappointing to not have training available. The bishopric can sit down and help the individual understand the scope of the calling and what is expected of them. Through PPIs and continued communication, all callings are receiving their appropriate level of training. Auxiliary leaders know that they are responsible for training anyone under their umbrella. 32:08 - In a military ward, what does your week to week look like?         A lot of officers and enlisted members work together, they are able to work together as saints when they are at church and swap roles when they are working in the military. 34:51 - Any unique approaches to weekly ward meetings?         Never show up to a meeting unprepared. Every bishopric meeting starts with a hymn and a spiritual thought or handbook training. Focusing on the spiritually uplifting part of the meeting has made a difference. 37:09 - Center decisions on long term eternal perspective.         If you don’t have a goal in mind before you start, it’s easy to spin your wheels. Remind yourself that everything you do in the church has one purpose, bringing people to Christ. Keeping the eternal perspective helps you stay focused and not get distracted by the small stuff. If you rise above your problems that are obscuring your view, you’ll be able to see beyond the temporary problems. 41:51 - Train, lift, and empower those you call.         As the Bishop, you help the administration of the ward, you also help guide spiritually. Point out the spiritual principles and teach every chance you get. As leaders, you train, uplift and teach spiritual principles to those you lead. Have regular PPIs with auxiliary heads, it makes sure that each auxiliary has the bishop’s support and helps train leaders in the future. Empower everyone in the ward and not just the leaders. 46:16 - Sustain those in authority, your leaders and subordinates.         Recognize that everyone in their calling has been called of God and you sustain them as much as they sustain you.

Liz Wiseman has been named as one of the top 10 leadership thinkers in the world and teaches leadership to executives and emerging leaders internationally. She is the President of The Wiseman Group, a leadership research and development firm headquartered in Silicon Valley. She is the author of three best-selling books: Rookie Smarts: Why Learning Beats Knowing in the New Game of Work, Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter and The Multiplier Effect: Tapping the Genius Inside Our Schools. Her book Mulitipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter was recently revised and updated.  In this episode we talk about these revisions and what to do when we have a leader that is a "diminisher." A FULL TRANSCRIPT OF THE INTERVIEW IS BELOW Interview Highlights: 3:30 Revised edition of Multipliers 7:00 Diminishers as leaders 8:30 How do we build a culture of leaders 11:30 How to see the accidental diminisher in you 16:00 How to approach a diminisher?               Most common strategies (that don't typically work)- * Confront them * Avoid them * Quit * Comply and lay low * Ignore the diminishing behavior 18:00 Experience of Liz confronting a Relief Society President 21:00 Role play- good guy/bad boss 25:45 How to respond to a diminisher- Curiousity approach/ask questions          "I wonder why?" Have empathy.  Who did wrong by this person?  Who micromanaged them? 27:40 Having empathy for the people we work under changes the dynamics 28:15 Instead of excluding the diminisher, ask their opinion 30:00 You don't get to change other people but you can change your response 31:00 You have the choice to be the Multiplier yourself.  It doesn't have to come from the top 32:00 Choose to respond with love 33:00 You don't have to be the boss to be the Multiplier 34:15 Fluid leadership 37:00 Defensive moves- turn the volume down 39:00 Retreat and regroup- example from Apple executive Steve Jobs 42:00 Assert your capability- good strategy to deal with accidental diminisher- "I got this" 46:15 What Liz has learned about her discipleship of Jesus Christ Links: Multipliers, Revised and Updated: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter Other Liz Wiseman interviews with Leading Saints Full Interview Transcript: Kurt Francom (LS): Liz, this is your third time on the Leading Saints podcast, and I welcome you back. Liz Wiseman: It's good to be here. You know, I actually thought it might be my fourth time, but it might- LS: It may be! Liz Wiseman: It might be the third or the fourth, but I hope you're suspicious that I'm out for your job, that I actually want to be the host of the Leading Saints broadcast. LS: There you are. Well, it's yours. Liz Wiseman: Because I keep coming back. LS: You speak the words, and you can be the host of Leading Saints. I think you're much more qualified than I will ever dream of being. Nonetheless, [00:03:25] I always mention how kind you've been to the Leading Saints organization, and the way we've interacted. I do name drop your name for various times. "Yeah, I actually know Liz Wiseman, you know,

Mikel Roper is an Assistant Ward Clerk over Finance, and a Temple Ordinance Worker. Episode Highlights * 4:20 - There is a lot of responsibility that goes along with being called as a clerk * 5:19 - Where were you raised? When were you baptized? Did you serve a mission? Did you attend college? What is your vocation? Are you married and where did you meet? Do you have any children? Who is the most famous Mormon you’ve ever met? What is the first general conference talk that comes to mind? What is your favorite General Conference tradition? If you were to speak in General Conference which would you choose? What makes you a unique Mormon? What callings have you had and what’s your current calling? * 17:00 - Did your technical background help you as a clerk? When the high councilman asked him to do it, he said it’s for the ward and not for the stake. How have you seen that manifest? The Bishop stated he didn’t have to worry about the finances because it’s in good hands. It’s a support to the bishop. * 18:54 - How would you describe the week to week duties? Counting tithing, making sure it’s correct so when audits happen, he knows that everything is correct. * Kindness begins with me: * 20:02 - Kindness doesn’t always come natural, it’s not what you say to people but how you say it. When you’re helping others with finances, it’s very easy to say no, but in the role as a clerk you can build relationships. By helping everyone understand the math involved, it’s * 21:36 - There are policies involved, but seeking to understand helps validate concerns and efforts by others. Interacting with all auxiliaries is part of the calling and be * LISTEN: * 22:34 - God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. If we’re always talking we can’t hear the words others are saying. We may be hearing what is said but not listening. The spirit can help guide. * Provide people with the experience with being free to choose and leave them satisfied with the process that led to their choice: * 23:47 - Coming from a leadership training, we want to feel like our point is valid. When you limit the ability for others to do something, you limit their agency. People don’t have to be satisfied with the choices they make or the consequences, it’s more about the ability to choose. As a clerk, you provide policy advice and help the others understand how to make choices along policy lines. Be sincere and open about choices and consequences. * Manage your stewardship: * 26:58 - Create a process that works for you and be consistent. Having a clean audit and making sure that your process works is important. Making sure that getting reimbursements are out in a timely manner is important as a clerk. Make sure to communicate with members on when reimbursement checks are going to be available. Make sure that your processes help the bishopric work smoothly and that reports are available in a timely manner. Checklists can help get you started with getting everything done that’s necessary and important. * Counsel when appropriate: * 31:20 - Clerks have a responsibility to know the policy and procedures and make sure that the bishopric is aware. The bishop can counsel from there on what the ward can do, but it’s important to make sure that what is under your stewardship is in line with church policy. You can respect priesthood authority by offering information, then the authority can make a better informed decision. * Invite the spirit by following the promptings that come: * 35:24 - Make sure to listen to the voice that suggests you double check your work. The spirit will help you remember work that you need to get done. We need the Holy Spirit in our administrating c...

Paul Jenkins is a positivity psychologist, author, and speaker. He has written three books, gives keynotes and trainings on positivity and related topics, produces a weekly podcast called Live On Purpose Radio, and sees individual clients at his office in a positive psychology counseling setting. He is also a former bishop (twice). In this episode, Paul gives advice from the perspective of a counselor to ecclesiastical leaders. Episode Summary 4:15 Men are that they might have joy—positive psychology 7:20 Approach to depression 8:30 Helping members with addiction, as a bishop 13:50 Podcast—Live On Purpose 15:00 Labeling people instead of looking at them as a child of God 16:00 Serving multiple roles as a bishop/ecclesiastical leader 18:00 Take care of yourself first 20:00 Put competent people in positions of power and get out of their way 22:30 Practice receiving any information as a bishop as if it's the news report 26:45 Using members' talents in the ward as part of the bishop's storehouse 31:45 Enhancing communication between a bishop and a counselor 35:55 A bishop's role to help those with problems progress from appointment to appointment 38:00 What to do if the leader is taking more of the burden than the member 44:00 How do we live on purpose? Links: Pathological Positivity by Dr. Paul Jenkins Falling to Heaven, by James Ferrell Dr. Paul Jenkins Website Dr. Paul Jenkins Podcast