Summary: <br> * "Come down"—this is a phrase very commonly found in the scriptures. It is often used in the context of a request to a leader—requesting they "come down" from their mountain or from whatever state they are in.<br> <br> Daniel pleaded for Saul to "come down" (1 Samuel 23:11 & 20), The Lord "came down" to the valley of Nimrod to speak with the brother of Jared (Ether 2:4). There were even times when leaders refused to "come down" because they were involved in "a great work" (Nehemiah 6:3). And, of course, "God himself [came] down among the children of men."<br> Leaders Must "Come Down"<br> Leadership has a natural tendency to put you on a higher level. Not in terms of pride or prestige, but rather, in terms of perspective. As a leader, you have a unique perspective on the status of the ward or quorum. You have the specific authority or sometimes priesthood keys that give you access to the inspiration that nobody else has. For example, an elders quorum president has access to home teaching reports, attendance reports; he has attended meetings where information about individuals or ward programs are shared. From this exclusive information, the elders quorum president might see a dramatic attendance drop between sacrament meeting and elders quorum meeting. Or while others in the quorum are doing their best to minister, the elders quorum president can look at his ministering interviews notes and notice 5 specific families being forgotten; and if they were noticed, could have a dramatic impact on the ward.<br> <br> Humans tend to generalize their experience or perspective. People think that because they can see an obvious problem, everyone around them can obviously see the problem. As a leader, we then get frustrated why this "obvious" problem isn't being seen and fixed by others in our quorum. It is the duty of the leader to articulate the problem (even the "obvious" problems) so everyone can gain a desire to find a solution. Once the quorum problem is described and the leader invites the quorum to act, those you lead will understand why this is a problem and help you find solutions.<br> <br> In Abraham 3:21 the Lord "[came] down unto [Abraham] to declare unto [him]". Abraham learned important truths of the Lord's plan and learned that he was chosen before he was born." This was an informative experience for Abraham. From this experience, he was able to understand his purpose and take action. He could not have gained this understanding without the Lord "coming down" and articulating it to him.<br> <br> I can understand if this seems frustrating. Do we really need to spoon feed people problems? Do they really not see these "obvious" service gaps? As leaders we sometimes feel like the duty of those we lead has already been explained. We feel they clearly understand their expectation to do their home teaching, or magnify their calling. It's true, there are general understandings that have been drilled into our heads for years (i.e. Ministering, take meals to new moms, fellowship those around you, etc.), but these are simply too general. It is crucial for a leader to explain the more detailed problems that face a quorum or group. These details usually include names of individuals struggling, or unique characteristics of your ward that may not be apparent to the arm-chair quarterbacks casually attending week-to-week. For example, a Sunday School president may know that he needs to keep an eye on things during the Sunday School hour, but he may not know that 20% of the ward is leaving before the second hour begins. Or the youth leader may know he needs to put on a Wednesday activity each week, but he may not realize Brother Larsen in the elders quorum has finally made consistent contact with a less-active family with teenage boys.<br> <br> Communicating from your unique leadership perspective also humanizes the problem, which makes it more likely people will be willing to help fix the ...
