Share the article on
this page with a friend. Click
here.
Leadership
for Saints,
Part 11:
Keeping It Simple by
Rodger Dean Duncan and Ed J. Pinegar
Most good Mission
Statements (we’ll now use this phrase for simplicity and consistency)
contain two basic elements: a declaration of what you want to do
and a declaration of what you want to be.
The value of
such a document is fourfold:
1.
It forces you to think deeply and strategically about your life.
The process expands your perspective and causes you to re-examine
your deepest thoughts. It challenges you to resolve the inevitable
conflicts between the “wants” and the “shoulds”
in your life. And it enables you to identify and clarify the purpose
of your life and what is most important to you.
2. The
very act of writing it all down seems to be therapeutic and clarifying
in and of itself. Undergoing the discipline of succinctly expressing
such important thoughts can help us understand better than ever
what we stand for and what we don’t and won’t stand
for.
3.
The act of writing the document seems to imprint our values and
purposes more firmly in our minds. Then they become more cemented
within our identity us instead of just something we pondered about
in one instance and then set aside.
4.
The document provides a tangible tool that keeps before us our hope
and vision—and strategic plan—for our lives.
Although the
notion of personal Mission Statement has received a lot of attention
in the popular press in recent years, it is an ageless idea. Consider
these:
Creed
I believe
in God, the Almighty Ruler of nations, our great and good merciful
Maker, our Father in heaven, who notes the fall of a sparrow and
numbers the hairs on our heads. I recognize the sublime truth announced
in the Holy Scriptures and proved by all history that those nations
are blessed whose God is the Lord. I believe that the will of God
prevails. Without him, all human reliance is vain. With that assistance
I cannot fall. I have a solemn vow registered in heaven to finish
the work I am in, in full view of my responsibility to God, with
malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right,
as God gives me to see the right.
— Abraham Lincoln
Resolution
Let then
our first act every morning be to make the following resolve for
the day:
I shall not fear anyone on earth.
I shall fear only God.
I shall not bear ill toward anyone.
I shall not submit to injustice from anyone.
I shall conquer untruth by truth.
And in resisting untruth I shall put up with all suffering.
— Mahatma Gandhi
Others who choose
to draft personal Mission Statements often include declarations
such as these:
“I’ll do everything I can to make our home a place
of refuge, of joy, of peace, of comfort and harmony.”
“I
will be a concerned and informed citizen, appropriately involved
in the political process to ensure that my voice is heard.”
“My
money will be my servant, not my master. I will regularly save or
invest a portion of my income. I will keep myself free from consumer
debt.”
We’ve
observed that many people turn to an especially simple format for
their Mission Statements. After identifying their key roles, they
simply state guiding principles under each role in the form of “bullet”
points.
For example,
one man drafted his Mission Statement like this:
As a Disciple,
I will—
• honor my temple and priesthood covenants
• study and obey the commandments
• adopt and follow Christlike habits
As a Patriarch,
I will—
• honor, love and respect my companion
• teach correct principles by precept and by example
• maintain trusting relationships with my children
As a Family
Member, I will—
• honor my progenitors for what they did and who they
are
• remember the reality of the eternal family
• nurture relationships with extended family
This man, who
has carefully distilled his persona to half a dozen key roles, uses
his personal Mission Statement as a guide or road map in living
his life. This is done not merely in the sense of regarding the
document as a list of broad brush principles. The man uses the document
to deliberately plan the way he spends that precious and finite
resource called time.
Translating Good Intentions Into Specific Actions
For instance, notice the goals expressed as “bullet”
points under his roles. Each denotes action—containing verbs
like “honor,” “study,” “obey,”
“adopt,” “follow,” “teach,”
“nurture.” At the beginning of each week, the man translates
these values and goals into specific plans for the next seven days.
He schedules a temple trip with his wife or an evening of family
history work. He makes a place on his calendar for daily scripture
study. He plans phone calls or letters to family members who live
in distant cities. In other words, he translates his good intentions
into specific actions. He transforms his high-sounding values and
goals into real-life action and performance He avoids the guilt
trips that come with failure to make our dreams come true. He understands
the reality that if we chase too many rabbits we catch none of them.
So he has decided which “rabbits” are worth chasing
and invests his energy and time where it does the most good.
His is a mission
that motivates.
Investing in
a personal mission statement—and we strongly recommend that
you do—pays huge effectiveness dividends. And remember the
law of the harvest. Take no short cuts. Don’t expect to draft
a meaningful mission statement at a single sitting. It is a process,
not an event. The best mission statements tend to evolve over time.
But you must start somewhere. Start now.
What does this
have to do with vision? Everything. Remember, great leaders have
an inside-out perspective. In order to understand and guide others,
they must first understand and guide themselves. This requires a
form of pathmapping—envisioning a desirable end result and
deliberately mapping a route to get there. The perfect model is,
of course, the Savior and the Plan of Salvation.
In addition
to having a vision—and a plan—for your own performance,
you must have a vision and plan for the labor to which you have
been called.
Quotes
to Remember
A declaration
of purpose, a personal mission statement, or an organizational theme
focuses attention upon the central objectives of the person or group.
Such objectives encompass many areas of influence and should contain
long-range perspective. A mission statement declares both what we
want to do and what we want to become, and it will also probably
suggest why we want to do it. Such a creed states the principles
or values that motivate and give purpose to our activities. –
Victor Ludlow
Strategic planning
is essential to the success of any enterprise. A clear mission statement
with goals and objectives are necessary ingredients for progress
in any organization. – Church News
The guiding
principles to the realization of the higher life are not many nor
complex. Indeed, they are few and simple, and can be applied by
everyone in any phase of life.
First, is a recognition of the reality of spiritual values…
The second condition I name is a sense of obligation to the social
group…
Next to the obligation to society I name the power of self-denial
and the resultant self-mastery…
A fourth contribution to spirituality I will name is a consciousness
that the ultimate purpose of life is the perfecting of the individual….
– David O. McKay
In the process of exchanging themselves for higher spiritual values,
they "become." Action is of value in becoming; thought
alone is not enough. – Bertrand Logan Ball, Jr.
We have been
given our free agency to choose for ourselves, it is vitally important
that we carefully evaluate all aspects of life before making our
choices. – Victor L. Brown
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.
