M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

Leadership for Saints, Part 19:
Councils: Strength in Unity
by Rodger Dean Duncan and Ed J. Pinegar

The suspension bridge is one of the most impressive accomplishments of modern engineering. It begins as individual wires not much stronger than the ones you’d use to hang pictures on your living room wall. Spun together, these individual wires become strands. Then several of the larger strands are combined into a giant wire rope or cable that can bear thousands of tons of weight and safely cross enormous obstacles like canyons and rivers.

This same principle is part of the miracle of Christian service in the Lord’s Church. In wards and branches and families around the globe, ordinary people achieve extraordinary things because they have discovered strength in unity.

The principle of strength in unity is especially evident in the council form of leadership.

Councils involve an assembly of people who sit in consultation with one another. This does not preclude a leader of the council nor the leader’s authority to direct all things. Rather, a council is a setting where important matters are addressed and counsel is sought and received.

We are encouraged today, both in our families and in our Church callings, to sit in council. Elder M. Russell Ballard clarified this when he wrote:

Church and family councils are one of the best resources available to us in winning the battle for the souls of our Father’s children. I feel strongly that the best way to help lift the burden of leadership—both in the Church and in the family—is to invite council members to assist in finding the answers and implementing the solutions that the gospel of Jesus Christ provides.

This statement underscores the vision we need concerning councils. We must understand that priesthood councils, ward councils, presidencies in council and family councils are the method by which we share the burden of leadership. The council form of governance is simply the best way to use teamwork in our service to the Lord.

It’s also important to remember that while counseling through councils is critical to the success of Church government, this is government different from what we hear about on the evening news.

In Church government there is no “majority rule.” There are no veto overrides. The council form of leadership and government invites input and discussion from all the council members. Then, through direction from the Holy Spirit, those who hold priesthood keys make decisions. In the Lord’s Church, even the most “learned” dialogue never supercedes revelation.

The Power of Alignment

Coordination is a constant challenge for most leaders. In the Church we call it “correlation.” Correlation involves careful communication and collaboration by and between the various parts of the organization. It’s much more than just scheduling the cultural hall or getting a ward social on the calendar. These are of course administrative details that need attention. But true correlation is about all the parts of the organization operating in complete harmony, each drawing strength from the others, all contributing to the effectiveness of the whole.

The opposite of correlation is fragmentation. This is when the various parts of the organization “do their own thing” with little regard to their effect on the whole. Fragmentation always results in wasted effort and missed opportunity, and frequently leads to frustration and even discouragement. Unfortunately, there’s sometimes a temptation to apply a temporary bandage rather than identify and address root causes. This kind of “tampering” often produces a cure that can be as frustrating as the original ailment.

Example: if you walked into an overheated control room of a nuclear power plant and began adjusting dozens of instruments randomly, the results could be catastrophic. So it is with organizations.

It’s been said that every organization is perfectly aligned to get the results it’s getting. A sobering thought. And doesn’t it apply to your quorum, your council, your presidency, your bishopric, your family?

If your organization is perfectly aligned to get the results it’s getting, and if you’re not satisfied with those results, alignment—or correlation—is not a luxury. It is an imperative.

Think of your organization not as a machine to be “fixed,” but as a living organism with many interrelated elements. Now think of yourself—the leader—not as a mechanic but as a gardener. Successful leaders invest energy in “growing” rather than in “fixing.” Successful leaders are gardeners. They don’t rely on position or authority. They create a nurturing environment where people can learn correct principles, perform great work, and love each other in doing it.

The council provides an ideal gardening place.

The council is where we are most able to view the big picture of our organization as well as the individual needs of the people we serve.

The council is where good ideas are cross-pollinated and allowed to germinate.

The council is where plans are formed and assignments are given and accepted.

The council is where we cultivate relationships of trust and cooperation that flow like refreshing water to the rest of the organization.

In our Church and family work, strong correlation—all the parts working in harmony—is clearly a critical key to effectiveness.

Quotes to Remember

Zion was not redeemed earlier in this dispensation because the Saints were not united, nor can it be until we practice the strength found in unity.
– Alexander B. Morrison

The genius of our Church government is government through councils . . . I have had enough experience to know the value of councils. Hardly a day passes but that I see the wisdom, God’s wisdom, in creating councils . . . to govern his Kingdom.
– Stephen L. Richards

The Lord has given us the broad organization outline, the purposes, and the objectives. But he leaves to us much of the working out of the methods. And this is where correlation and leadership training come in …
– Ezra Taft Benson

Shepherds should use self-imposed discretionary time for important things: to plan and meditate, to think about what really must be done if they are to be successful, to make certain their priorities are in full alignment with the mission of the Church.
– Alexander B. Morrison

If the Grand Council provides us with an excellent illustration of gospel governance through large councils (such as ward councils and stake high councils), another premortal council teaches important lessons about working with smaller, more intimate groups (such as presidencies and bishoprics).
– M. Russell Ballard

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.

© 2002 by Rodger Dean Duncan & Ed J. Pinegar