•         Look for clues as you visit with your people. Focus. Avoid the trap of listening only to their words. Be aware of all the nuances of their communication. The Spirit will coach you.
  
•         Seek first to understand rather than thinking about what your response will be.
  
•          Listen primarily to connect with the heart and soul of the other person, not to judge. If you are a judge, you will fill that role much more effectively if you first connect with the person who needs your help. The Lord’s Church has no room for condemnation, only for love and caring. The Spirit will show you how.

• where there is personal responsibility and competence
• where there is the necessary information on which to base sound judgment
• where there are the necessary resources to carry out the decisions

When you’re faced with a decision, ask yourself a number of questions:

(1) Am I the one who should make this decision, or should it be delegated to someone else?

(2) Have I looked at all the issues involved in the scenario?

(3) Are all the pertinent facts in front of me?

(4)  Do I clearly understand what the facts reveal about the objective or problem under study?

(5) Have I honestly considered the issues with objectivity?

(6) Am I dealing with root causes instead of just superficial symptoms?

(7) Have I sought the opinions and counsel of others, as appropriate?

(8) Have I listed alternative routes to the objective or alternative solutions to the problem?

(9) Have I evaluated and compared the alternatives in terms of probable effectiveness, cost, feasibility and other considerations?

(10) Is my decision truly in the best interests of the people most affected?

And, most of all,

(11) Have I consulted with the Lord and have I genuinely listened to the promptings of the Spirit?

That final question, of course, is by far the most critical.

And remember the Holy Ghost can not only direct us in the answers, but even inspire the right questions to be asked.

The Holy Ghost always knows what’s best. The key, of course, is to listen. I’ve lost count of the times I was headed for an interview with someone who needed help. “Dr.” Duncan or “Consultant” Duncan had it all figured out. Then—as Bishop Duncan or President Duncan—I listened to the Spirit and found myself offering counsel and insights that I would never have thought of on my own. In one ward we needed a new nursery leader. The Spirit indicated to us in the bishopric that we should call a member of the Relief Society presidency, an enormously capable woman who happened to be a physician. At first we resisted the impression because it seemed so counter-intuitive. Logic said this woman could add the greatest value as a Relief Society counselor. But the Spirit persisted and we listened. This woman was a wonderful nursery leader. A short time later, she moved from the area. Then it became even clearer why she was so well suited for the nursery calling. In the past, serving in the nursery was regarded by many ward members as a kind of penalty, something to be avoided. This great lady changed all that. From then on, serving in the nursery was seen as the choice opportunity it always was. The Spirit knew it all along. – Rodger Dean Duncan

In  your  role  as  a leader, the Lord will provide a way for you to accomplish the work, just as He did for Nephi (see 1 Ne. 3:7). As a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, you are on the most marvelous team in all of eternity.

And as a faithful keeper of your sacred covenants, you are eligible for the constant ministrations of the Holy Ghost.

Those ministrations come in the form of discernment, a splendid gift of great price.

Quotes Worth Remembering

If we will ask for help and then listen, the Spirit of God will whisper to us and tell us what we should do and give us the strength to do it. Even though the voice of the Spirit is small and comes from deep within us … – John H. Groberg

The Holy Ghost can be our constant companion. It enlarges our conscience. … It sharpens our eyes to see the needs of others who would otherwise be obscure. It quickens our pulse of pure passion, stirs us to action to assist others whom we might otherwise pass by and notice not. – Neal A. Maxwell

Cultivation of that faith will entitle you to the companionship of the Holy Ghost, who will help you make wise decisions. – Russell M. Nelson

All faithful members are entitled to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit for themselves, their families, and for those over whom they are appointed and ordained to preside. – Harold B. Lee

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.

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