How I Lead as Youth Executive Secretary | An Interview with Michael Albright

Michael Albright grew up in Colorado and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wyoming. In 2000, at the age of 23, Michael was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and shortly afterward joined the U.S. Navy, earning his Commission as a Supply Corps Officer after completing Officer Candidate School in Florida. He attended several Training Commands before serving tours in California and Hawaii, leaving active duty military service in 2006 to attend graduate school at Brigham Young University.

Michael has served in several elders quorum presidencies, as a Primary, youth, and Sunday School teacher, a membership clerk, a ward emergency preparedness & employment specialist, and is now an assistant executive secretary for youth. He and his wife Oriah have three boys and their family resides in Texas.

Highlights

02:30 Michael went to the May 2022 men’s retreat, Warrior Heart and he shares his story and how he ended up there.

05:00 Michael explains why he thinks that going to a third party retreat, like Warrior Heart, is important apart from the normal week to week elders quorum meetings.

07:30 Michael was called as an assistant executive secretary, specifically for the youth. The ward wanted to do something to focus more on the youth. Michael shares what he does in his calling.

10:45 The day to day focus and main priorities of Michael’s calling.

He keeps track of what activities are going on and informs everyone through email
He sends out reminders for appointments
Follow up with people for interviews
Keeps track of youth that need temple recommends that will expire soon
Gets interviews for new youth in the ward so that the bishop can get to know them

13:30 There are about 100 youth members in Michael’s ward. Having a youth executive secretary helps the bishop and the other executive secretary so that no one slips through the cracks.

13:50 Michael is basically the part of the bishop’s brain that focuses completely on the youth.

15:05 The dynamic of setting up appointments with the youth.

16:20 Michael considers himself a gate keeper of the bishop’s time. He is there to help the bishop not get overloaded.

17:00 Michael explains the dynamic with the other executive secretary and how they work together and coordinate all the appointments.

21:00 Michael shares his principles of leadership. Principle one – Ownership and stewardship

23:40 Principle two – Communication

25:30 Principle three – Being respectable and adaptable as you are working with people

31:30 Michael’s focus is creating better relationships with the youth. He isn’t great with technology and with the platforms that the youth are on but he works to connect with them in their interactions.

33:00 God loves us no matter what. What does change is our ability to feel His love because of the choices that we make. This is the message that Michael loves to share with the youth that he works with.

35:00 How being a leader has helped Michael become a better follower of Jesus Christ.

Links

Is Elders Quorum Working?
Warrior Heart Bootcamp
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Listen on YouTube
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