Here’s the situation…
You’re the bishop and have some dynamic ideas to rally your ward around a specific vision and purpose.
Your ward council is on board and adds more inspiration to the mix to make the plan even better.
After implementing the plan, even your ward members love it, and you see evidence of bolder personal spirituality and family goals.
You’re stoked!
Your inspiration in action is making a difference, and you love the progress.
However, the new vision and plan seem a bit much to those on the outside in other wards and to your stake leadership.
Stake leaders are worried that other wards will feel minimized, overshadowed, and distracted by your ward’s efforts.
Suddenly, you find yourself on the phone with a stake president who is really unhappy about the vision and purpose.
There you are, the leader, between a rock and a hard place.
What do you do?
Option 1: You fold in the name of obedience to your stake president and deflate the excitement and momentum of your ward.
Option 2: You hold firm and dare the stake president to release you.
Option 3: You passively slow down the program and forget it ever happened.
There are probably several other options, but those are the ones that immediately come to my mind.
This scenario of bold action by an organization that finds disfavor with higher authority is quite common.
This is where authentic leadership shines.
Yes, your stake president has the right to step in and veto a ward’s vision for a stake vision; however, this probably will not stimulate positive morale.
Most leaders think they have to take the sucker’s choice and pick one of the options I listed above; however, true leadership looks different.
What does your ward deserve from you as a leader?
They deserve something they most likely will never realize is happening.
They deserve a bishop willing to have a series of difficult conversations with the stake president behind the scenes.
Not in a posture of conflict or rebellion but one that articulates the ward’s process, purpose, inspiration, etc.
Anything to win the hearts and minds of the leaders in conflict with the cultural momentum.
Sure, that doesn’t mean the bishop will get his way, but at least he was willing to fight.
In essence, that is what a ward wants.
A leader to fight for them.
So have the conversation.
See what others are saying about this message HERE.
Sincerely,
Kurt Francom
Executive Director
Leading Saints
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