Leadership Lessons from Those Not Called

In the two hundred years since Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet, others have come forward with claims of divine appointment. In each case, the Lord has directed his people to follow the prophets and apostles he has called and ordained to lead his Church. Comparing the leadership of those who sought to lead with those who have been called to lead, and with the help of two centuries of leadership studies since the establishment of the Church, reveals a pattern that can inform the behavior of disciples regardless of their present callings.

One of the first challenges to the singular authority of a prophet came from other significant players in the restoration of the gospel. In the summer of 1830, just months after the Church was founded, Oliver Cowdery, then the Second Elder of the Church, wrote to Joseph Smith. Oliver had drafted articles to govern the new church that were superseded by the Articles and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ authored by Joseph Smith. Oliver disapproved of Joseph's inclusion of demonstrable works as a requirement for baptism and commanded Joseph "in the name of God to erase those words" (Joseph Smith, "History, 1838-1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805-30 August 1834]," 51, josephsmithpapers.org). Oliver Cowdery had also convinced the Whitmer Family, who had themselves played significant roles in witnessing the Book of Mormon and the founding of the Church, to support his position.

Upon receiving Oliver's letter, Joseph authored a response that questioned Oliver's authority to command alteration of a revelation or commandment from God. Within a few days, Joseph had also begun a journey from his home in Pennsylvania to speak with Oliver and the Whitmers in person where he was eventually able to reason with them. Joseph later recorded, "And thus was this error rooted out, which having its rise in presumption and rash judgement, was the more particularly calculated (when once fairly understood) to teach each and all of us the necessity of humility, and meekness before the Lord, that he might teach us of his ways; that we might walk in his paths, and live by every word which proceedeth forth from his mouth" (Joseph Smith, "History, 1838-1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805 - 30 August 1834]," 51.).

Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith both wanted to see the restored gospel grow and prosper in the earth. Both men were faithful and had been essential to the work that had been completed thus far, as was the Whitmer Family. In this case however, Oliver and the Whitmer Family proudly asserted that what they thought they knew was right. In contrast, Joseph sought to humbly learn from the Lord and execute His will.

Best-selling leadership author Jim Collins has identified what he calls "Level 5 Leadership" as a key determinant of an organization's success. Level 5 leaders, he writes, embody "a paradoxical mix of personal humility and professional will." They are ambitious, to be sure, but ambitious first and foremost for the company (or organization they lead), not themselves" (Good to Great, p. 39). Level 5 leaders also focus on results, are "more plow horse than show horse", credit others for successes, take responsibility for failures, and set up their successors for even greater success in the next generation.

We see Level 5 leadership in Joseph Smith's response. Though he was not the cause of the misunderstanding, he took responsibility for it and exerted significant effort to not only write a correction but then follow up with a visit that required a 300-mile journey on horseback. He was driven to restore unity-- not to protect his own ego, but because it was what the Lord required. Over the next fourteen years, Joseph Smith would be constantly training future leaders in the School of the Prophets, in Zion's Camp, and through dozens of other experiences. 

Later in the summer of 1830, Joseph and Emma Smith returned to the Whitmer Farm to find that the Whitmer's son-in-law, Hiram Page, claimed to be using a stone to receive divine revelation for the Church. Several members believed in these revelations, including Oliver Cowdery and the Whitmer Family. After unsuccessfully attempting to reason with the Saints as he had earlier that summer, Joseph Smith sought the revelation that appears in the Doctrine and Covenants as Section 28. THe Lord teaches Oliver Cowdery in this revelation about the relevant principles of leadership and how they should have been applied in this situation:

Behold, I say unto thee, Oliver, that it shall be given unto thee that thou shalt be heard by the church in all things whatsoever thou shalt teach them by the Comforter, concerning the revelations and commandments which I have given. But behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, no one shall be appointed to receive commandments and revelations in this church excepting my servant Joseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as Moses.

And thou shalt be obedient unto the things which I shall give unto him, even as Aaron, to declare faithfully the commandments and the revelations, with power and authority unto the church. And if thou art led at any time by the Comforter to speak or teach, or at all times by the way of commandment unto the church, thou mayest do it. But thou shalt not write by way of commandment, but by wisdom; And thou shalt not command him who is at thy head, and at the head of the church; For I have given him the keys of the mysteries, and the revelations which are sealed, until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead (D&C 28:1-7).

The revelation affirms that Hiram Page's stone was a deception of the devil and assigned Oliver to privately address the issue with Hiram. Joseph Smith's history records that the the stone was discussed at a church conference in September and, "after considerable investigation, Brother Page, as well as the whole church who were present, renounced the said stone, and all things connected therewith, much to our mutual satisfaction and happiness" (Joseph Smith, "History, 1838-1856, volume A-1 [23 December 1805 - 30 August 1834]," 51.).

In the language of modern leadership theory, the Lord is telling Oliver Cowdery about his role as the first follower. First followers are often undervalued as leaders, but they are the difference between an individual with an idea and a movement. They are exposed to the same ridicule as the leader who courageously stands up and yet they make it less risky for others to join in. It would be incredibly impractical for everyone to lead or to do what the leader does, but the first follower provides an example for all of the other followers so they know what to do to be part of the movement. This is Aaron's responsibility to Moses and Oliver Cowdery's responsibility to Joseph Smith.

Following the conference, the Lord also provided another revelation addressing a few of the Whitmers. To David Whitmer, the Lord said, "Behold, I say unto you, David, that you have feared man and have not relied on me for strength as you ought. But your mind has been on the things of the earth more than on the things of me, your Maker, and the ministry whereunto you have been called; and you have not given heed unto my Spirit, and to those who were set over you, but have been persuaded by those whom I have not commanded" (D&C 30:1-2, emphasis added).

David Whitmer appears to have forgotten this chastisement and admonition of the Lord and it led to further chastisement over his leadership in Missouri. When economic failures in 1837 led many even prominent members of the Church to be disillusioned, several elders who considered Joseph Smith to be a fallen prophet called a meeting in the Kirtland Temple to appoint David Whitmer as the new Church leader. The effort was unsuccessful, but one of the main charges brought against David Whitmer when he was excommunicated in 1838 was, "possessing the same spirit with the Dissenters" (Donald Q. Cannon and Lyndon W. Cook, eds., Far West Record, Minutes of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1830-1844, Salt Lake City, 1983, p. 177). Though he never denied his witness of the Book of Mormon, David Whitmer left the Church and lived his life in Missouri.

Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner, the academic authors of The Leadership Challenge, have argued that leadership is about behavior-- an observable set of skills and abilities-- rather than personality. The first of five core practices they endorse is what they call "modeling the way." Modeling the way includes establishing standards of excellence and then setting an example for others to follow so they know how to win. The other four practices are inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act, and encouraging the heart.

David Whitmer may have been demonstrating many of these leadership behaviors as the head of an apostate rebellion, but the best leadership lifts followers to higher heights than they would have found on their own. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young inspired thousands to make incredible journeys, to withstand brutal persecutions, to build some of the finest cities and most industrious economies of their time, to advance technology and accelerate learning, and to make and keep sacred covenants with God. Without the standard of excellence, leadership fizzles and the crowds disperse.

Perhaps a greater threat during the Kirtland years was a man named Warren Parrish. Parrish had served in Zion's Camp and held prestigious positions including as a missionary, a member of the First Quorum of Seventy, and as Joseph Smith's personal secretary and scribe. Yet, one of the reasons the Church-supported bank ultimately failed was because Parrish and others were stealing funds. When this was discovered, Parrish was excommunicated (Smith, George A. "Historical Discourse," Journal of Discourses, 11:1-11).

Warren Parrish responded to excommunication with a bitter drive to destroy Joseph Smith and the Church. He wrote letters to local papers expressing his anger with "infidel" church leaders and used violence and threats of violence to force Joseph Smith to leave Kirtland. Parrish eventually lead a group of dissenters to form a new church based first in Kirtland and then in Far West, Missouri. The new church intended, "to renounce the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, and take the 'Mormon' doctrines to overthrow all the religions in the world, and unite all the Christian churches in one general band, and they to be its great leaders" (Smith, George A. "Divine Origin of 'Mormonism' - Doings and Sayings of Early Opposers and Apostates", Journal of Discourses, 7:111-117).

Among those who supported Warren Parrish was Martin Harris, the man who had financed the first printing of the Book of Mormon and was a witness of the plates from which it was translated. When Parrish began claiming that the Book of Mormon and subsequent revelations were 'nonsense', division arose and Parrish's church soon dissolved. He went on to be a baptist preacher.

Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) teaches us about the difference between "away from" motivation, or opposition to something, and "toward" motivation, or support for something. Opposition is unsustainable because our motivation wavers as we get some distance from the source of our pain or anger. This is why dieters, who are often more opposed to being fat than they are driven to be fit, often lose motivation after losing only a few pounds (or gaining only a little distance between them and the thing they oppose). Opposition is also less clear (does that mean avoid them or burn down their houses?), doesn't inform our unconscious mind, and is more stressful on our bodies and on our minds.

The devil and his followers provide useful opposition in the plan of God. The destructive path they promote is limited. These spend their strength being angry or claiming they have been wronged rather than doing things that could lead to progress. They are, in the end, damned as much by their own inaction as they are by any external force. In contrast, the Church and gospel of Jesus Christ focus disciples on the powerfully motivating happiness we can experience in this life and the eternal blessings available after death.

Since the time of Joseph Smith, others have claimed the right to lead God's people collectively or in particular doctrines or situations. Upon the death of Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon claimed the Lord wanted him to be a guardian of the church rather than continuing with a succession of prophets. In 1858, Walter Gibson claimed to be the prophet for the saints in Hawaii. Local church leaders in Cedar City ordered the Mountain Meadows Massacre. Elias Harrison and William Godbe claimed revelation from deceased church leaders through seances and opposed church counsel on economic matters. Others have claimed inspiration that the church should accept homosexual marriage, ordain women to the priesthood, or support some other position they think is right or true.

Leadership studies give us insights that help explain how the Lord's ordained have been successful leaders; but it does not explain why they were successful or how they knew to use the techniques they did hundreds of years before scholars began studying leadership in earnest. Jim Collins wrote Good to Great 173 years after Joseph Smith needed humility and a focus on the larger organization in addressing Oliver Cowdery's demands. The Lord's pattern for leadership, including first followers, standards of excellence, and "toward" motivation, was established even before the foundation of this world.

President Thomas S. Monson has taught, "When we are on the Lord's errand, we are entitled to the Lord's help. Remember that whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies" (Ensign, May 1996). The Lord has promised his servants that he, "will go before [their] face... [and] be on [their] right hand and on [their] left, and [His] Spirit shall be in [their] hearts, and [His] angels round about [them]" (D&C 84:88). He inspires his servants to lead well, when they are called to such, and even to use effective methods that may be considered unorthodox or different from the identified or standard practices of the day.

We get to choose who we will follow, but the Lord has promised that if we receive the words of his prophets "as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith," then "the gates of hell shall not prevail against you; yea, and the Lord God will disperse the powers of darkness from before you, and cause the heavens to shake for your good and his name's glory" (D&C 21:5-6). When we follow the Lord and his chosen leaders we can "rejoice in his glorious gospel and bask in its life-giving light" while "they who reject this glad message shall never such happiness know" (We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet, Hymns, 19).

If Thine Eye Offend Thee

In his epic final sermon to his people in ancient America, King Benjamin warned:

I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them. But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember and perish not (Mosiah 4:29-30).

It is easier than ever today to walk, click or even glance our way into situations that tempt us to sin in one way or another. In response, the Lord has taught that we must be proactive in our efforts to prevent or avoid those influences that would lead us into temptation. If thy hand or foot offend thee, he taught, "cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into [eternal] life maimed, than having two hands [or feet] to go into hell" (Mark 9:43, 45). Likewise, "if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire" (Mark 9:47).

Our feet, hands or eyes can offend or betray us if they cause us to stumble, to be lead astray, to sin or to abandon our faith. Of course, Christ was not advocating a policy of amputating first and asking questions later. Rather, he understood that amputation is a procedure reserved for body parts that have become seriously damaged, infected or diseased and could betray the best interests of the body by causing further harm or even death if not removed.

Further insight comes through the Joseph Smith translation of these verses. That text states:

If thy hand offend thee, cut it off; or if thy brother offend thee and confess not and forsake not, he shall be cut off... And again, if thy foot offend thee, cut it off; for he that is thy standard, by whom thou walkest, if he become a transgressor, he shall be cut off... And if thine eye which seeth for thee, him that is appointed to watch over thee to show thee light, become a transgressor and offend thee, pluck him out (JST Mark 9:40, 42, 46).

Each of us must evaluate the people and principles that guide our lives. Do we have a friend or family member that consistently tries to get us to do or accept things we know are contrary to God's commandments? Do we subscribe to a cause or behaviors or a school of thought that may ultimately lead us away from our faith in Christ? Do the leaders we choose to support and follow illuminate the path that will lead us back to our Heavenly Father or do they use illusion to lure us in some other direction?

"It follows," Elder Walter F. Gonzalez has taught, "that such cutting off refers not only to friends but to every bad influence, such as inappropriate television shows, Internet sites, movies, literature, games, or music. Engraving in our souls this principle will help us to resist the temptation to yield to any bad influence ("Today is the Time," Ensign, Nov. 2007, 55).

The Lord's teaching leaves no room for exceptions. He does not say to sever relationships unless it would be awkward or to stop following toxic leaders unless the better leaders don't seem to be popular. As any good physician would, he says clearly and decisively that we should terminate any influence in our lives that may betray the welfare of our souls.

There are diverse ways and means employed today to lead the faithful away from the strength and protection of their faith in the Good Shepherd, but each of us is admonished to be proactive in our efforts to root out spiritual infection and evil influences by the echoes of King Benjamin's words:

If ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember and perish not (Mosiah 4:29-30).

Remember: Amputate those infections influences and perish not.

Sinners and Fools

Every Primary child knows the story of the Wise Man and the Foolish Man. The Savior taught:

Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it (Matthew 7:24-27).

Like the fool who built his house on a poor foundation, we have all made mistakes and errors in judgement. On a wilderness backpacking trip many years ago, my brother and dad and I set out to cross a particular mountain range over the course of about a week. After climbing a particular pass, we decided to leave the trail for what appeared to be a shorter path over a flat mountain summit. We thought our shortcut would give us more time to relax and go fishing.

Over the next couple of hours we crossed the rocky mountain tundra until we came to the top of a tall and seemingly impassable cliff face that stretched the entire length of the mountain. Below the cliff was a loose rock scramble to the base of the mountain. We did not have the equipment or expertise for either the cliff or the scramble, but we had also used the last of our water supply and were not anxious to walk back the way we had come.

It only took a few moments to decide to throw our backpacks off the cliff. We watched them bounce, roll and slide to a stop near the base. Then we began scaling the cliff face. It was slow going, but we made it to the scramble and slid down the loose rocks to recover our packs. Exhausted, but fortunately uninjured except for the 18-inch hole in my new pants, we recovered our packs and climbed over the last few boulders in the scramble to reach the meadow beyond. Now several hours behind schedule, we walked only a few paces to find the nicely groomed trail we had left hours earlier.

Our errant judgement had made our hike more difficult and cost us in time and the money I now needed for new pants. Ultimately, it also meant that we would not make it to our planned destination in the time we had. But though our mistakes were regrettable, they were not sinful nor were they without educational benefit.

The apostle John taught that "whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). Elder Dallin H. Oaks has taught that sins result from willful disobedience of the laws we have received by explicit teaching of the scriptures, prophets, parents, teachers or the Spirit of Christ, our conscience, that teaches every man the general principles of right and wrong and provides a defense from situations that are spiritually harmful ("Sins and Mistakes", BYU Speeches, August 1994). We can transgress the laws of God by doing things we've been commanded not to do, such as lying or stealing, and by doing not doing things we have been commanded to do, such as keeping the Sabbath Day holy and sharing the gospel. Sins are, in essence, rebellion against God; certainly our blunder did not amount to rebellion.

The mistakes and folly common to us all, like the foolish man's construction on sandy ground, result from ignorance of the laws of God, the workings of the universe or the people God has created. Our mistakes may be choices to do something good rather than something better or best. Though our navigational error was regrettable, it was, like all mistakes, also educational. I learned the value of staying on the trail, having a plan for water and making decisions based on the best way forward rather than where I've been. If we learn from our mistakes, we diminish our ignorance and will make better decisions in the future.

It is important to distinguish between sins and mistakes in our own behavior, and the behavior of those for whom we have stewardship, because the Lord has commissioned different responses for each. The Lord taught the early leaders of the church that "any member of the church of Christ transgressing, or being overtaken in a fault, shall be dealt with as the scriptures direct" (D&C 20:80). Having separated transgression and fault as separate types of offenses, he later explained the difference between error and sin and gives instruction for the correction of each: "Inasmuch as they erred it might be made known, ... And inasmuch as they sinned they might be chastened, that they might repent" (D&C 1:25, 27).

For mistakes, the remedy is to correct the mistake, not to condemn the actor. The foolish man did not need to be humbled or penalized but rather to be taught how to find good ground for his house. When we make errors, we ought not to rant at ourselves for our stupidity but rather correct our mistake and move forward. Likewise, often those who are led astray from the Church or with whom we have political or other arguments are in error rather than transgression and merit correction, not chastisement or denouncement as sinners.

Of course, children of any age cannot sin until they have learned what is right. If they have not been taught, the scriptures say their sins are upon the heads of their parents (D&C 68:25). But it should be no surprise that most of our children's errant actions are borne of ignorance, not rebellion, meriting our teaching and correction rather than our condemnation and punishments.

An illustration of this principle may be found in a short story to which we can all relate. One night shortly after his daughter had begun dating, Brother Keith Merrill found himself anxiously waiting for her to come home. He had given her a strict curfew and had been suffering for twenty minutes because she was late.

"When she came in," he later said, "I immediately read her the riot act. I forgot my policies. I forgot all my positive thinking. I forgot all the great things that I knew I should do. I just simply said, 'You promised to be home at 12:00. You were not home at 12:00. I worry about you. We made a call. You weren't where you said you would be. You said you would call.' And I went right down the list---bing, bing, bing, bing, negative, negative, negative."

After some time, Brother Merrill's daughter responded. "'Stop!' she said... 'We haven't been drinking, we haven't been smoking, we haven't been immoral or unchaste. We didn't go to any R-rated movie. We haven't been to a party where there were drugs. We weren't out shooting speed or doing anything else. We haven't been making out, we haven't been doing anything bad, Dad. I'm 15 minutes late for curfew, so let's keep this in perspective'" (“Building Your Child’s Self-Esteem,” Families Are Forever, television series on VISN cable network, 1989).

Brother Merrill was able to find the humor in his own overreaction, and no doubt joy in his daughter's goodness, and spent the next several minutes laughing on the floor. It doesn't always end as well. One way we can improve our response in such situations, as the young Sister Merrill pointed out, is to keep things in perspective by correctly categorizing the offense and responding appropriately.

None of this is to say that mistakes are always okay. Some mistakes may lead to sins or become sins at an extreme level. We may disagree vehemently with a friend or family member, but contention is always a transgression. A big mistake, like stepping in front of a bus, may have more severe impacts than a small sin or may prevent us from reaching our desired eternal destination. Other times, the same act may be a mistake or a sin depending on the intention of the actor. The idea that ignorance is bliss is false because while ignorance may cause error rather than sin, intentional ignorance is in itself a sin. It is necessary for us to all make mistakes so we can learn and grow; we do not all need to sin.

In any case, our responses to ourselves and to those around us should be full of love. Our focus should be on those we serve and mercy should go hand in hand with reproof.

Elder Bruce C. Hafen has taught:

Mercy and repentance are rehabilitative, not retributive. The Savior asks us to repent not just to repay him for paying our debt to justice but also to induce us to undergo the personal development that will purify our very nature... When the Atonement and our repentance satisfy the laws of justice and mercy, we are, in effect, free from sin. But just as the sinless Christ was 'made perfect' through interaction with his Father's grace, so his atoning grace can move us beyond the remission of sins to the perfection of a divine nature. Those who inherit the celestial kingdom are 'just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood' (D&C 76:69, emphasis added)("Beauty for Ashes: The Atonement of Jesus Christ", Ensign, April 1997).

Though the Lord chastises us for our sins, everything is done in the interest of our progression and happiness. Rather than sitting comfortably on the thrones of power to look down and command those weaker than him, he descended below us all and suffered for us in Gethsemane and on the cross at Golgotha, so that he would have grace to give when we fall short. Certainly he has grace to give those who may be falling short around us; it is our honor and responsibility to accept that love and grace for ourselves and reflect it to our children and others around us even when sinful behavior requires us to chastise and call them to repentance.

The scriptures carefully distinguish between sinners and fools. Each of us has certainly been both of these from time to time. We can learn from and correct our mistakes. We should not willfully rebel against God and must be chastised and repent when we do. Understanding the difference between sins and mistakes helps us to better feel the love of our Father in Heaven and the Savior who suffered on our behalf, to respond and be better as parents and stewards, and to teach Christ-like responses to a world increasingly leaving the trail to build their easy lives upon the sand.

Christlike Leadership

This semester I have the opportunity to co-teach a class on leadership at one of America's great universities. The class spends most of the time focusing on the works of James Kouzes and Barry Posner, who have published several bestselling books on leadership over the last 25 years.

As I've studied the course materials and interacted with the students in the class, my thoughts turn frequently  to the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Jesus Christ is much more than a great philosopher. He is the son of God, the source of light and goodness, and the leader of the cause of righteousness. He stands at the head of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Though the vocabulary may be different in religious versus business or government settings, becoming a great leader requires us to become more like Him.

Kouzes and Posner wrote in their bestseller, The Leadership Challenge, that the first of five attributes all great leaders have is that they 'model the way'. Christ is called 'the Great Exemplar' because his life was the perfect example of what our lives should be (see 1 Nephi 31:9). Though powerful and of noble heritage, he lived a humble life of service to others. Peter taught the ancient church:

For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye are healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls (1 Peter 2:21-25).

The second attribute Kouzes and Posner identify is to 'inspire a shared vision'. Christ taught that the faithful would have a 'crown of immortality, and eternal life in the mansions' of heaven (D&C 81:9). Millions of Christians have taken hold of that vision, unconfirmed by science, and press forward with faith and hope to their common goal.

Attribute number three is to 'challenge the process'. Christ did what was right regardless of tradition or the expectations of those around him. As a twelve year old, he stayed at the temple when his family headed for home because it was where he needed to be. To the surprise of the John the Baptist, Christ was baptized to fulfill all righteousness.

Christ challenged his disciples to have the faith to walk on water, to become great through service to the least, to allow the little children and strive to be more like them, and to believe in the resurrection. He challenged the uninspired laws instituted by the scribes and pharisees and invited them to 'cast the first stone'.

Fourth, great leaders enable others to act. The atonement of Christ gives each of us access to his grace, which the scripture guide defines as the, 'enabling power from God that allows men and women to obtain blessings in this life and to gain eternal life and exaltation'.  He taught that 'all things are possible unto him that believeth' (Mark 9:23).

Finally, Kouzes and Posner round out their list with the note that great leaders encourage the heart. Anyone who has turned to Christ with their burdens has felt the hope and joy of their relief. Christ asks us to 'fear not' but be believing. He comforts the sincere heart with the knowledge that all our trials will be 'but a small moment' and that if we endure well, we will triumph (D&C 121:8).

There are many examples from the life of Christ that show he was a great leader by the standards set by experts among men like Kouzes and Posner. The challenge for us as leaders-- that is, as parents, business managers, volunteer coordinators, teachers, scout or activity day leaders, examples to our neighbors, etc.-- is to live up to the standards set by the example of Christ.

Jesus Christ loves all people. He was never patronizing or hypocritical; he lifted others' burdens and put into action all that he taught. His leadership inspired those around him to rise to new levels and achieve things they had previously never believed were possible.

Do our children feel as uplifted in the way we treat them? Do we motivate our employees through trust and love? Do we respect the agency of others? Do we validate the need our friends and family have to feel valued and important? Do we love others?

Long before there was a bestseller, Christ taught each of us how to lead in this oft-quoted passage:

No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile-- Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou has reproved, lest he esteem the to be his enemy; That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.

Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and... the Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion (D&C 121:41-46).

Though speaking directly to priesthood leaders, the counsel here is valid for leaders in every setting. As our children know that our love for them is stronger than the cords of death; as those in our stewardship at work and at church see our patience and understanding; as we serve our friends and neighbors with charity and love unfeigned-- then we will be leading as Christ would lead.

As we seek to be better leaders in our homes, our workplaces and our communities, we need only to strive to walk in the footsteps of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is more than a great leader. He is the source of truth, our great Exemplar, and our friend.To be a better leader-- a better parent, disciple, manager or civil servant-- we need only to become more like Him.