You were born to lead

Chelsea and I had the wonderful opportunity a few weeks ago to attend a special speaking engagement at Utah Valley University with keynote speaker, Deseret Book CEO Sheri Dew.  We were invited to attend a pre-speech meet-and-greet with other members of the UVU Women's Success center board and other guests.  It was so fun to attend with Chelsea and introduce her to some of the wonderful women I have met in our community.  One of my great heroes was there...Ardeth Kapp.  She was the general Young Women's president when I served as our stake Young Women president.  Years ago we invited her to come and speak to our young women and others from several stakes in our area and she came and gave them such great counsel.  It was fun to see her again.

The Keynote speaker was Sheri Dew with an introduction and speech by former YW general president Elaine Dalton.  Both of these women are such an inspiration to me.  They lead with conviction and love and they are wonderful speakers.  I took copious notes and want to share some of what they said. I was inspired, motivated, encouraged, and rewarded for attending and I'm so happy I go be there with Chelsea.

Elaine Dalton said:  Ordinary Mary, mother of Jesus.  Extraordinary task accomplished.  Using our ordinary talents and abilities can change the world.  Leadership is hard.  It can be exhilarating, rewarding...but it is never easy.  It's about influence.  Learn techniques to influence.  The leader doesn't have to have all the answers.  They just need to know how to find the answers.  Be a person people will follow.  Leaders are needed everywhere.  The leadership of women is critical.  Women can see things.  We know what the needs are.  We can be a combination of courage and compassion.  We will have direct influence on 1,000s of people over our lifetimes.

Sheri Dew gave an inspiring address. Speaking to women of all ages, she said, "The best leaders are perpetual learners. An inspired leader is always learning -- from mistakes, from others, and from experience. I'm not sure it is possible for a poor learner to be a good leader."

She shared seven principles of influence:
1.  Your leadership is not about YOU.  Lift others, don't elevate yourself.  Help others do and become more than they could become on their own.  Model for others how to do something.  Selfless leaders tend to be optomistic and positive.
2.  Leadership is utterly dependent on trust.  Without trust it is only a strategy.  Relationships of trust bear fruit.  How can we trust someone...that their motives are pure, their judgement is good, we will feel the truth.  Do people you lead trust you?
3.  Experience is the best teacher.  New experiences lead to results.  First - Experiences, second -beliefs, third - action, forth- results.   What new experiences can you give to people you lead?
4.  The best leaders are perpetual learners.  Learn from mistakes, hire the brains, ask good questions, the best you can do is the best you can do. Leadership exposes your weaknesses.  You can't hide, ignore or deny.  You must acknowledge and compensate for inadequacies.   Leaders accept responsibility.  It is always important to know what you do not know.
5.  The best leaders are both courageous and kind.  Always show more kindness than seems necessary.  Everyone has value and wants that value to be recognized. Leadership is sometime lonely.  Show courage, compassion and consideration.
6.  It's easier to motivate someone to do something difficult than to motivate them to do something easy.  Our leaders should call upon us to do more.  A life that doesn't stretch us doesn't help us to grow.
7.  Inspired leadership endures.  It is devoted to something greater than themselves.  Every woman giver her life to what she believes in.  Each day, endeavor to be more than you were. 

 For more information on the event, see the write up on the local newspaper HERE