Leadership with a Small L

Disciple leadership.  What is that? It's certainly not a term thrown around in everyday society, but it is the exact type of leadership that I have always attempted to use. A disciple leader is who I know I am supposed to become. A disciple leader is someone who leads by serving others.  They lead by example, never asking someone else to do a task that they are unwilling to do themselves. A disciple leader seeks to lift those they are leading to higher ground.  A disciple leader wants to build and enable others to not only someday take their place, but to perform the task even better than they could.  A disciple leader has a vision of excellence and they tease out that excellence from those under their leadership, not because they demand it, but because they recognize it as untapped potential and cultivate it in the lives of those in their stewardship. A disciple leader loves each person within their sphere of influence and treats them accordingly with utmost dignity and respect from the greatest of these to the least of these.  In short, a disciple leader tries to emulate the Savior and how he leads. Disciple leaders are the true "Under-Sheppards" who dedicate their life to feeding the Lord's sheep. 

Am I there yet?  No. Do I strive to use these ideals in every task I am asked to complete or in every role of responsibility that I am called to serve in? Yes. I love the concept of disciple leadership.  I first heard it when I enrolled in Pathway in 2022 and I recognized the principle as something that I had always tried to live by.  The talk "Leadership with a Small L" was a commencement address given by BYU-I President Kim B. Clark in 2007 and as part of our studies this week, we were privileged to read it. This address explains what disciple leadership is and charges BYU-Idaho graduates to be disciple leaders in whatever journey their life takes them on.  It doesn't matter which industry we choose; all industries need disciple leaders. While I admit that I am not yet perfect in my own disciple leadership, it is a part of my character, my passions and my talents. I know that disciple leadership is at the heart of my own personal calling in this world.  While I may still be trying to figure out which direction or industry I choose to engage with, I know without a shadow of a doubt that no matter what I choose, I will be a disciple leader. 

Location: Indiana, PA 15701, USA

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