How to Lead

One of my favorite articles from my study material this week was an article by Kim B. Clark, former president of BYU-Idaho, called Leadership with a Small "L." The points that stood out to me were the three principles of leadership that we should apply in our lives. The first is Lead by Example. I feel like this principle is one that I learned quite suddenly, when I heard my small children first start saying something that I didn't realize I said often. My husband and I learned very quickly that we needed to be more mindful of what kind of example we were setting for our children (not that we were doing anything horrible, we just could have been doing better). They learn so much more quickly by observing what we do and say, rather than just listening to what we tell them they should be doing and saying.
The second principle is Lead with Vision. I feel like this principle encompasses the "why" of what I'm teaching my family. If my children don't understand the underlying reason behind what I'm asking them to do, they are much less likely to do it. For example, my younger daughter went through a phase of getting out of her carseat belt while I was driving. It wasn't until I explained the safety reasons, and the laws of the road, that she finally understood that she should stay in her carseat. It wasn't just that I wanted her to do it, she needed to know why it was important.
The final principle is Lead with Love. This is probably the most important. Ultimately, I want my children to feel loved, and to want to share that love with others. I want them to love going to church, to love the gospel, and to love the Savior. I know that I can teach them the right things to do as I minister to them in love.
I'm looking forward to learning more about leadership, and how to apply it not only in business, but in my home, as well.