Whitney Johnson is one of the leading business thinkers in the world and an expert on disruptive innovation. An award-winning author of Disrupt Yourself, and Build an "A" Team, Whitney is also a world-class keynote speaker, frequent lecturer for Harvard Business School’s Executive Education, and an executive coach and advisor to CEOs. In her third podcast with Leading Saints, she talks about learning from Clayton Christensen, how we are all feeling disruption now, and how we can turn that to innovation. Whitney is currently serving in a stake Relief Society.

Highlights

Whitney discusses how she has been re-inventing her business model as she cannot travel to do keynote presentations but has to find out how to focus on individuals rather than businesses. She provides background into the relationship with Clayton Christensen, who recently passed. He was an expert in disruption theory – about how little things can take over the world (i.e. telephone, Netflix, etc.) Her work with him started in the church public affairs, and developed into business collaboration. She loved how he was the same at work and at church.

12:56 – What would Clayton Christensen want to talk about if he were being interviewed? He would discuss disruptive innovation in a gospel setting. He felt that the only metrics that matter are how we influence other people.

15:17 – At his funeral, it was reported that Brother Christensen's initial teaching reviews as a professor were not great; in order to improve, he prayed before EVERY class and he was better able to serve his students. His goal was to do good, no matter the assignment.

16:50 – Whitney speaks of disruption in regards to current leadership/callings. In her stake Relief Society position, since they can’t do local trainings with leaders, they would focus on Zoom meetings with specific questions that would help direct the discussion and promote sharing.

23:52 – What is the S-curve in a calling? We start at the bottom, and as we get going we climb the first curve, improve our abilities as we reach the second curve to reach the top where we are doing so well, and then we get released. The pandemic is causing a brand new S-curve in every position.

26:00 – Examples of how our constraint will become a tool of innovation (missionary work, teaching, videos etc).

Taking the right risks, creating vs. competing, play where “no one else is playing”; What can I re-create, rather than “what was it supposed to be?” A favorite quote: “Amateurs compete, professionals create.”

31:33 How can this disruption help me find my way forward? Disruptive innovation is about stepping back so we can slingshot forward. As we are forced “back”, we need to reflect, “How will I define my Covid time?”

-Write in a journal

-Keep the Sabbath day holy. Use Sunday as a “step back” so that Monday you can “slingshot forward”

35:45 How do I “step back”? Whitney describes her process of putting all work email on pause Saturday night at 9pm until Monday at noon. She wants to make Sunday a “delight” by writing in her journal, reading, praying, and doing family history

38:20 Journal writing tips: at the end of the day write down the best of the day and the worst of the day – and then explain to what extent you were “creating or competing” and how to do better tomorrow. Every 50 days you should look back and reflect on all the lessons.

40:54 – Whitney likes to record all priesthood blessings and transcribe them so that they can become part of her “canon of scripture”

43:12 – Discussion about current race issues, and the question of “how will I be changed” We can contribute if we are humble. She expresses gratitude for the Atonement – we can’t repair the hurt of the past but all can be wiped away because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Michael Newton

Michael lives in Kaysville, Utah, with his wife SaraJean. He grew up in the Bountiful/Centerville area of Davis County, Utah, attended Brigham Young University, and studied law in Illinois. They lived in New York City where he practiced law before returning to Utah. He now does legal counsel and strategy for a company in the Salt Lake valley. He has served as a counselor in four bishoprics and in Young Men and elders quorum presidencies. He served in the bishopric in his former ward, which recently split.

Highlights

6:50 About Michael's current ward in Kaysville and how the ward split when it was formed

Principles

10:20 1. Candid counsel: saying what needs to be said; speaking up without worrying about what others think

12:20 The leader can help by being willing to listen to everyone's perspectives and to make decisions afterward

14:20 Having the conversation with the leader so they know that you will be candid and push back a little, testing and asking questions

18:40 2. The Savior's title of Counselor: reminder to think of what the Savior did, teaching and ministering without forcing

20:00 Return and report: go and put in your best effort when asked to do something

21:20 3. Lift the burden: support the bishop as he administers so that he can delegate to you

24:55 Frame the conversation as, "I've noticed this... I was thinking we could do this. What do you think about it?"

26:45 Counselors can help lift the heavy burdens that the Bishop alone must carry by listening and ministering to him

31:00 Being a counselor facilitates ministering and teaching as Christ did

Michael Hjorth

Michael lives in Boise, Idaho, but is in the process of moving to Sacramento, California. He has been a counselor in two bishoprics.

Highlights

33:45 His first calling to serve in a bishopric was a surprise and a big learning curve

34:50 Start by praying for your own testimony of the validity of the calling of that new bishop

35:42 Come to training with the stake president with an open mind

36:50 Using technology can make everything better, tracking notes and communicating

Principles:

38:25 1. Leveraging humility

39:30 2. Obedience

40:50 3. Communication: you have to be able to follow-through and go back to handle the tasks you are given

* 43:45 He would leave his binder open to remind himself that he still had tasks to do, then added them into his daily calendar throughout the week

* 45:20 You are the voice to the ward for the bishop. He cannot do it all and needs you to fulfill your tasks and carry his messages to others; prepare people for upcoming meetings so they can be more productive

48:00 4. Duty: Have your own sense of duty and pass it on to others

50:00 Training new leaders in organizations

52:50 Being willing to do the Lord's will in how you approach the work

55:00 Be approachable and willing to befriend more people in the ward

58:50 He learned to be more prayerful and to want the Spirit more in his life

See all the details and register for this event at ryan.leadingsaints.org

Rodger Dean Duncan has been advisor to United States presidential cabinet officers in two administrations and to top business leaders in multiple industries. He’s author of several books including the award-winning, bestselling CHANGE-friendly LEADERSHIP, and co-author of Leadership for Saints. He also writes a regular leadership column for Forbes.com, a platform that reaches about 75 million readers each month. A descendant of 19th-century Baptist evangelists and a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he has served as bishop (three times), stake president, high councilor, and stake mission president. Today he is patriarch of the Liberty Missouri Stake and a sealer in the Kansas City Missouri Temple. In the early 1980s he served on the advisory council that first recommended that “Another Testament of Jesus Christ” be added as subtitle to The Book of Mormon. He is a father of four and grandfather to twelve.

Highlights

04:05 How Duncan came to coauthor the book, Leadership for Saints, with Ed J. Pinegar

07:14 Much book content came from training meetings produced as a stake president and articles he wrote.

09:25 His conversion story: At the lockers after a lesson on the “Mormon trekkers”, a cute high-school classmate asked, “Would you like to know more?”

11:30 Techniques and models of leadership from impactful leader-mentors: A Waco, Texas bishop told him, “This morning, you failed the Lord…”, blessing his entire life.

14:55 Reproving with sharpness means with clarity, not harshness.

15:52 Train leaders and future leaders whenever you can.

17:49 Sources of Duncan’s passion for studying leadership include serving in student government and working as a political, business, and investigative journalist.

18:35 Young editor, Jim Lehrer, taught him to look at the gap between what a leader aspires to and what is accomplished.

19:41 Jim Lehrer also taught effective listening as an investigative reporter: “Count to five silently.” This leads to elaboration, new directions, and psychological space for self discovery.

23:52 He worked as a consultant to cabinet officers in two White House administrations, a laboratory for both effective and dysfunctional leadership behavior.

24:35 Paths at Purdue: After earning a PhD in Organizational Behavior at Purdue, a young man who heard him talk at BYU decided to follow his path at Purdue: his name? David A. Bednar.

25:49 Premortal memories: Experts may unknowingly teach gospel principles: premortal memories can translate into mortal teachings.

27:56 Councils: Therefore, now what? In the early 80s, he served on an advisory council that reported to the First Presidency. Their roll-up-your sleeves work sessions included George and Lenore Romney, Gordon Jump, Gordon B. Hinckley, Neal L. Maxwell, Bruce R. McConkie, Boyd K. Packer, and others. For example, one thing that came out of these included the recommendation to add a subtitle to the Book of Mormon (Another Testament of Jesus Christ). At the end of these varied discussions, Boyd K. Packer would simply say, “Therefore, now what?” to invite the council to seek what course of action they should take.