The Motivation Episode: How to Motivate Those You Lead at Church

In this episode, Kurt Francom, executive director of Leading
Saints, shares his thoughts on how leaders can handle the question
that always seems to come up: "How can I motivate people?" Links
Watch the Motivating Saints Virtual Conference with a 14-day pass
to the Core Leader Library Subscribe to the Leading Saints
Newsletter How LaVell Edwards Influenced His Team to be a Team of
Leaders | An Interview With Paul Gustavson Listening to the Stories
of Those We Lead | A Live Event with Robert Ferrell Elder Bednar:
"A Conversation on Leadership" Newsletter message: "Try this in
elders quorum" Share your thoughts in the Leading Saints community
Read the transcript of this podcast Get 14-day access to the Core
Leader Library Highlights Traditional notions of motivation may be
misguided. Kurt cites a Church training with Elder Bednar where he
asserted that motivation is essentially a false concept. Motivation
can only come from the inside, not from external pressures or
guilt. He highlights the importance of recognizing one's ego as a
driving force in leadership and the need to create a culture of
love and identity rather than relying on high expectations and
shame. Kurt shares practical strategies for fostering motivation,
such as building relationships, offering autonomy, and inviting
community engagement. He emphasizes the significance of creating a
supportive environment where individuals feel valued and connected.
Ultimately, true motivation stems from understanding one's identity
in Christ and fostering a culture of discipleship. Kurt encourages
leaders to surrender their expectations and allow individuals to
find their own paths to engagement, reinforcing the idea that
leadership is about guiding others toward their divine potential
rather than merely achieving specific metrics or goals. Leaders can
embrace their roles with compassion and patience, recognizing that
the journey of discipleship is a collective effort that requires
understanding and support. 02:15 - Common Leadership Concerns 03:39
- Understanding Motivation Challenges 05:06 - Apathy and Engagement
Post-COVID 06:20 - The Role of Ego in Leadership 08:15 - Rethinking
the Problem of Motivation 09:41 - Elder Bednar's Perspective on
Motivation 10:34 - The Impact of Ego on Leadership 12:30 - The
Pressure of Leadership Expectations 13:02 - The Ineffectiveness of
Guilt as Motivation 14:05 - Historical Example: World War Rationing
17:53 - The Importance of Inviting Solutions 18:14 - Building
Relationships Over Numbers 20:23 - High Love vs. High Expectations
21:07 - Teaching Identity as a Motivational Tool 23:04 - The Role
of the Temple in Identity 24:30 - Surrendering Motivation to Christ
26:16 - The Challenge of Leadership and Ego 28:24 - Practical Steps
for Leaders 30:09 - Fostering Community and Relationships 32:06 -
Offering Autonomy in Leadership 33:18 - Teaching Identity and
Purpose 35:39 - The Long-Term Vision for Leadership 37:28 -
Conclusion and Encouragement for Leaders The award-winning Leading
Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints
podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help
Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen
to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past
guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John
Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey,
Elder Alvin F. Meredith III, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore,
Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister,
Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B.
Neuenschwander, Kirby Heyborne, Taysom Hill Anthony Sweat, John
Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson,
Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman,
Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 700 episodes.
Discover podcasts, articles, virtual conferences,