How I Lead as Youth Executive Secretary | An Interview with Michael Albright

Michael Albright grew up in Colorado and received his undergraduate
degree from the University of Wyoming. In 2000, at the age of 23,
Michael was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints and shortly afterward joined the U.S. Navy,
earning his Commission as a Supply Corps Officer after completing
Officer Candidate School in Florida. He attended several Training
Commands before serving tours in California and Hawaii, leaving
active duty military service in 2006 to attend graduate school at
Brigham Young University. Michael has served in several elders
quorum presidencies, as a Primary, youth, and Sunday School
teacher, a membership clerk, a ward emergency preparedness &
employment specialist, and is now an assistant executive secretary
for youth. He and his wife Oriah have three boys and their family
resides in Texas. Highlights 02:30 Michael went to the May 2022
men's retreat, Warrior Heart and he shares his story and how he
ended up there. 05:00 Michael explains why he thinks that going to
a third party retreat, like Warrior Heart, is important apart from
the normal week to week elders quorum meetings. 07:30 Michael was
called as an assistant executive secretary, specifically for the
youth. The ward wanted to do something to focus more on the youth.
Michael shares what he does in his calling. 10:45 The day to day
focus and main priorities of Michael’s calling. He keeps track of
what activities are going on and informs everyone through email He
sends out reminders for appointments Follow up with people for
interviews Keeps track of youth that need temple recommends that
will expire soon Gets interviews for new youth in the ward so that
the bishop can get to know them 13:30 There are about 100 youth
members in Michael’s ward. Having a youth executive secretary helps
the bishop and the other executive secretary so that no one slips
through the cracks. 13:50 Michael is basically the part of the
bishop’s brain that focuses completely on the youth. 15:05 The
dynamic of setting up appointments with the youth. 16:20 Michael
considers himself a gate keeper of the bishop’s time. He is there
to help the bishop not get overloaded. 17:00 Michael explains the
dynamic with the other executive secretary and how they work
together and coordinate all the appointments. 21:00 Michael shares
his principles of leadership. Principle one - Ownership and
stewardship 23:40 Principle two - Communication 25:30 Principle
three - Being respectable and adaptable as you are working with
people 31:30 Michael’s focus is creating better relationships with
the youth. He isn’t great with technology and with the platforms
that the youth are on but he works to connect with them in their
interactions. 33:00 God loves us no matter what. What does change
is our ability to feel His love because of the choices that we
make. This is the message that Michael loves to share with the
youth that he works with. 35:00 How being a leader has helped
Michael become a better follower of Jesus Christ. Links Is Elders
Quorum Working? Warrior Heart Bootcamp Read the TRANSCRIPT of this
podcast Listen on YouTube Get 14-day access to the Core Leader
Library The Leading Saints Podcast gets over 300,000 listens each
month and has nearly 10 million total downloads 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, Liz
Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore,
Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, J.
Devn Cornish, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Anthony Sweat, John Hilton
III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan
Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, DeAnna Murphy, Michael Goodman, Richard
Ostler, Ganel-Lyn Condie, and many more in over 500 episodes.
Discover podcasts,