The Bishop Miracle | An Interview with Brad Agle

Leading Saints Podcast

Brad Agle is a professor of Ethics and Leadership and holds the George W. Romney endowed professorship in the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University. Brad recently published The Bishop Book, talking about the experiences of serving as a bishop and using quotes from interviews conducted over the past 30 years with former and current bishops, their wives, and stake presidents.

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Links

TheBishopBook.com
The Bishop Book – Insights from LDS Bishops, Wives, and Stake Presidents
Ethical Dilemmas in Church Leadership | An Interview with Brad Agle
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Highlights

This podcast reveals the profound impact of being a bishop, with bishops often feeling overwhelmed by the responsibilities and emotional toll of the role. Brad shares personal anecdotes and stories from his book, highlighting the unique challenges faced by bishops and their families. The discussion also touches on the transition from being a bishop to being released from the calling, a process that can be emotionally taxing and challenging for many individuals.

One of the key themes that emerge from the conversation is the importance of family support and the strain that the bishopric role can place on personal relationships. Brad recounts stories of bishops who struggled to balance their calling with family life, leading to moments of reflection and growth. The conversation provides a candid look at the complexities of serving as a bishop and the impact it can have on individuals and their loved ones.

Brad offers a deep dive into the experiences of bishops, shedding light on the sacrifices, joys, and struggles that come with the calling. His insights and the stories shared in The Bishop Book serve as a valuable resource for current and future bishops, offering guidance, empathy, and understanding for those navigating the challenges of leadership within the Church.

3:15 Brad is a professor of ethics and leadership. He has written many academic articles as well as books. He has recently written a book for bishops.

5:40 The story for this book started 34 years ago. The bishop is like the CEO of a ward. He started to study what it meant to be an effective bishop.

9:30 What’s the most difficult thing that bishops go through? It’s not what most people think. It’s getting released.

13:00 How has the focus of the book changed over the past 34 years?

16:55 The bishops in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are a miracle!

17:40 Brad’s experience becoming and serving as a bishop of a brand new ward

21:10 The interview process of bishops for the book. They also interviewed the bishops’ wives.

23:50 Overinvesting in the members. You can’t take away someone’s problem. You are there to help and assist but it’s their problem.

25:00 The different sections and chapters of the book

25:45 Brad’s experience in the Lubbock temple as he was working on the book

27:50 The release of a bishop and how it relates to a retiring CEO. Losing your heroic stature and the heroic mission.

35:20 The heaviness of the mantle and the job

40:30 The dynamic between husband and wife while he serves as bishop. Brad shares an experience of a stake president’s wife.

43:20 Balancing being a bishop and your family life. Don’t neglect your family. Learn to delegate.

47:40 Managing your time well. Being efficient and effective. The calling will take all the time you are willing to give it.

49:10 Brad’s protestant minister friend sent him a little letter about being the perfect pastor.

52:00 Brad quotes President Hinckley

53:00 Brad shares a quote from a former bishop. Be a good counselor and proactively help the bishop to take things off his plate.

58:15 Where to get the bishop book

59:20 Brad’s final advice to bishops. Remember to savor it.

The 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, 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, 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, Kirby Heyborne, and many more in over 700 episodes.

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