Leadership in the Family - VP Scharman

Please describe a way you will apply a leadership concept you have learned about this year as you lead in your family.

One principle that I seem to be learning over and over is that we need to listen, evaluate, and then conclude. I guess this goes back to the idea that we need to be 'reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterward an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved.' I am so grateful for the people that have shown me the importance of this principle through their example.

When I lead my family in the future, I would like my home to be void of unkind words. I think it is possible to do this by being willing to listen and only reprove with love. I have realized this year that our tone means everything. It is crucial for me to remember as a mom that I need to have a loving tone, all the time. This will help me to support a loving dynamic in my family.

Vice President Scharman talked about the importance of developing structure in your home based on your individual time commitments. Describe how you believe structure and order in your family life can help you lead in you family. How can some form of structure and routine help you develop leaders in your family?

Structure and order in my family life will help me to lead. I want to have a structure committed to the gospel, where the essential activities like family scripture study, prayer, and family home evening are all built in to our lives. While growing up, there was a phase where my family didn't have this structure. We weren't' very good at reading our scriptures together, or praying together. As I reflect on that time, the feeling in our home would have been different if were were better at worshiping together. I want to be sure to lead in my home, with the gospel as our guide. My children will then know what to expect from me and from our family, so we can together work to establish a home with the Spirit.

It is essential for every leader to understand the power that comes from structure, from having authority in an organization. In my future home, I want to ensure that my husband leads with priesthood authority. I want him to have monthly interviews with my children, so they can come to expect that he is their father and he is there for them. By establishing structure, a family can grow closer together and develop the leadership abilities in the children. Immersion is sometimes one of the best learning tools. Hopefully, I can immerse my children in a home with leadership structure and order. This principle is the same as leading outside of the home. If we are able to establish structure in our leadership positions, organizations will run more effectively.