Interview w/ Kirk Strong

Yesterday I had the opportunity to interview Kirk Strong, the director of admissions at BYU, about leadership. We had quite a discussion on what leadership is, what leaders do, and how people come about being effective leaders. The first question we discussed was "What is a leader?" Obviously there are lots of different ways to answer this, but the way this question was answered really hit me. Leadership was defined as "somebody who inspires others to perform at higher levels." Kirk seems to demonstrate this leadership in his daily life. He and his staff help reach out to students across campus and around the world to come to college and excel. The few times that I have met him he is always open and willing to talk with me, which is important. Creating relationships and effective communication are vital to successful leadership. What really struck me was the idea that leaders don't always hold a position or calling, but are just living their lives. It's not about the title, but about the actions people perform that compose a leader. Often the effective leaders, according to Mr. Strong's definition of leader, aren't always the popular leaders. These are the ones who can step back and direct their followers in the direction that is necessary, but may not be very popular. I am inspired to build a strong character, because that's what a leader works from… not the ideals of a party or others. Kirk mentioned that the best leaders aren't in congress, but in the homes. He seems to know that leadership builds off the personal level and over time that influence grows. Effective leaders know how to identify, implement, and internalize correct principals in others. The position that Brother Strong holds provides him with chances to influence others to live the honor code and worthy lives every day. I hope that one day I may be able to do this effectively amongst my peers and colleagues.