S7E03: 5 Principles of Effective Leadership

Do you see yourself continuing to flourish as a leader in Christian service to age 84 or beyond? Dr. Jerry White, the International President Emeritus of The Navigators, is one such leader. As years of leadership stretch into decades of leadership, how can you stay effective and focused? Learn more about the habits and practices that you need as a leader to be effective long term. 

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In this episode:

• Dr. Jerry White's career (02:19)
• "God spoke to me, while I was in Cape Canaveral, and said stay in the Air Force, get a Master's degree, go teach at the Air Force academy, and get training from the Navigators."  (03:22)
• The Navigators is in 112 countries with about 3500 staff and 20,000 lay leaders. (06:38)
• Dr. Jerry White was the President of The Navigators International for eighteen and a half years (06:57)
• Discussing the whole role of space with the new space force. There's warfighting (11:46)
• What are some leadership habits or practices that have been important to you personally, throughout your career? (13:17)
• The first leadership principle is people are what count and we need to treat everybody with respect and dignity (13:34)
• "In leadership, you have to treat people well and hold them accountable." (14:15)
• The second principle is to recruit people who are smarter and more gifted than I am and not be afraid of letting them lead (14:24)
• The third principle is functioning as a team. No person leads by themselves (15:08)
• The fourth principle is building a shared vision
• The fifth principle is to implement change effectively
• "How do you implement change? Change either destroys or builds a mission or company. You must have ownership that is much further than your leadership." (16:38)
• What are some of the practices that have sustained you? (18:04)
• "Purpose is not equal to position. There has to be a purpose that keeps you going." (18:40)
• "We are significant no matter what age."(19:57)
• Share about the importance of developing a circle of support and how these relationships sustained you over the years. (23:54)
• Over the years, you and Mary have been through ups and downs in life. I know you had a very painful season some years ago when your son was murdered. How did you walk through that time and still emerge with your marriage and faith intact? (28:40)
• What would you say today to leaders who are in the middle of their careers? How can they be sustained for the long haul – to stay true to their calling and live a life of integrity? (28:46)
• There's no substitute for hard work. Don't quit. (28:51)
• The key thing is to be a learner. Never worry about promotion. Worry about growing in both your competence and the breadth of your knowledge (29:47)
• Train up the next generation (30:13)
• Reassess your vision and your calling. It's not a problem to have a midlife crisis. You have to say, 'has God called me to this point?' (30:39)
• What are your thoughts on stewarding your time and energy in this season of your life? (32:51)
• Are there some physical practices that keep you going strong? (36:45)
• Studies have shown that if you don't have relationships, you will shrivel up (44:46)

Additional Resources

Buy Dr. Jerry White's Books: Honesty, Morality, & Conscience: Making Wise Choices in the Gray Areas of Life

Joseph Road: Choices that Determine Your Destiny

Dangers Men Face: Overcoming the Five Greatest Threats to Living Life Well (Experiencing God)

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Read a complete, word-for-word transcript of the episode.

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