Capability

This week we had to watch a video by Carla Fiorina which was an excerpt from a speech she gave to a group of students at Stanford University. The piece that we watched was a discussion on capability and what it can mean in relation to leadership. She said that capability can mean you have skills, extensive knowledge, or a resume filled will great work experience. But what she says is often one of the most important aspects of capability in leadership is the willingness and ability to ask "why."

I thought quite a bit about what she had to say and how it pertains to me and my situation, both current and future. This morning I was reading in the Lorenzo Snow manual we are using in elder's quorum this year. In the chapter I was studying, president Snow was talking about doing what the Lord would have you do. In there he told the story of Jeremiah being called to serve the Lord. Jeremiah was hesitant and questioned whether the Lord had the right guy. The Savior's response was, "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee." Thinking about this in relation to leadership, most of us will be asked to lead one organization or another; be it at church or in the professional world or even simply as a father and husband in our own families. I think there will be several times when I will feel like Jeremiah and question whether the Lord called the right number; whether his lines got crossed when he asked me to do this thing. But how comforting to have the knowledge that was personally given to Jeremiah; "Son, don't worry. I know who you really are, even if you still don't. Trust me. We will do this together."

I am so comforted that no matter how incapable I may feel and no matter the task I am asked to step up to, the great God of the universe believes I can do it. That is all the confidence I need.