Being Heard & Hearing Others in Council Meetings | A How I Lead Interview with Sara Payne & Dale Williams

Sara Payne is currently serving as the stake Relief Society president in Billings, Montana, and previously served as a branch Relief Society president in rural Maine. She loves Relief Society and considers it one of her purposes to help women in the Church understand that they belong and are wanted and needed in this great organization. Sara is a relationship coach and spends her days helping women who are married to physicians to create thriving marriages.

Dale Williams has served in elders quorum, as a bishop and bishop’s counselor, and in a stake presidency. He is currently a stake president in Billings, Montana. Dale is a business owner and practices as a chiropractor.

Highlights

02:30 Introduction to Stake President Dale Williams and Stake Relief Society President Sara Payne in Billings, Montana.

04:45 Sara’s past experience and getting called as stake Relief Society president.

06:20 Dale shares his experience extending callings. He called Sara because she is a person who thinks outside the box.

09:45 Sara talks about beginning her calling and the intimidation she felt.

11:20 Dale talks about coming together and gathering ideas and thoughts. This creates an atmosphere of openness.

14:50 Dale describes the culture of the meetings they have as stake leaders. Things that he has found that work and don’t work.

16:15 The stake president states his opinion last. He lets everyone else speak and share first. This is a way he can also gain revelation.

18:50 There is a difference between respecting our leaders and putting them on a pedestal, like they are all knowing.

20:00 Reaching for unity. Go into any interaction knowing that you are on the same team even though opinions might differ.

23:00 Dale shares an experience of not agreeing and changing things up in the stake.

27:15 Sometimes we have to let go of who can do it the most effectively. Let everyone serve in their own way.

29:00 Dale has one-on-one meetings every month with Sara. She leads the discussion normally and takes time to prepare for it.

31:30 At the beginning of any meeting or one-on-one they begin by talking about a concern they have or gospel principle and counsel together before getting to the agenda items. They unify their thinking and come together.

33:10 Sara was very intimidated in stake councils to share her opinions and speak up. She talks about the things that helped her feel safe and open up.

35:40 Dale and his counselors share what they are going through. They are vulnerable. He has found that it’s not normally in our strengths that we come together but in our weaknesses.

38:10 What it means to be heard. Being heard doesn’t mean getting your way.

40:30 It’s not about what the leader can do but what they can help others do.

Links

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