About

Dave Ulrich is a professor at the University of Michigan and a partner at The RBL Group, a consulting firm. He studies and writes about how organizations build and use human resources, and has published over 30 books on leadership, organization, and human resources. He researches and consults with organizations around the world and has been called the “father of modern HR”. Dave is married to Wendy Ulrich. They co-authored the Wall Street Journal #1 business bestseller, The Why of Work: How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations that Win, and presided over the Canada Montreal Mission. Dave has also served as a bishop. Highlights 5:00 Dave's background and work 10:30 As a mission president, worked creatively to build the mission to support the missionaries and give them what they needed 12:00 Focused less on the goal and more on the people: the goal of the Church is to help you find the blessings of the gospel and they worked to help investigators find those blessings 14:10 Created themes for the month and for zone conferences; experience of getting the message wrong and making it right 18:30 Experience going out with every companionship, modeling for them and serving with them 21:30 Listen and take risks that are within the boundaries; experience of rededicating the city for a small branch instead of closing it and how that led to doing that throughout the district 24:10 The outside-in perspective: Leadership is what we help other people know and do, how we use our strengths to help other people see their strengths, the ability to create value in other people; What do those you lead need to know and do more of? What would the Lord want for them? 27:45 "So that…" We want to do ____ so that our people have ____. 30:30 Good leaders are also good anthropologists: observe those you lead, collecting data and soliciting input; experience of a prayer for a blessing at a funeral 33:50 Sharing gospel beliefs with others without being preachy 35:30 Leadership starts with who you are trying to bless and serve, not with you; what can you do to help those people fulfill those needs? 37:00 Working within the tension of policy and local leadership choices; we are a global church and we need to understand what the Lord wants for those we have leadership over 39:20 Inspiration is navigating paradox instead of solving it; experience leaving sacrament meeting to visit with a young man who had been part of a conflict 41:20 There is a pattern we follow, but there are also different ways the Lord can use us as leaders 43:30 We become vehicles through which our Heavenly Parents express love for their children 45:00 Modeling ministering, sometimes in unexpected, inspired ways 47:50 Being a doughnut-hole bishop: encouraging members to turn to those who have stewardship 49:30 Even introverts can serve; be willing to make mistakes; experience with saying the wrong thing to Elder Scott 54:00 Reflections during the pandemic: Pro athletes get better during the off season; he chose to step up instead of stepping back 56:40 Finding creative ways to bless people: Experience polishing the shoes of the missionaries 1:00:15 The Savior wants to give us power to empower others to reach their potential Links Dave Ulrich on LinkedIn The RBL Group Women in Council Meetings | An Interview with Wendy Ulrich The Why of Your Calling | An Interview with Wendy Ulrich