Below is an article from a renowned podcast and author, Jonno White, of Consult Clarity:
Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve
generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!
I hope Jay’s answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!
Cheers,
Jonno White
I have been the president of Brentwood Christian School (BCS) in Austin, Texas for 8 years. BCS has been serving Austin for 60 years and is a blessed school that is the 7-time state academic champions as well as the current holder of the Henderson Cup – the award for the top overall private school in Texas.
Prior to BCS, I was president of Provenio Group – a company that contracted with the largest school districts in the country to deal with behavioral, social, and emotional issues. My educational background is a Masters in Clinical Psychology with doctorate in Neuro-Psychology.
- What have you found most challenging as a leader?
The transition from the corporate world to the world of education, and especially education that is predicated on a ministerial mission, required a significant change in the way I approached leadership. Even though I have always made Christ a central component of all I do, making Him THE central component of leading others within my daily work life was a real challenge and a real change and was a challenge. It caused me to rethink the way in which I employed and unemployed people as well as the intentionality of communicating purpose along with process.
- How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?
I started my first company at 23 and sold it at 29. I have actually never interviewed for a job. I started both companies that employed me prior to joining BCS and I was the Chair of the Board of Trustees for BCS when the outgoing president retired and the eldership of the church that oversees BCS along with the school board approached me about assuming the role of president. In a professional capacity, I have always led the companies and now the school in which I am employed.
- How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?
I wake up at 4:00am 7 days a week. I spend 2 hours in reading, prayer, meditative rest, and preparation every day. I have done this for many years. This is my quiet time when I can focus on what I want to focus. I get ready for work and I am in the office by 7:00am every morning. I maintain a public calendar and I allot time each day for business meetings, family meetings, and employee meetings. I also set aside time for work product focus and I end the work day no later than 5:00. I make sure my evenings are spent with my family. I will do the extra work in the early hours while they are asleep but I never want my family to be secondary to my job.
- What’s a recent leadership lesson you’ve learned for the first time or been reminded of?
BCS is about to launch a campaign which will bring about significant growth. It is humbling to accept the fact that, in a school setting, success is dependent on many things other than simple hard work and even individual talent. I am reminded daily that the 130 employees of BCS are the determiners of success and that my role as their leader is to make sure I am constantly positioning them for success. Their success positioning and ultimately their overall success are then directly responsible for the ability of the school to fulfill its growth initiatives.
- What’s one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?
This is an odd one but the book is “The Books of Enoch”. Even though these books reside outside of scripture, the manner and descriptions of the organization and follow through of God’s ultimate leadership, and even the failures at times of those that are supposed to follow His orders, is a master class in responsibility, accountability, and preparation. I understand all of the “best practices” but being able to define the purpose those practices serve is crucial to maintaining missional and business efficacy.
- If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?
Find three successful older individuals and make a commitment to spend time with each one each month and sit and listen. Too many young leaders conflate the rapidity of knowledge acquisition with the critical thinking of decision making that comes from the knowledge that is acquired. Humble yourself, even in the midst of your successes, enough to listen and hear how they made decisions, weighed consequences, and sometimes failed and sometimes succeeded. Learn from their successes and their failures but, more importantly, learn from the processes and intents with which they proceeded. The wisdom of those who have plowed the roads we now walk on should be sought, cherished, and absorbed.
- What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far?
The most meaningful leadership stories I can share are for the individuals who rose to leadership and became strong Christian leaders while under my tutelage. Nothing is more affirming than seeing someone who has learned from you move on and become a leader that has a focus on good, purposed through Christ, and centered on mission rather than self. Seeing the success of those you had a hand in mentoring is the greatest leadership story I can share.