Name: Dr. David Frisbie

Title: Graduate and Professional Studies

Organisation: Southern Nazarene University

Dr. David Frisbie is a teacher, counselor, and author who travels worldwide to listen, learn, serve, and advise. To date, he has traveled to all 50 United States and 48 nations. He is an author or co-author of 42 books (none self-published) and more than 200 articles in magazines and journals

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope David's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

Trust is always earned; the timeline may be determined by the mistakes of your predecessor(s). Earning trust is a matter of displaying consistent integrity over time. If I had only one piece of advice for aspiring leaders, it would be this: display consistent integrity over time.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

Some leaders come into a setting and impose a sense of vision or mission. Others, more organically, derive and deduce these things from the setting. Mission is the core purpose for which the organization exists. Vision is a clear view of how to achieve success. Both are essential to moving forward.

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

Get to know their strengths, then delegate appropriately. Discover how much assistance each needs or prefers. My father excelled in raising key leaders above his own level. In at least two cases, he ended up working for someone who had worked for him. Dad not only did not have a problem with this, but it also verified his success as a trainer and leader. Dad led — and lived — without an undue ego or a grand sense of self. His humility and integrity were and are an inspiration to me and others.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

Raymond Bridges was an optimistic problem solver who pastored a series of small, troubled churches in the Southeastern United States. He never achieved fame or recognition and did not attempt to do so. Together with his amazing wife, he simply transformed place after place, family after family, person after person — with his infectious mix of optimism, wisdom, and sincere faith.

Although my career path has looked different from his, he had best emulate my hopes and goals as a leader. His life and his marriage shine as brilliant examples of how to serve and lead.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

Establish and maintain priorities. Adhere to a schedule that emphasizes priorities and does not waste time. Measure success consistently.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

I know a few (only) successful leaders who would disagree with this premise.

I am not one of them.

I plan constantly, revise plans as needed, adjust, and keep planning.

Wise plans admit and allow for possible setbacks and delays.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

Been there. Failed that.

As a young leader, I tended to delegate things that did not matter. Yet if something was important or really mattered, I kept it.

It needed to be done on time and right.

It is incredibly difficult to hand off tasks or projects that are critical. It is also essential.

Get used to being uncomfortable.

It is how you — and the organization — grow.