When I think back on my Mormon mission nearly 30 years later, one person stands out: my mission president, Arlen Crouch.
Crouch came from a successful corporate career with Merrill Lynch and FranklinCovey, and during my time in the Washington D.C. South Mission, his management style was unmistakable: goals, numbers, accountability, productivity, and obedience.
In this episode, I share what it was actually like serving under him, including the things he did exceptionally well, the ways his leadership affected me personally, a serious incident involving one of my companions, and what happened years later when I desperately needed his help getting a job at FranklinCovey.
Looking back, I don't necessarily see President Crouch as uniquely good or bad. I see him as a product of a system.
• A system that rewards measurable results.
• A system that values obedience.
• A system that can sometimes confuse management with ministry.
And ultimately, a system where I came to feel less like an individual and more like a cog in a very large machine.
This is the story of my mission president, and what my experience taught me about Mormon leadership, authority, obedience, and institutional culture.
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