Below are some rough interview questions for those who are sharing stories for the Video Project (see prior post).

Cultural Beliefs

1. Focus Efforts

Tell us about a Management Society member who has personally influenced you because of their focus on growing moral and ethical leadership.

• What is the name of the person, what is their occupation, where do they live?
• How did you get to know this person?
• What did this person specifically do relating to moral and ethical leadership that influenced you?
• How did you feel when you saw this kind of example?
• Have you seen other people handle this situation differently? Describe.
• When and where did this take place?
• What do you do differently now because of this experience?
• Does seeing someone else live up to these standards make it easier for you to follow their example? Why?
• How does being a member of the Management Society help you to focus on moral and ethical leadership?

2. Meet Purposefully

Describe a Management Society event you attended that caused you to see more clearly the vision of growing moral and ethical leadership around the world.

• When and where was the event?
• If the event included a speaker, who was the speaker and what did he or she say that so moved you?
• How did this event help you see the vision more clearly?
• What was different about this event than other business events you attended?
• How have you incorporated the things that you heard into your personal and/or business life?

3. Grow People

Share a story about a Management Society member who helped you in your professional progress and the influence this nurturing has had on you.

• Who was the person that mentored you? Has a member of the Management Society helped you in some other way?
• How? When and where did this take place?
• Did you have a problem that you needed help solving? How did this person help?
• Was it awkward or embarrassing asking someone you respect to spend some of their valuable time helping you? What was your friend’s reaction?
• Did being a member of t he Management Society make it easier for you to find someone who could help you? Did your membership facilitate the relationship?
• How important was this help to you in your career?

4. Act Professionally

Tell about a Management Society member you know who exemplifies the highest ideals of professionalism by the way they treat other people of a different age, gender, nationality ethnicity, career path, alma mater, religious affiliation etc. Or, describe a Management Society event which promoted this kind of professionalism.

• What is the name of the person, what is their occupation, where do they live?
• How did you get to know this person?
• What does this person specifically do that exemplifies a high level of professionalism?
• How do you feel when you see this kind of example?
• When and where did this take place?
• What do you do differently now because of this experience?
• Does seeing someone else live up to these standards make it easier for you to follow their example? Why?
• How does being a member of the Management Society help you to focus on moral and ethical leadership?

 5. Think Globally

Discuss one of the following:

• What BYU Management Society event have you attended that demonstrated the global reach of the Society?
• Talk about a Management Society member you know who exemplifies this global vision, including a love for and knowledge of other cultures and languages.
• How does it make you feel to be a part of an organization that has members all over the world who share the same values of moral and ethical leadership?
• How have you benefited professionally or personally from a chapter outside of your own country?

6. Align with BYU and the Marriott School

How has your membership in the BYU Management Society helped you stay connected to and aligned with the mission of the Brigham Young University and the Marriott School?

• What has your chapter done to help you stay connected to BYU and the Marriott School and its mission?
• What does that mission mean to you?
• How has a connection to BYU and the Marriott School affected your career?
• Describe how you have personally benefited professionally from your association with the BYU brand.
• What does that brand mean to you and how has it changed your life?

 7. Live the Vision

Please share a personal experience or experiences where the BYU Management Society vision of “growing moral and ethical leadership around the world” has changed how you would otherwise handle a difficult situation or problem.

• Describe a specific situation in business where your vision of “growing moral and ethical leadership” was challenged and how you overcame it. Or, describe someone you know overcoming such as challenge.
• When, where and what were the circumstances?
• What was the challenge and why was it hard to do what was right?
• What risks did you take in making the right decision?
• How has the vision of “growing moral and ethical leadership” changed your life?
• How has membership in the Society helped you live this vision?

Due to popular demand we are once again offering a series of live training webinars for chapter leaders to create  One Page Business Plans for their chapters.  And with increased webinar capabilities we can now offer this opportunity to an unlimited number of chapter members as well.  Our hope is that every chapter develops a One Page Business Plan to accelerate and focus their achievements for the upcoming year. 

 This training can also be applied to our member’s businesses and work environments.  Wouldn’t you like to have a One Page Business Plan for your company, department or profession?  It’s just one more benefit of membership.  To learn more about the One Page Business Plan visit their web site at www.OnePageBusinessPlan.com  Joel Deceuster, a member of the Marriott School NAC and our International Steering Committee is one of the nation’s  leading OPBP consultants and will lead the training program in support of one of our committee’s key objectives for 2009.  

Training Dates (It’s the same training material being presented on three different dates)

• Friday, April 24, 2009                8:00 AM PST – 9:30 AM PST
• Thursday, May 7, 2009              8:00 AM PST – 9:30 AM PST
• Wednesday, May 20, 2009        8:00 AM PST – 9:30 AM PST

How To Register

It’s easy and it’s free to register for the webinar at our website.  The Silicon Valley Chapter uses the website provided by the Marriott School for all management chapters.  So, you’ll go to our web site at  http://ms.byu.edu/siliconvalley and select the events calendar on the top navigation bar.  Simply look for the date of the event you’d like to attend and click it to be led to registration.  You may register for yourself and an unlimited number of guests.    See how easy it is to organize your chapter events and manage registration when you use the Marriott School website?  I set up these events in less than five minutes – it’s that easy! 

Two days prior to each event I’ll email the call-in instructions to all those who have registered.  We’ll be using GoToMeeting.com as our online meeting platform.  Instructions for connecting to GoToMeeting.com will also be included.  You’ll be able to listen, ask questions and see the presentation from my desktop on your very own computer.  It’s way too easy to participate and learn this amazing strategic planning process and accountability system. 

Attached is the Steering Committee’s One Page Business Plan for 2009.  We hope all of you will align your chapter plans to support it.  Joel

If you have any quesitons contact Joel Deceuster at Joel@FocusYourBusinessNow.com 

BYU Management Society

Annual Leadership Conference

October 2-3, 2008

            By all accounts, the BYU Management Society Annual Leadership Conference, held October 2-3, 2008 on campus in Provo, Utah was a rousing success.  Over 100 participants from 11 countries enjoyed beautiful weather, surroundings, company and educational and motivational workshops, speeches and seminars.  The vision of the Management Society of “growing moral and ethical leadership around the world” was a focus of the entire event.

            The conference began with a day in the mountains at Aspen Grove.  The hills were on fire with the colors of fall in the mountains.  The opening sessions were held in the Emerald Lodge, with a breathtaking view of the Wasatch Mountains through a floor to ceiling glass window about 3 stories high. Gary Cornia, Dean of the Marriott School gave an update on accomplishments at the Marriott School and introduced the Lowell Bennion Award recipient and keynote speaker, former Dean Ned Hill.  Hill recognized the accomplishments of the namesake of the award, Lowell Bennion, reminisced on trips he made over the years to Management Society chapters all over the world during his 10 year tenure as Dean.  He also shared anecdotal experiences to drive home the vision of the Society, “growing moral and ethical leadership around the world.”

            Ron Malouf, National Advisory Council member and Chair of the NAC Management Society committee, addressed the importance of service to the community and Management Society members.  Chris Feinauer, Alumni Association Liaison, shared tips on “Board Structure, Recruiting and Use.”  Chet Harmer, new member of the International Steering Committee member over New Chapters, discussed successes in the Silicon Valley chapter, which in the last year included an astounding 96 events and 9,300 participants.  Perhaps more impressive is the focus on service to its members through business workshops which teach people how to get, keep and improve jobs..  Silicon Valley also works closely with the J. Reuben Clark Law Society in calendaring and publicizing events.

            A one-hour “Success-o-rama” was then held covering topics such as Golf tournaments, scholarships, breakfasts, employment councils, career fairs, surveys, Young Professionals, newsletters, the new Hispanic Chapter and big company involvement.  Concurrent sessions were then held for chapters at different stages in their development including: new, struggling and strong.  A dinner program featured music by a bluegrass group, “Brushfire,” and keynote speaker, Michael Webb, who addressed how to establish a strong network of business contacts to find a job at any stage in your career.

            Friday began on campus in the new Tanner Building addition, with a hot breakfast, a “State of the Society” address by Chair Bill Chapman which reviewed the major events by chapters throughout the world during the last 12 months.  It was announced that the 2009 Regional Conference will be held in Europe at a specific loction to be determined.  Chair-Elect, Troy Romero, then gave a presentation on the One Page Business Plan, a new goal setting program introduced to the Society by Steering Committee member and NAC member, Joel Deceuster, of Silicon Valley.  Concurrent database training seminars were then conducted by Rixa Oman (beginning) and Robert Gardner (advanced).  A panel of Steering Committee members addressed each of the Society’s Cultural Beliefs.

            Bradley R. Agle, PhD and Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, led a thought-provoking discussion on a case study on ethics.  A luncheon was organized by region so that chapter leaders could share what they had learned and discuss local issues, unique to each geographic area.  Following the luncheon each country outside of the United States took a turn highlighting events and progress in each of those countries.  Gustavo Estrada next spoke on LDS Employment and networking.  The international and domestic chapters then separated to focus on topics pertaining to each of those types of chapters.  A closing session allowed participants to set goals based on things they learned at the conference, followed by an open discussion on highlights of what was most helpful.

            An added dimension to the Conference was a Friday night dinner meeting, first ever for the new Hispanic Management Society, with Elder Pingree giving the keynote address.  Over 100 were in attendance.

            A great deal of enthusiasm flowed through from the start to finish of the conference.  Interactive discussions allowed a liberal exchange of ideas and sharing of experiences.  Friendships were made or renewed and a new commitment seemed to be felt by all present. 

• “No dues” membership option.  Different levels of membership in BYUMS could include “no dues” membership (some chapters already have this to drive membership and recruit new members).  This might allow us to better penetrate the LDS target market through priesthood leaders by not offending the non-commercial/no pay policy for Church activities. We can offer this as a service and may help us be viewed more by priesthood leaders as a service organization consistent with our vision developed with Lee Donaldson in 2005.
• “No fee” workshops.  For the same reasons above, this might open some doors.  If the goal is “growing moral and ethical leadership around the world,” why have barriers like dues if they can be avoided?  Members could be the presenters, if done for “no fee,” church buildings could be used and we could touch more lives.  We could break down many of the existing barriers to reaching Church members if there was no fee involved.  I don’t think it would be difficult to recruit presenters from the local wards/stakes. Silicon Valley has already piloted this idea with great success.
• Coordination with LDS Church Leaders.  With a no dues level of membership and no fee workshops, a viable base of members could be dramatically expanded.  Existing levels of for fee membership, paid events, etc., could continue for those interested and would not only continue, but most likely would also dramatically expand because of increased visibility through greater publicity to our target market: LDS Church members.
• LDS Employment.  A key partner in breaking through existing barriers to reaching LDS Church members, our target market.  Could help put on “free workshops,” including training for those not even looking for a job to help them be prepared for the future when they may need to make a move (A la Michael Webb’s keynote address at our recent Annual Leadership Conference.)  Even “stay-at-home-Moms” should know what skills they have and be prepared for the future.  Networking is “provident living” for all adults regardless of age or gender.  In today’s economy, this is realistic preparedness.
• Get listed on Providentliving.org’s “Related Websites” listing. The BYU Management Society should be considered a “related website” for “Networking.”

The intent of the ideas above is not to announce these as policies but to start a discussion. Any comments would be welcome.

Chet agreed to use our chapter’s event calendar and web site registration tools to organize the event.  All 550 seats were sold our within a couple weeks.  Demand was so great as a results of our publicity that the theatre owner decided to extend the movie for two more showings.  We raised a few thousand dollars for the Joseph Smith Jr Family Foundation. 

 Chet is now meeting with Candelight Productions to negotiate our ability to sponsor future films as fund raisers for the Management Society here in Northern California.  We’ll certianly keep everyone posted about his meeting in case you may be interested in doing the same thing in your chapter.

 The strategic by product of this experience is the expanded awareness that so many now have of the BYU Management Society and what we stand for.  We’ve added hundreds of names to our email contact list and will be inviting them to future events.  This event built our repuration and awareness amongst many who never knew we existed. 

This is just one example of how one person can make a huge difference by creatively organizing and utilizing our resources.  A big thank you to Chet Harmer and his wife Marilyn who helped make this such a success. 

And by the way, the movie was excellent as was the fireside.  If you have a chance to hear Michael Kennedy be sure to do so.  He is the first direct decendent of Joseph Smith to hold the priesthood in this dispensation.  The purpose behind this film is to reach out to the Joseph Smith Jr Family and express the great love the Lord and his Church has for them.  Michael’s conversion story is fascinating as is the great mission with which he has been charged by the brethern of the Church.  If you have questions you can direct them to Chet Harmer  chetharmer@sbcglobal.net   

Joel Deceuster – Steering Committee Member/Silicon Valley Chapter

1. General Networking. This group’s primary purpose is to get together with other business people who share our values, learn from good speakers on current business topics, meet new people, generally socialize in a business setting that is not filled with alcohol, smoking, coffee, off-color jokes, foul language, etc.
2. Specific Networking. This group’s primary purpose is to network to grow their business in both the short term and long term. If they are not finding new customers or people who can refer them to customers, coming to a monthly breakfast meeting is not worth the time and fee for the breakfast.

I think each chapter should have a very good discussion (and I would like to have an open dialogue here) on the following questions:

• Which of the two above purposes is our primary one?
• Can we hold out both purposes as equally important and remain a viable organization?
• Can we put one of the two purposes above as the primary one, but keep both purposes as priorities, and remain a viable organization?
• Should we give up one of the above purposes and focus exclusively on the other?

Please leave your comments on this blog so that we can keep all of our thoughts in one place.  (To see this same post with comments from other chapters, go to the Orange County Management Society blog and the Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society blog.)

Bill Chapman

Orange County Attorney 

We would appreciate it very much if you would forward the article to your friends and submit a comment online. To submit a comment online, simply click on the yellow box on the right-hand side of the article where it says “What do you think?” and type a short comment.

Submitting a comment will help us get our message of “growing moral and ethical leadership” out to the online community. Thank you for your support and help on this.

Beginning with a Bang: Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society Chapter Partners with City

The City of Rancho Santa Margarita knows that unethical businesses will drive away good businesses and consumers — and recognizes that the Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society can help promote good business practices.
By Bill Chapman

To Develop “Moral and Ethical Leadership”

By Bill Chapman

City Embraces Vision of “Moral and Ethical Leadership”

The City of Rancho Santa Margarita knows that unethical businesses will drive away good businesses and consumers. One of the City’s objectives is to create a “small town feeling with the heart of a village.” But this South Orange County town of 50,000 people has no expertise and no resources for training and promoting “moral and ethical leadership.” At the same time the City was grappling with this issue, a new chapter of the BYU Management Society was trying to figure out how it could pursue its vision of “growing moral and ethical leadership” as a community service, not as a BYU alumni group or LDS business group. Once she heard about the group’s enthusiastic vision of “growing moral and ethical leadership,” it did not take Kathy Graham, City Consultant, long to extend an offer to the Management Society to partner with the City in that effort.

The BYU Management Society’s Vision: “Growing Moral and Ethical Leadership around the World”

The BYU Management Society has as its vision “growing moral and ethical leadership around the world.” The Society was founded in 1977 by then-BYU Business School Dean Merrill Bateman to “promote professional advancement, high ethical standards, career development, and continuing education.” That original objective evolved into the current vision statement of “growing moral and ethical leadership around the world” at an Annual Leadership Conference of the Society in 2005. The Society has 56 chapters and about 6,000 members throughout the US and in 18 countries worldwide.

Getting to Know Your Neighbors

Although “affiliated” with the BYU Marriott School, the BYU Management Society is not an alumni organization nor is membership limited to any particular religious denomination. Nonetheless, because of its “affiliation” with the BYU Marriott School, Society membership has been prominently LDS. Breaking out of that mold to be more inclusive of all individuals who support “moral and ethical leadership,” without regard to school affiliation, business background or creed, has always been a goal of the Society.

Chapters of the BYU Management Society seek to serve local business communities by providing speakers, workshops and events that focus on “growing moral and ethical leadership” in those communities. However, this “community connection” has been elusive, at best. Some of those outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have described Latter-day Saints as “reserved, unapproachable, somewhat intolerant, clannish, closed and isolated.”[1] In contrast, Latter-day Saints have long been encouraged to be involved in their communities and be good neighbors. In his classic talk in October 2001 General Conference, “Doctrine of Inclusion,” Elder M. Russell Ballard gave three suggestions for being a more “inclusive” people, the first of which was to

[G]et to know your neighbors. Learn about their families, their work, their views. Get together with them, if they are willing, and do so without being pushy and without any ulterior motives. Friendship should never be offered as a means to an end; it can and should be an end unto itself.

The BYU Management Society believes that it is well-positioned to assist not only Latter-day Saints, but individuals of all faiths, to become better neighbors and develop a better sense of community.

What’s in a Name?

After a little discussion and debate, on December 13, 2007, the chapter in Rancho Santa Margarita decided to put less emphasis on its BYU affiliation and greater emphasis on its connection to the community. The name chosen by the chapter is “Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society, Affiliated with the BYU Marriott School.” The group also decided on a breakfast format as opposed to the more common lunch format because it was designed as a smaller, more community chapter. It was hoped that the breakfast format would allow those who commute out of town to participate before heading off to work.

“Lessons from Great Lives”

On January 16, 2008, the Chapter held its inaugural event, a breakfast featuring local resident, motivational speaker and author, Dan McCormick. His topic was taken from a recent book he co-authored, “Lessons from Great Lives” to a small but packed room of local, predominantly Latter-day Saint businesspeople. The book, and his speech, was a review of some of the highlights of great leaders in history. For the breakfast meeting, McCormick shared stories from the lives of Benjamin Franklin, Booker T. Washington and Sterling W. Sill and discussed how they exhibited “moral and ethical leadership.” (For more information about Dan McCormick and his book, click here.)

Inaugural Breakfast Meeting Draws a Crowd and the Media

The goal for attendance at this inaugural breakfast meeting was 30-35 people; about 65 attended. Two local newspapers covered the event and articles came out a in the online Local section of the Orange County Register (click here for a link to the article, with comments below the article) and the Coto News, both with very upbeat accounts of the meeting. The Coto News had already published one article announcing the group’s formation and upcoming breakfast meeting. It has proposed a monthly article featuring a local business that has exhibited “moral and ethical leadership.” Comments on blogs, social network sites and in emails regarding the group’s focus have been very positive. The Orange County Register has called back for a follow up story because of ongoing interest in the organization’s unique mission. Reporters have asked whether this group believes being moral and ethical is good for business, why there is such a strong response to the message of “moral and ethical leadership” and whether the initial enthusiasm can be sustained. Reporters have been referred to, among other things, the recent Christmas Day interview by Glenn Beck of Jon Huntsman on CNN Headline News and Mr. Huntsman’s book, “Winners Never Cheat.” (Click here for more information on the book.)

The City’s Desire to Teach “Moral and Ethical Leadership”

Nate Farnsworth, who is a Latter-day Saint and works for the City of Rancho Santa Margarita’s Planning Department and attended the breakfast on January 26, told his co-workers about the group and its vision. Kathryn Graham, City Consultant for Development Services for the City was very excited about a possible partnership between the City and the Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society. In a meeting the day after the first breakfast, Ms. Graham stated that the City and Chamber of Commerce are concerned about unscrupulous businesses coming into the City and damaging the City’s reputation for honest and moral businesses. This would injure the City’s efforts to create the kind of small town “heart of a village” atmosphere that it is working so hard to foster. However, the City and Chamber did not have the resources to provide the kind of training and development to combat this problem. Ms. Graham asked whether the Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society would be willing to take on the role of teaching and promoting “moral and ethical” values to local businesses via the Chamber of Commerce. The Management Society quickly agreed to fill that role.

Two Specific Events Already Planned

With only one breakfast event under its belt and one day after that event, Ms. Graham requested the new Rancho Santa Margarita Management Society’s help on two specific upcoming events. First, the City and Chamber of Commerce are hosting a first-ever, “Business Resource Fair” on January 30, 2008, with workshops on a variety of business topics (for a link to information on the event, click here). Ms. Graham asked the Society to provide a speaker to lead a workshop at the Business Fair on “growing moral and ethical leadership” in the local business community. Dan McCormick, the speaker at the recent breakfast meeting, has agreed to lead that workshop. Second, the South Orange Counties Regional Chambers of Commerce is hosting a “Networkers’ Breakfast” on April 29, 2008 and Ms. Graham asked for a keynote speaker at that event. The Society has agreed to provide a speaker for that event, who will be introduced by the Mayor of the City of Rancho Santa Margarita and again focus on “growing moral and ethical leadership” in the City of Rancho Santa Margarita and the local business community.

Next Steps for the Rancho Santa Margarita Chapter

Much remains to be done for this new chapter to reach its goal of “growing moral and ethical leadership” in the Rancho Santa Margarita business area. “Reporters” are needed to seek out stories of local businesses that exhibit the group’s vision and mission statement and write about those stories, as well as bringing representatives of those businesses in to receive awards or speak about their businesses. Individuals who support this cause are being recruited for committees to provide the kind of training and support for which the City is looking. This chapter views its purpose as not to create another business breakfast group, but to be part of a world-wide movement for “growing moral and ethical leadership.”

How to Join or Start a Chapter in Your Area

There are existing chapters of the BYU Management Society in many areas of the United States and the world. To repeat, one does not have to be an alumnus of BYU or a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to join! If a chapter does not exist in your area, it is easy to start one. Start small with your own local neighborhood and community. Simply contact Rixa Oman, Executive Director of the BYU Management Society at (801) 422-6824 or email: management_society@byu.edu. Or, you can find out more by going to the BYU Management Society website (Click here).

• Active participation in the chapter involves a continual and enduring commitment to the values and goals of the society at all stages of an individual’s professional career – from new graduate to experienced and seasoned leader. Members commit themselves to the program and the vision rather than to personalities. Leaders strive to implement a full program patterned after the ideal set by the mission.
• Examples:
  • New members become involved to learn and develop their professional skills.
  • Experienced leaders stay in the society because they recognize the benefits of the society for themselves and others. They also realize the role they can play in helping others understand and live the vision.
• Experiences: Leaders such as Ron Malouf of Dallas stay involved in their local chapter because of a personal commitment to the society and vision.
• Evaluation:
  • Percentage of members in the database attending chapter events. TARGET: 50%
  • Ratio of active to inactive members in the database. TARGET: 3 to 1
  • Percentage of chapter members with committee assignments (may depend on size of specific chapter). TARGET 10%.