The Brigham Young University Management Society is a worldwide network of business professional that aims to “Build Moral and Ethical Leadership around the World.” Every year, the Society’s chapter at BYU–Hawaii holds a Gala dinner to present the Global Leadership Award to honor individuals who have made a difference as leaders and to show appreciation for their service.
The BYU–Hawaii chapter awarded their fifth-annual Global Leadership Award to Tad R. Callister, Sunday School general president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
At the 2015 Gala, held on March 17 at BYU–Hawaii, Callister received the award and shared a few insights on being Christ-like leaders. “Most leadership in the world is horizontal. It motivates people towards the acquisition of worldly goods, of money, fame, physical pleasure, and power,” said Callister. “But the Lord’s leadership, however, is vertical. It inspires men and women and lifts them toward the pursuit of Godlike attributes.” He stressed that to be a Christlike leader, the ability to simply motivate is not enough. “Style and charisma can motivate. But only spiritual substance can elevate.”
The Global Leadership Award recipient is someone who builds moral and ethical leadership around the world and demonstrates those qualities in his or her life. He or she is generally someone who provides services leaders to make a difference in the world, especially in geographic areas where BYU–Hawaii students come from, specifically the Pacific rim.
The purpose of the annual Gala event is to provide students opportunities to lead, plan, organize, and evaluate a social event and interact with peers, faculty, staff, community members, and business leaders in a social setting. As a supplement to their education, the Gala helps students build social skills and competencies in an outside-the-classroom setting. Students work with professionals and advisors in the planning and execution processes, teaching them how to organize these types of events in their home countries, places of employment, and communities and how to dress and behave in similar social settings. They also have to negotiate and manage the budget for the event.
Earlier in the day, Callister gave the weekly Devotional address for the BYU–Hawaii campus. Watch or read his Devotional address at devotional.byuh.edu.
