Show Notes
Shawn Vanderhoven is the author of the USA Today bestseller Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World and a Partner at The Wiseman Group, where he leads the executive development practice for senior leaders and rising talent. A collaborator on the New York Times bestseller Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter (Second Edition), Shawn co-designs strategies that help organizations amplify their people, advising leaders at companies like Amazon, Alphabet, Adobe, Microsoft, and Salesforce. He holds a BS in History from Brigham Young University and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, Anne, dedicated to helping leaders create the conditions where teams can focus on what matters most.
In the Church, Shawn has served as an Elders Quorum President and holds a deep passion for working with the rising generation, having served as a Young Men president four different times.
Links
Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World
LinkedIn: Shawn Vanderhoven
Watch the video and share your thoughts in the Zion Lab community
Transcript available with the video in the Zion Lab community
Highlights
Shawn Vanderhoven discusses concepts from his book Pause: How to Lead Brilliant Work in a Busy World. The conversation explores how leaders can help their teams avoid constant distractions, hyperconnectivity, and superficial busyness. Shawn highlights how shifting from an action-oriented mindset to an impact-oriented approach creates room for meaningful focus in both corporate and Church settings.
00:03:42 – The Moment of Inspiration for Writing the Book
00:04:52 – Chaos and Lack of Clarity in Leadership
00:06:46 – Research on Focus and Distraction
00:08:31 – The Impact of Hyper-Connectivity on Leadership
00:10:13 – Challenges Faced by Church Leaders
00:12:10 – The Default of Hyper-Connected Communication
00:13:07 – Advice for Leaders in the Whirlwind
00:14:26 – Assumptions About Work and Meetings
00:15:27 – Bias Towards Action vs. Bias Towards Impact
00:18:57 – Clarity in Leadership and Prioritization
00:20:30 – The Importance of Focus in Leadership
00:22:25 – Creating a Culture of Open Communication
00:23:43 – Delegation and Respecting Time
00:25:35 – Counseling Before Extending Callings
00:30:25 – Tuning In Before Jumping In
00:32:20 – The Role of Revelation in Leadership Decisions
00:37:54 – Respecting Individual Circumstances in Callings
Key Insights
Action vs. Impact: A bias toward action often causes frantic busyness and shifting priorities, whereas a bias toward impact prioritizes high-value outcomes and clear goals.
Clarify Priorities: The primary source of distraction for most teams is a lack of clear priorities. Focusing on a few core objectives reduces burnout and improves execution.
Counseling Before Calling: Extending callings or tasks effectively requires counseling with individuals beforehand to understand their current capacity and life constraints.
Holding a Clearing: Creating structured systems where individuals can express emotional or interpersonal frustrations removes distractions and clears the mental runway for high-level work.
Establishing “House Rules”: Leaders must set explicit expectations around communication and meetings to prevent hyperconnectivity from overwhelming team members.
Put Growth on the Agenda: Dedicating regular time in one-on-one meetings to align an individual’s personal development with organizational needs builds long-term commitment.
Leadership Applications
Define What Not to Do: When focusing a ward or organization on specific spiritual goals, leaders should explicitly set aside lower-priority initiatives so members can direct their energy effectively.
Tune In Before Jumping In: Instead of utilizing “drive-by delegation” or abrupt task handoffs, leaders should ask what someone is currently managing and discuss what can be removed from their plate to accommodate new assignments.
Set Clear Communication Boundaries: Bishoprics a
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