Thomas S. Monson - America's Best Leader

US News and World Report published an issue for December 2008 highlighting America's Best Leaders in 2008. I posted the following response to the Editor's request for comments:

I was surprised to see that there were no religous leaders on the list of America's Best Leaders 2008. I don't know if this is because the judges don't think the religous leaders in America are demonstrating true leadership or if they just didn't consider any religous leaders in their pool of 100 people. Here is one American religous leader who should not have been overlooked as he clearly sets direction, achieves results, and cultivates a culture of growth:

Thomas S. Monson

Over 13 million members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the "Mormons") voted to sustain Thomas S. Monson as the 16th President of the Church in April 2008.
When the California supreme court reversed a law that prohibited same-sex marriage in the state, President Monson issued a letter in June 2008 to the members of the Church in California asking them to "do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman. Our best efforts are required to preserve the sacred institution of marriage." In response to Monson's request, Mormons, comprising less than 1 percent of Americans, contributed 40 percent of the $36 million that was donated in support of the constituional amendment, which succeeded in November 2008.

When asked what the ideal birthday gift would be for his 81st birthday in August 2008, his answer was: "Do something for someone else on that day to make his or her life better. Find someone who is having a hard time, or is ill, or lonely, and do something for them. That's all I would ask."

As for cultivating a culture of growh, approximately 300,000 people worldwide will join the Church in 2008, and Monson continues to encourage members to share their beliefs with their family, friends and neighbors. In October 2008 he urged members to "pray for the opening of those areas [of the world where our influence is limited and where we are not allowed to share the gospel freely], that we might share with them the joy of the gospel."

I cannot think of a better example of somebody who sets direction, achieves results, and cultivates a culture of growth.