Above all else, becoming a true and effective leader has been my goal in all that I have pursued in life. A leader first in my family, then my business, and finally my community. I have studied leadership at every opportunity, devouring books, training, and seminars and watching closely those whose leadership skills I admire and have proven to be effective.
I quickly learned that we want to follow folks who delineate a clear vision and whom we can trust to improve our lives. I heard a speaker once say that leadership is as simple as taking people “from here to there,” as long as “there” is a better place than “here.” Very simple, but very true.
When I first started doing strategic plans in my business, I was taught that I could either pick a destination and then assemble a road map to get there, or I could assemble a plan that included many small improvements, knowing that the final destination would be positive. One tool that I used was called a Painted Picture. It required me to imagine and quantify what every area of my business would look like if it were operating at the highest levels possible. I had to create (paint) a description (picture) of what that would look like and then, as an accountability measure, share it with the world. It was an incredible tool, and I believe it changed the course of many lives that I had the honor of impacting over those next years.
Developing trust, and knowing that you have others’ backs, is critical to effective leadership. At Lueder Construction, we worked hard to create a positive work environment, and in that pursuit we enlisted practices that were used by companies recognized as best-in-class. A result of that hard work over many years was earning a “Best Place to Work” award in 2015. The award was a nice recognition, but it pales next to the positive impact that we had on employees and their families.
These skills play out in the Legislature in both visible and less visible ways. Examples of visible leadership include my roles as Vice-Chair of the Revenue Committee as a freshman, and then Chair in 2025-2026; Chair of the Building and Maintenance Committee; State Chair of ALEC; and Regional Chair of the Council of State Governments, both national legislative groups.
The less visible leadership is, however, where it really matters. Working with others to support their efforts, encouraging folks after a rough day to stay in the game and not give up, and actively engaging with and coalescing people and ideas toward a positive outcome are rarely seen by the public, but sometimes matter more than public debate.
Being present is a large part of leadership. It’s why I never missed a day of session or a day of hearings in four years. I’m not likely to trust someone if I don’t know that they are going to be there to help me and back me up, or if they aren’t going to put in the time or effort to succeed. Being present builds trust, and leadership does not exist without trust.
Behavior and demeanor matter as much as anything when seeking to lead. Others don’t want to follow an arrogant or self-centered person as much as they will a servant-leader who seeks to help and lift up others in the process. I’ve had both the honor of being front and center on issues, and also worked in the trenches alongside colleagues. I learned with my felow senators from the 2023 class, and then in 2025 I helped the new freshmen orient themselves to the systems and processes of how to get good legislation done.
I have been asked many times about the role of the Speaker of the Legislature. My response has nearly always been that it is a job that “finds you,” not the other way around. While I have been approached by senators on both sides of the aisle to run for Speaker, I feel that if I am pursuing that, or any other title or role, with fervor, then I may not be the best leader for the job. If the elected body wishes for me to lead in any capacity, I will do so to the best of my abilities.
One of my favorite scriptures is where Moses is in battle and friends come alongside him and hold his arms up to ensure victory. Sometimes we are Moses, other times we are Aaron and Hur, holding up another’s arms so that they can succeed. Both are illustrations of great leadership!
If you have thoughts on leadership that you’d like to share, please email me at my legislative email address, brad.vongillern@leg.ne.gov, or, for campaign matters, at bvg4ne@gmail.com.