For eight years, Alma had acted in Zarahemla as the chief judge, commander-in-chief of the Nephite armies, and high priest of the church. Unable to adequately nurture the church with all his other responsibilities, he was weighed down in the Spirit. As few leaders are capable of doing, he was able to recognize that he couldn’t do it all. He wisely and successfully delegates the demands of secular authority to a righteous man named Nephihah so that he can tend to his scattering flock.
The ability to wisely delegate responsibility is a quality of every great leader. When Harold B. Lee set apart Spencer W. Kimball as the Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve, he counseled:
“…we admonish you, our beloved brother, to husband your strength, and to exercise the right you have to delegate responsibility, and divest yourself of the many details that otherwise would not give you the overview one should have of the whole work.” (Spencer W. Kimball, by Edward and Andrew Kimball, p. 388)
Richard L. Evans
“I pray that we may each of us sense our responsibility in the world and in the Church, and that we who have responsibility for any part of the work may learn to delegate detail as occasion requires and trust these men, our brethren, and these women, our sisters, to do their part in pushing forward the things that need to be done, and to feel a sense of responsibility as concerns carrying forward this work.” (Conference Report, Oct. 1949, p. 42)
Ezra Taft Benson
"At the time of delegation there is usually excellent opportunity to get close to people, to build them up and give them needed counsel and direction. Theodore Roosevelt said, ’The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.’
“Remember that you are the coach, not the quarterback on this great team. When you get a man to assume his duties, you have not only blessed his family and done the world a favor, but you have helped him to develop and grow.” (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 380)