Hillmon Buckingham

Lives Lived | Commissioner Hillmon Buckingham  - transformational leadership

I

can tell you from experience that, except for a few masochistic personality types, the two least desirable appointments in TSA are Divisional Secretary and Chief Secretary. The hours are long, the abuse maximal and the rewards minimal, oftentimes at the beck and call of a position-inflated ego… or two if married. Again I speak from experience, although Doris was the exception.

In this writing, I pay tribute to another exception, Commissioner Hillmon Buckingham, who was recently Promoted to Glory.  To be appointed as his CS was like winning the lottery, when considering all of the other possible combinations out there. Let me tell you why.

First and foremost, Hillmon was an archetypal Salvation Army leader, one worthy of emulation, his style being “transformational” by definition: “Motivating his team to be effective and efficient… focusing on the big picture… always looking for ideas that move the organization forward to reach its vision.” As his CS, I was always an integral part of the leadership team, my thoughts and ideas counting for something.

Second, his style was compassionately inclusive. If Hillmon erred at all, it was always on the side of compassion. Conservative theologically, his compassion was as liberal as it gets. This is why he so generously agreed to write the Forward to my controversial little book, Lean Right, Love Left: Balancing the Body, thus going where others feared to tread.

In it he wrote, “Here is a book that places a mirror in front of every Salvationist and Christian, causing us to ask the question of ourselves, ‘Are we caringly compassionate towards those who are different? Like Jesus our blessed Lord, the Salvationist must ever proffer a Christ guided, loving hand in the spirit of kindness in an endeavor to lift the fallen and promote a sense of inclusiveness.’”

His was a sanctified leadership style, treating every individual, be they officer, soldier, employee, client or alternative lifestyle person, with dignity and respect. And the territory thrived accordingly, myself a lucky beneficiary of that prosperity, both personally and corporately.

Moving on into one of those potentially ego-inflating positions, these “transformational” lessons learned were incorporated into my own leadership philosophy, albeit never reaching the same pinnacle height. Not only was he one of my leadership models; he also became a close confidant and friend.

Lest you think these words of tribute an exaggeration, they are not. God help us, each one, to strive for that same standard: “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” This “upward call” is the hope of the Army, emulated in the life, ministry and leadership of Hillmon Buckingham. He’s made it all the way to the top, where I hope to join him one day. Only then will I have arrived.

Writer: Commissioner Joe Noland’s ministry can be summed up in three words: chaos, creativity and controversy - three elements implicit in any successful innovative endeavor. Cecil B. DeMille, renowned producer of Biblical epics, once wrote, “Creativity is a drug I cannot live without.” Joe’s mantra reads, “Creativity is my drug of choice.”  Access Joe Noland’s complete bio, among other things, by clicking into his website.

2 Comments to Hillmon Buckingham

1. Yes, Commissioner Hillmon Buckingham an officer and friend of the family. I first met him when he and his wife where appointed as CO’s to Newton Citadel Corps, Auckland, NZ. He was always approachable and became a respected officer. Quite a few times during his retirement I’ve given him a ring to ask his advice on Army matters that concerned me or books which had come to hand which I thought he might like to read and comment on.

   Yes, the Commissioner was a person you felt comfortable having a chat with.

   Roy Stephens
   Auckland City Corps.
Roy Stephens on May 29th, 2010

2. You touch on a big issue, Joe.

   That of compassion, not only to those different from us, but also regarding attitudes to employees and “wounded solders” including officers.

   Sadly we can so often see a lack of compassion in dealing with such people.

   If we lack compassion, how are we different from those who are non-Christian.

   “The greatest of these is…compassion” sign of a true Christian.

   Terry
Terry Camsey on June 4th, 2010

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