Leadership begins with one person—the leader. A thousand people may be led or a dozen management skills exercised, but ultimately the leadership equation may be reduced to a lone person, one individual whom people follow.

At the time of the interview, J. Richard Chase was president of Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. Dick was formerly president of Biola University in La Mirada, California. During his twelve-year tenure, enrollment grew from 1,800 to 3,100 students, and graduate offerings were expanded greatly through Talbot Theological Seminary and Rosemead School of Psychology.