Ethics and Integrity

The topic of this week's lecture was integrity. Our speaker works in the Honor Code Office at BYU, and it was interesting to hear his perspective on Integrity. One of the major changes coming from my high school to college has been the huge increase in academic integrity. In high school, I'm not sure I took a test or an assignment in which every person was completely honest and did not cheat. On the other hand here at BYU I have not seen or heard of one person cheating.

Integrity also plays an important role in leadership. One of the most important thing a leader can have is the trust of those they lead. This trust is not built overnight, but is built over time as they prove themselves trustworthy and loyal. Those who lead through deception and dishonesty are not able to lead in a Christ-like manner. In lab this week we did a mock trial. It was interesting how differently two people can view a situation. Some of this can be an honesty issue, as some people are willing to compromise their integrity for personal gain. As difficult as it may be, we always need to be honest, despite the consequences.

In my leadership role it is very important for me to maintain my integrity. I have to deal with some confidential information, which at times may be difficult to keep to myself. However it is very important for me to understand my confidentiality.

Servant Leadership

The topic of this weeks lecture was Servant Leadership, given by Brother Cox. He gave interesting insights, drawing from his experience working with student leaders, serving as a student body officer, and serving as a Mission President. There are several approaches to leadership, which involve different motivations. Some seek power and benefits. Brother Cox told a story of a young man who ran for office because he thought he would enjoy the perks of leadership. However a few months into office, he quit because serving was hard work, unlike what he had expected.

Some people seek the opportunity to serve because they love others and love the feeling they get from meaningful service. In my opinion, these are the most effective leaders. Their genuine and worthy aspirations help them serve as well as they can.Even when things get difficult, they are much more likely to keep working hard, because serving means more to them than just getting some benefits along the way.

I can apply this to my leadership role by realizing what my motivation should be in service. By realizing that effective leadership stems from a desire to serve others, I can love those I serve and better understand their needs.

In my Book of Mormon class we've been discussing King Benjamin's sermon to his people in Mosiah. One key aspect of the sermon that i had not fully understood was how King Benjamin viewed himself as an equal, and a servant to his people. Unlike others in the Book of Mormon such as King Noah and Korihor who sought the praise and riches of the World, King Benjamin truly loved to serve his people. I believe this is what made him such an effective leader.

Conflict Management

This week we discussed Conflict Management. This is a very important topic for leaders to understand well. Things are never happy and perfect like we'd like them to be. We're forced to deal with disagreements and conflicts with those that we work with. A good leader is a good crisis manager. Situations that foster conflict often threaten to tear a group of people apart.

As an Elders Quorum President, it is very important that harmony is maintained among the members of the quorum. Fostering a spirit of brotherhood is one of the main focuses of the quorum. However, there are often challenges, as boys will be boys. I may have to deal with roommates that are not getting along, or Home Teaching companions that are having a tough time together. I believe that the best way to approach this is to be kind and loving. I can play a role in trying to ease the hard feelings some people may have, but at the end of the day, they have to take the actions themselves in order to fix the crisis.

One of my favorite stories of conflict management is John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis. A relatively new President, Kennedy was faced with one of the most serious National Security situations in American history. The Cubans, aided by the Russians, pointed missiles at the United States, in an attempt to put pressure on the new President. Unlike what many would have done, Kennedy reacted in a calm but firm way. We did not send in troops or make the first military move. He decided to set up a blockade. This strategy proved useful, and the Russians backed off. Reacting in a calm but firm way is very important when dealing with tough conflicts.

Public Speaking

This week in lecture we talked about Public Speaking. I learned some new and interesting techniques that will help me become a more effective speaker. Our speaker started off by telling an interesting story, and leaving us on the edge of our seats waiting to hear what would happen next. This was effective, because I listened a lot more closely once she got my attention. Another thing was that she was a very energetic speaker, and changed her tone of voice frequently. This made what she was saying much more interesting than someone who is monotone.

Another point she made was to not use many main points. In a long speech, one should only outline 5 main points. This is important for me to remember in my calling when I'm teaching lessons. In order to help others remember the principles that are being taught, I should stick to five main points.

Something else I can work on is eliminating "ums" from my speech. Many people say "um" and it can be distracting. By eliminating this, I can have smoother speech patterns, and let others solely focus on the message I'm trying to convey. This can help me in my calling as an Elders Quorum President to seem more confident and prepared when publicly addressing others.

Time Management

This weeks lecture was interesting, I learned a lot about time management and how I can be more organized. I believe that this is one of my strengths, as I had to be very good at it with all my activities in high school. I always find myself thinking about how I'm going to spend my time. I've found that by thinking about the things I need to do, and by planning them out in my mind, I'm able to work so much more effectively.

My leadership role has help me perfect my time management skills. With managing my time well, I would probably have a nervous breakdown. Part of managing my time well is delegating tasks to my counselors. I need to understand that I cannot and should not try to do everything. By delegating, I give others an opportunity to grow themselves, and to conserve my own sanity.

I have a very packed schedule. I have lacrosse practice everyday, classes, homework, and my calling. Sometimes I don't think there are enough hours in the day! But by cutting out activities that are maybe not as important, such as Facebook, naps, and sitting around, I'll be able to get my activities done faster, and have more time to rest.

Divine Centered Leadership

This week, our leadership class discussed Christ centered leadership, and how we can use Christ as a model for perfect leadership. I enjoyed this weeks lesson, because it was more spiritually based. Especially coming off of General Conference last weekend, I enjoyed talking about the example of Jesus Christ. Christ was in every way the perfect leader. We was loving, humble, and kind. Yet at the same time, he was steadfast and firm in following the gospel. I marvel how in every lesson he taught, he did so in a loving way. It's so easy to get frustrated or upset with others if they don't catch on to things very quickly. Yet Christ exhibited such great patience with others.

I love the story in the New Testament about the lady that was to be stoned for committing adultery. Christ chastised the Jewish leaders, and after they fled, he said to the woman, "Now go and sin no more." I love that so much. The woman was definitely in the wrong in committing the sin, and it would have been so easy to just lash out at the woman. Yet, the Savior used such a firm, but gentle tone. He communicated his point to her without causing her any more pain. This is a great example for me in my role as Elders Quorum President. It's important that when dealing with others, that my tone and approach takes into consideration the feelings of that person first and foremost before anything else.

A constant theme of the Savior's life was service. He was always serving others. This is so important when serving in a leadership role. Those you lead will respect you so much more, and know that you actually love them. In the Savior's case, he showed everyone love, and people were more easily convinced of the Savior's divine call.

MBTI Test

About two weeks ago, I took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Test in the counseling center. This week we received our results and discussed them. My personality type came out as ESTJ. Each letter stands for a certain trait.

"E" stands for Extraversion. I was surprised by this because I tend to be shy sometimes, and don't necessarily see myself as an extrovert. However thinking back, I was torn on a lot of questions on how to answer, and this could have made the difference. "S" stands for Sensing, meaning I tend to take in information based on the senses, and focus on the here and now. "T" stands for Thinking, meaning these people tend to make decisions based on objective analysis. And "J" stands for Judging, meaning people who like an organized layout in life.

I took this test last year in high school, and got vastly different results, which makes me question the accuracy of the test. Both "E" and "S" don't accurately describe me, and therefore I believe my results don't apply that well to me. This test helps you learn more about yourself, but there are many things I know very well about myself, and a fair amount of my results I would have to say aren't very accurate.

With saying that, I did see some interesting things. One of my strengths was listed as being motivated and driven to reach a goal. This is something that I've always tried to embody. In my role as Elders Quorum President, this is important. There is a lot to do, and while I delegate a fair amount, I have to be driven to get a lot done.

One of my challenges was listed as I may steamroll others to make my own decisions. This is so very far from the truth, but is important to note that good leaders let others make decisions. I should feel confident in my counselors that I feel like I can delegate to them, and that they will make a good decision without my help.

While I am skeptical of the test, and the results that they render, it allowed me to reflect on the strengths of a good leader. There's no way I will ever be a perfect Elders Quorum President, but I can examine my strengths, and my weaknesses and work toward making what is weak strong.