Ethical Leadership

This week's lecture was one of the best! Major John Curtis came to speak to us about ethical leadership and shared some meaningful examples of ethical leadership in his own life. He outlined several principles that helped me learn what ethical leadership really is:

• The degree of difficulty of doing the right thing increases as time increases.
• The consequences of doing the right thing is never as bad as we fear.
• People respect those who tell the truth
• Trust is the oil of business machinery
• Attributes that separate great leaders from good leaders
• Doing what you say you're going to do when you say you're going to do it
• Help people share ownership of the problem
• Do the right thing when it's hard: valiant living
• Decide today what is important

These points made total sense to  me and apply not only to leadership, but to life in general. For example, it makes perfect sense to say that trust is the oil of relationship machinery. Ultimately, the reason that those who live these qualities are great leaders is because the principles are righteous. The Lord blesses us for having integrity and for doing the right thing in every part of our life. Ethical leadership is one perhaps most important kinds of leadership there is. 

 

How does this apply to being a Gospel Doctrine teacher?

In order to have the Spirit I need to be honest in my personal life and in what I teach my class. The Spirit is so so important when teaching the Gospel. Also, Matt and I have to trust each other. When he says that he will prepare the lesson, I completely trust that he will because he always does. The same is visa-versa. Thirdly, I think that who I am outside of class is just as important as who I am in class. I not only teach during the Sunday School hour, but I am an example, whether for good or bad, in everything I do. Being honest and trustworthy outside of class matters a lot when I stand up to teach people about being honest and trustworthy. Doing  my personal scripture study everyday matters a lot when I stand up to teach people about doing their personal scripture study everyday. Lastly, when I live valiantly no matter what circumstances I am put in I can live with confidence in who I am. This confidence reflects in the way I teach.