LEADERSHIP & ETHICS

Course Reflection

While I am a skeptic when it comes to the general idea of codified ethics, this course in ethical leadership offered an insight to many leadership issues that traditional approaches neglect. The focus shifted from the loud and charismatic leaders that high school seemed to pay so much attention to the subtler characteristics that exemplified a comprehensive and responsible leader. 

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​The very first assignment was to read Quiet by Susan Cain. If you haven’t read it, the name summarized it pretty well. Not only do leaders not have to be the extroverted and bubbly socialites of lore, but those who are more comfortable with introversion and introspection bring valuable additions to effective leadership.

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A second point from the same book has remained with me throughout college. Open office spaces so glorified by hip startups and Casual-Friday-everyday offices are often bad for productivity, creativity and general morale. Although this might seem a silly thing to hold on to, it taught me that norms ought to be questioned.

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Exploring this new side to leadership allowed a new type of freedom in my self expression. Although I had become familiar with filling the emotional role of an ideal leader as defined by trait theory, it felt unnatural. Dissecting more contemporary theories like transactional leadership gave me a hint of how else I could be a leader without filling the shoes of an illusive great man.

Class discussions were often abstract, and offered an opportunity to think beyond right and wrong answers. I was able to begin to develop my critical thinking skills in a way that I can only accredit to PLC. 

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​During this class, I created some of the work I was proudest of during my freshman year. I've attached a sample below.