Leadership Learning Journal Entries

Week Three

Monday, April 18, 2016

•        What does integrity mean to you? Document a situation when you showed integrity.

Integrity mean to me is that I do what is right, even when nobody will find out. Integrity is to live by the rules that I believe are right. As an international student here in the states, I need to be maintain full time status and not work off campus. As a husband and dad, I really want to have a regular job to support the family, just like many other classmates. And I know there are many international students like me are working illegally somewhere in the city.   Yet I choose to do the right thing and not break the rules. This is the example that I showed integrity.

•        Notice those around you, what they are interested in and what their goals are. What were some surprising things that you learned about the people around you?

I was born and grew up in China. For all of my life so far I have always been working hard and trying to become  professional successful. And everybody around me seems like embracing this idea by default. Yet, things changed since I came to the states. I attended a small Christian school in a Abilene, Texas which is a small town in west Texas. I was surprised to see that people around me are so nice and loving about each other. They care about their family, their churches, and even strangers. They help people out without expecting a return. Their goals of lives are not merely making lots of money, but rather doing godly things to glorify God.

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Interview a leader in your community or organization. Ask them the following questions:

I went to ask one of elders in my church. Here are the Questions and Answers.

Q: What are your core values?

A: Faith, love and hope.

Q: How do you live by those core values as a leader?

A: My faith to God comes first whenever and wherever. This will help me to go through all the   situations because I believe God is in control of everything. And by believing that I will have sources and rules for everything I do and think. Then, because God loves us, we shall love each other. As a leader, we shall love the people you lead as Jesus love and lead the church. Finally, as a leader, we shall give people hope, just like Jesus.

Q: Has there ever been a situation that challenged your values? If so, what was it like? What did you do?

A: Yes. Once I had a people that really challenged and questioned my leadership. He almost came up and wants to take me down and be the leader himself. I was not happy with him. But I tried to stay calm and be tolerance. But he wouldn’t stop. Back then I was not a Christian yet I know I should not do anything that I may regret later. So I just pretend nothing happened and work with him for the rest of the term. Because of my integrity, inspiring encouragement and mild communication, he started to realize his character and support me. Things just fade off by itself. If this happened now I would pray hard to the Lord and ask for guidance. I probably will still do the same but just feel better for myself because of Christ.