Capstone: Apl Prac & Princ Ldg

Joshua

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” ( New International Version, 2002/2018, Psalms 139:23-24). Before this program, I was confident my heart was in the right place with leadership. However, after understanding the importance of self-reflection, I saw I needed to work on myself before I could lead effectively. I have drawn closer to God and have worked on the aspects of my life in which I was not putting him first during this program. Today, I stand corrected in my thought process, understand that I need help, and rely on God’s guidance more in all my life. 

“If, like those with the growth mindset, you believe you can develop yourself, then you’re open to accurate information about your current abilities, even if it’s unflattering” (Dweck, 2016, p. 11). The most challenging obstacle I had to overcome in developing myself into a better leader was my fixed mindset, where I felt I knew everything. This change would not have happened without integrating scripture into the weekly assignments, and I think this is where I have made the most significant change during this program. This process has pushed me to pursue my next degree in ministry with a concentration in leadership instead of strictly leadership. I feel God can help develop me more through his guidance, and I feel his calling in that direction. 

The most important person who helped initiate this change I experienced is my wife because she was my inspiration to start my learning journey. The second most important thing would be the activities in the program which included scripture and biblical teachings in the lesson. I am a work in progress and need to develop my spirituality first and then focus on my leadership shortcomings. My plan to do this is by attending Wesley Seminary starting in late July this year so I can focus on drawing closer to Christ while learning how to become a better version of myself. By implementing a servant leadership style, I can simultaneously learn about God and show my followers his love through my actions. Hopefully, this practice will allow me to lead others to Christ and help develop them through new learnings and the changes I have already made within my leadership processes. I hope to influence my followers by showing them how a Godly leader can change others through serving, building relationships and trust, empathy, integrity, and vision. 

References

Dweck, C. S. (2016).  Mindset: The new psychology of success. Ballantine Books.

The Maxwell Leadership Bible, New International Version. (2018). Thomas Nelson.

Mary

This program for me, came at the perfect time. During the pandemic, my team experienced astronomical increases in volumes and we have been spread thin ever since. We are implementing new software (which was delayed due to Covid) and that is adding anxiety and uncertainty to our stress and fatigue. We are a tired team. The curriculum in this program has guided me to using my influence in my role to temper the dips on our morale and strengthen us in unified misery. It also equipped me with ways to communicate to my leadership team areas where they were falling short during this time period. They listened and responded to my concerns. I can honestly say that without having this curriculum, I would not have felt empowered to address areas that needed improvement with regard to leadership and their lack of communication and support. 

I have also grown in the way I lead my five direct reports. I am more patient, more optimistic, and more invested in their development than before. I gleaned a great deal of valuable information from my Leader2Leader interviews as well. Their insights have helped shape my appproach to addressing issues and supporting others. I am a non-fiction junkie. So I am certain that I will continue to read books on leadership throughout the rest of my career.  It is evolving more than ever before due to the changes in the workforce and technologies that are changing daily. I am excited to see what leadership looks like when I retire!