Summer Reflection Essay

I have been thinking about my reflection paper for quite some time. What did I really learn this summer? Have a grown? This year in BYUSA has been a completely different experience for me than last year. I often feel like an observer as I watch others learn and experience the same things that I did this past year, but I think that is what makes this year important for me. I am really going to be able to learn and grow as a leader this year as I help others to be successful.

I have decided to split this paper into two sections. First, I wanted to focus on some of the main lessons I have learned throughout the summer from other people. Secondly, I have organized those lessons into characteristics I have tried to develop more this summer.

The main lesson I have learned repeatedly this summer comes from Elder Oaks’ talk. He said, “The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming.” I need to work every day to become the leader I want to be. Elder Robbins reemphasized this when he said, “May your efforts to develop Christlike attributes be successful so that His image may be engraven in your countenance and His attributes manifest in your behavior. Then, when your children or others feel of your love and see your behavior, it will remind them of the Savior and draw them to Him.” The leader I want to be is one who causes others to be reminded of the Savior and draw them to Him.

Most of my learning in BYUSA comes directly from those I associate with on a regular basis. I decided one of the best ways to reflect this year would be to record some of the lessons I have learned form each individual. I am so grateful for each of them. My biggest hope is that I am able to make an impact on their lives as they have on mine.

· Brother Cox – We always need to make time for the individual because people are more important than programs and work.

· Brother Ward – It is so important to teach principles and allow people to then learn through action. I have learned so much knowing I can trust Brother Ward with anything and that I have his trust and support.

· Brother Klemme – Preparation is crucial. I was always impressed by his preparation for all of his lessons and for all crucial conversations with me, or others.

· Sister Gray – It is important to always stand for our values and expect the best. Almost always people will pull through when we set high standards for them. I also love that Tamara is willing to laugh!

· Sister Blomquist – Everyone comes from a different background, but that is what makes working with people so great. We are able to learn from the experiences of others.

· Sister Shewfelt – A quiet heart can sometimes inspire more than anything else. I need to be sure to listen as well as Val does.

· Ryan Greenburg – I’m not sure if I can put everything I have learned from Ryan in a sentence or two. J He has taught me that people are often striving to be their best. We should always assume the best, work hard, and communicate with open hearts.

· Brandon Hatch – I love it when Brandon speaks from his heart about spiritual things. He has increased my gratitude for sincere reverence.

· Samantha Crane – We should get to know the individuals we are serving and think about them often. That is how we can be inspired as to what they need.

· Phil Schwartz – We need to spend time with people outside of the workplace to increase trust. Phil wrote me the nicest card this past month. I know he is trying to recognize the good in everyone. It is inspiring.

· Kylie Cobb – There is so much power in joy and optimism. I have never seen Kylie sad or stressed. She always wears here trials with a smile. I think that is where she finds the greatest strength.

· Devin Singh – He is a great example of quiet strength. He never leads from a throne, but has taught me that it is important to lead with humility and love while working with the people we lead.

· Joshua Matson – We have something to learn from every individual because every individual has something to contribute.

· Christina Westover – She has taught me to have passion for service. She shows me every day in the office that she has sincere passion for her work because of her excitement and love for the individuals her programs will serve.

· Amber Kent – She has taught me that as leaders we need to offer constructive criticism. I need to be better at helping those I work with develop as leaders in the ways they want to develop.

· Jeffrey Whitlock – He has taught me the importance of having knowledge. I need to be willing to learn from everyone and everything so I can make a greater contribution to the world.

· Jake Evans – We can really help others to feel love for a vision by the way we communicate about it.

· Kelsey Page – If we have excitement everyday, the energy will be contagious and people will want to be around you.

· Abraham Kim – We need to be ourselves because that is the only true way to find success.

· Ashley Blair Alexander – I need to keep my priorities straight all the time. That is the only way I will be able to keep my life in balance. We seem to have this same struggle sometimes.

· Olivia Gallegos – I need to always be willing to be innovative with my ‘green’ hat on.

· Sarah Carrigan – Leaders need to earn respect. It isn’t just inherent.

· Mallory Brugger – People respect sweet, hard workers. I have so much love and respect for this girl because of her willingness to always do her best!

· Karen Kleinman – We need to always be looking for new ways to improve. I have been impressed by her willingness to seek them out.

· Andrew Grisson – Be happy and meet everyone! A smile, kind word, or other small act of service is bound to brighten everyone’s day.

· Shawn Crawley – Be inclusive! Shawn is always talking to a new person on the outside and looking to help people get involved.

· Miranda Steed – Don’t be afraid to show some personality. I am so grateful that whenever I talk to Miranda, I know I am getting the real Miranda.

· Haley Walker – It is ok to be vulnerable sometimes. I am so grateful for this girl and her consistent friendship. I know I will have her as my friend for life.

· Steven Fortney – We should work hard, keeping the right vision, and our efforts will not be missed. He is an amazing example of this.

· Jennifer Gordon – She has a certain light in her eyes all the time. It is so evident by the actions she takes that she has a sincere love for people. For that, I will always be grateful.

· Chelsea Chen – Chels has so much energy! She has shown me that it is important to have fun.

· Jessica Godfrey – It is always ok to blow your leader’s expectations out of the water.

· Eric Cecil – Sometimes an organization needs people that will always do things right and can always be trusted. Eric is that guy. He is great! Honestly, he has taught me the importance of consistency. I can trust him, and I know Phil can, to be consistent with his level of excellence.

· Rachel Smith – We should strive to be excellent in everything we do, because we can be excellent. Rachel’s internal drive is inspiring.

These individuals are why I am here. The cool thing about BYUSA is that each of these people are able to touch my life, and hundreds of other lives through their service here. I am so grateful for a school that recognizes the importance of education outside of the classroom.

I also decided to think through some of the specific leadership qualities I have tried to improve over the last few months. I have experienced a lot of growth, but I still have a ways to go!

· Communication – it is crucial to keep everyone on the same page. Sometimes I may feel like I am doing this, but I can never really be sure until I have followed up with all individuals. Ryan and I are going to start meeting with each of the coordinators once a month to make sure this is happening.

· Delegation – I need to delegate and then trust those I am leading to accomplish the work. The reality with delegating though is that some people are not quite ready for full delegation – it is all about situational leadership. I realized this summer that Brandon might need more coaching than I thought. I also learned that Josh will thrive as I allow him to take control of his responsibilities, but I need to be clear on my expectations first.

· Confidence – often people will look up to you even when you don’t feel you deserve it. I need to be sure to be confident that my actions are the best I can do so I can be assured that others in the office are following the best Brittanie.

· Knowledge – In order to be an effective leader for the people I am leading, I need to be an expert on the area I have been charged with. When I do not know all the answers, I need to be sure to say that I don’t know all the answer and work with the volunteer to find them. It isn’t bad to make a mistake, or not know something; a good leader is always willing to find out.

· Perspective – a good leader is able to see the big picture and help those he or she leads to slowly see more as they are prepared for it. I realized how grateful I am for the perspective that I have as a divine-centered leader. That is what gives me the strength to be who I want to be.

· Integrity – I need be able to stand for what I know is right all the time. The part that I struggle with most is my ability to communicate how I really feel in a situation of conflict without letting my emotions control my actions. Sometimes I chicken out and don’t allow myself to express my true feelings. A part of integrity is being willing to be vulnerable.

· Adaptability – I recognized over and over again this summer that things were not always going to go as I planned, but if I am able to adapt to my situations, I can still be an effective leader. One way that I learned this lesson was in seeing the different submissions that my EDs gave me for the program descriptions. It was my job to accept them at the level they were at and help them to improve from where they are. Everyone we lead will begin at a different level. Hopefully we will all end this next year having become better leaders.

· Decision-making – I have realized with both of my teams that it is sometimes necessary to have a leader that will just make a choice. I am grateful that I am decisive and able to do so. In my SAC team, we could debate for hours, but if I was never willing to make a final decision, I don’t know if anything would actually happen. This has become effective because of the trust we all have in each other.

These characteristics and skills are all things I have learned with more emphasis this summer and hope to continue working on throughout this next year.