Capstone Integration Moreau FYE 2 Fr. Keven Sandberg Moreau FYE II April 2, 2022 Selflessness in Leadership Change is something I find to be always spoken but never occurring. What I mean by this is that in order for progress to be made, there needs to be change. And I do admit that we as human beings realize this, but there is seemingly never any action made. The change is always a sort of “pipe dream” that we talk about but never “walk” about. It is for these exact reasons that leadership is required. Good leaders can really bring about this type of change. Examples of these leaders include Martin Luther King Jr, Gandhi, Albert Einstein, etc. And what they all had in common was , reflection, self-awareness, and discipline to take the idea of a change, and transform it into a reality. They are all examples of reflective leaders that I strive to emulate in my day to day life. I believe that in order to be a reflective leader who strives for social change, you need to be able to discern independently and try to figure out exactly what you want in your character that you believe will create an impact for change. In week 3, Fr. Michael Himes talks about structuring discernment into 3 questions: “Is this a source of joy? Is there something that taps into your talents? Is the role a genuine service to the people around you, to society at large?” (Himes). These three questions play a heavy role in discerning reflective leadership and making a change. Just like in Week 4, in order for someone to make a change and to express independence, they need to have an “elusive quality we call presence” (Daloz, 133). Reflective leadership is mostly about reflecting on who you are as a person and where you stand in the important matters of life. Although thinking independently in order to become an influential reflective leader is something to strive towards, this level of success will always be paired with several challenges. I have definitely learned this the hard way this semester. I have had weeks where things just have not gone my way. This major realization that I have had this semester about life being just a huge challenge has allowed me to develop different ways to carry me through my challenges. One of the most helpful traits I have developed involve the idea of embracing every challenge that is thrown at me and allowing myself to look at the bigger picture. I seriously think that this is a trait that reflective leaders should all possess. If reflective leaders were to allow challenges to weigh them down, then they wouldn’t be the best leaders! If I let every challenge bother me or then my life would be way more challenging than it already is. Another trait I noticed helps me get through challenges is asking myself how to get over it and what I can do about it. Like Eurich said in Week 6, “asking what could keep us open to discovering new information about ourselves, even if that information is negative or in conflict with our existing beliefs” (Eurich). This quote by Eurich encapsulates what it means to embrace the struggles and the challenges of life. This trait is what I feel can help me drive to reflective leadership for social change. Alongside this idea of overcoming challenges is something that popped straight into my mind when I heard the words reflective leadership. In week 7 of this semester, we read about the dichotomy between super intelligent people and success. Deresiewicz in the reading in week 7 writes “that is exactly what places like Yale mean when they talk about training leaders. Educating people who make a big name for themselves in the world, people with impressive titles. people who make it to the top, people who can climb the greasy pole of whatever hierarchy they decide to attach themselves to” (Deresiewicz, 2). People immediately assume that intelligent people are leaders. I disagree. I believe that leaders need to be people who care about others and are reflective of themselves. Leaders need to be willing to make a change. So many of these Yale students Deresiewicz writes about are only brains. They don’t have the willpower to lead. They don’t have the sociability to reflect on others. In my opinion, reflective leadership is about others, not yourself. This idea of others and not yourself segways perfectly into the discussion topic of week 9 this semester. Like I said, I believe that reflective leadership for social change is about the whole and not just the individual. Like Reifenberg writes in week 9, “We’re in this together” (Reifenberg, 5). In order to be a good accompagnateur, one needs to completely forget about themselves. I also believe that in order for someone to be a good reflective leader, they need to forget completely about themselves and worry primarily on others and on the change they are striving towards making. We as humans are all in this together. An example of something I believe needs major change is the progress our country has made on racism and equality. Although we have come a long way, there is still so much that needs to be done. Although not all of us can become reflective leaders, we can individually do our own thing in order to create a ripple effect in this larger idea of social change. Like I read about in week 12, when one does nothing, they are allowing for that thing to be ok. Like Father Massingale said in week 12 on the topic of racism in the Catholic church, “When white people say nothing, they’re basically saying that it’s ok to be racist” (Fr. Massingale). This applies to anything in life. If we want social change, we need to be proactive. We can’t just sit back because then it will allow for change to never occur. In this first year at Notre Dame, things have absolutely been challenging. Through the struggles and hardships, I have realized one definitive purpose in my path of life. Although I am a pre-med student who is aiming to be a doctor, my one goal in life is simply to help people. My fuller vision of life that is evolving as I pursue my education is that I simply want to be there for others. I want to be a reflective leader and strive for the social change of togetherness and community. I feel that if I am there for others and I help others, I will not only feel fulfilled, but I will be making a change. And without change, there cannot be progress. Although it will be difficult, I have adopted a motto: Enjoy the journey, embrace the struggles, reap the benefits, and ultimately and utmostly, trust in God!