Final Reflection

BYUSA has been such a blessing to me since summer term has started. I have not only acquired such a wide array of leadership skills, I have also made so many lasting friendships that have really helped me get out of dark times. I had a very hard spring term and I felt like nothing was looking up. When summer finally came and I started BYUSA with Adventure Experience, it was like a complete life change.

            Simply through the example of the other BYUSA officers, I have learned how to love genuinely and unconditionally. I learned the value of friendship and how strong of a bond the friendships made within BYUSA have created. Everyone has made me feel so welcome, and I can see that their actions have reflected off of me and now I have made efforts to make other feel the same way when they walk into the office.

            I have always had a passion for serving others. Seeing others smile because they have received benefits through my contributions makes me feel happy. But having been in BYUSA and constantly reminded of the vision and mission statement, it has given me a new purpose of serving. I now serve with being a divine centered leader in mind. I look to Jesus Christ as my role model to how I want to be perceived as a leader. I strive to serve with the love and compassion that Jesus expressed to his followers. I want to be a role model for the students of BYU and be worthy for them to look to me for their needs.

            Something that has changed a lot of my perspective since starting at BYUSA is the concept of professionalism and how important it is. I can honestly say that I have never really thought about the concept of professionalism until Brother Ward gave his lesson. But since then, I have really tried to maintain a level of professionalism that is appropriate within the office. I learned about how dress and grooming really does affect how professional one is perceived by others. I learned tips and tricks to a successful interview process and it has really helped me in real life. I learned to separate work with play. It has really helped me learn that there is a right place and right time to do certain things. When it is time for business, maintain a professional attitude. I still have a lot of room for improvement on this area of skill but I have definitely learned to take those first steps toward that goal.

            One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned since being in the office is assuming my responsibilities. I’ve learned so many important jobs that must be done on time, precise, and efficiently, such as the financial processes, how to fill out an EAF, the role of meal docs, certification, training, meeting deadlines, being on time, reflection journals, and so much more. All of these responsibilities are equally important, and I have definitely had my fair share of trial and error with a number of these responsibilities. But it is really enlightening to see myself learning these skills and accomplishing these goals because I can see myself growing up and overcoming a lot of the obstacles I used to have such as meeting deadlines and prioritizing.

I have become much more organized than I have ever been my entire life. It meant a lot to me when Phil asked me to teach the area training on time management because it is almost ironic since I used to be the least productive person in my class. On several occasions, my mom has asked me how I could change so drastically. She doesn’t believe I’m her daughter sometimes. My parents seem to be more proud of me for being organized but struggling academically than I would expect. It makes me happy that I can make my parents proud and it motivates me to want to continue to be excellent.

Since working as executive director for volunteer appreciation, it has really taught me to be more creative with my thinking and planning. It has definitely opened my eyes to how tough this job entails but it has also given me a challenge that I would love to conquer by the end of the year. I have become more open to new ideas and other people's suggestions. My job has become one of the most enjoyable part of my day and I always look forward to office hours and working to create volunteer appreciation opportunities. 

Although being a part of BYUSA, I am supposed to be the one serving my peers and university, I feel that I have been served in more ways than I can give back. I have been uplifted emotionally and spiritually. I have been given an attitude makeover. The Lord has blessed me with so much, and I will make a commitment to serve with dedication and contribute all that I can in this upcoming year to make this university an ever better place for my peers. 

Delegation, Empowerment, and Follow-Up

1. Identify one SPECIFIC action item you will implement to improve the five core dimensions of empowerment for the organization/area

Self-Efficacy: Provide Information 
Self-Determination: Provide Resources
Personal Consequence: Personal Mastery Experiences 
Meaningfulness: Emotional Arousal
Trust: Build Confidence

2. Develop a methodology or tool that will help you measure your success in each of those action items, explain what it is, and how/when you will follow up on your progress with your coordinator or team

Self-Efficacy: I will be sure to always share my knowledge with my peers. I've always been a very sharing person and I like to see other people succeed, and in order to do that I must share the knowledge I know with them so we can combine our skills to progress together. 


Self-Determination: I will try to provide as much of my own resources as I can. Whenever there is a need for something that I may help with, I will volunteer to help. 


Personal Consequence: When I am faced with large tasks, I will take the time to break it down into progressions of smaller tasks and write them down into a to do list. I will measure this by seeing how well I follow the to do and how often I actually check back and cross of things I have accomplished. I will see if by doing so, it makes the larger tasks completion process faster and more efficient. 


Meaningfulness: I will make sure that I always plan with purpose and let my fellow volunteers know our purpose so that we can all work together to work toward that goal. I will measure this by always checking with my PD's and volunteers to see if they know the reason behind our planning and programs. 


Trust: I will create confidence by ensuring that my area and PD's and volunteers are well bonded and know each other well. I will do so through area training, meetings, stewardships, etc. I will always be open with them and encourage them to do so. I want to create an environment for my volunteers that makes them feel welcome and equal. 

Leading with Honor

1. From your experience, why has the Lord required an honor code at BYU?


The honor code lifestyle that we live at BYU reminds us of our standards as members of the LDS church. It keeps us out of trouble and helps us to stay on the righteous path easier. By committing to living the honor code, it trains us to develop will power, patience, and responsibility. By helps us better determine right from wrong and we are able to see the light during dark times. 


2. What blessings have come into your life because of your obedience to the honor code?


My former roommate had a boyfriend who would always sleep over because she had her own room across the bathroom vanity. It was very inconvenient for the rest of us and also very uncomfortable. But thanks to the honor code, she was not able to continue doing this for very long because it was against BYU Housing Guidelines. My other roommate and I were able to get back our privacy and live within our apartment with peace. 


3. Through your role in BYUSA, in what ways can you "inspire and educate" other students about the Honor Code?


By living by the Honor Code, I can "inspire and educate" others through the example I am projecting. Having a leadership position in BYUSA, it is my responsibility to be an example for my peers. And by having this role, people do look to me for that example. I can make sure that my visitors leave at the right time of the night, which will invite others to do the same. I can make sure that I abstain from anything that will hurt me physically, emotionally, or spiritually. 

Leader of Leaders

1. In what ways are you a leader of leaders?


I am a leader of leaders because I am a leader over my program directors who are leaders over their committee members and their volunteers. I am also a voice within a university full of voices that speak out and lead within their colleges. Being in the LDS community, I feel that all of the members are leaders because we are the Lord's missionaries and we lead others into finding the true gospel. 


2. How can the love which you reflect reflect to volunteers?


I recently was home taught on President Monson's article in the new Ensign about Showing, Expressing, and Sharing your love. And I think it is really important for me as well as all of the leaders of BYUSA to make sure that we show, express, and share our love to ALL of the volunteers that come into the office. It is our vision for us to not leave anyone behind, and by extending our love to everyone in the office, we can better reach our goal. 


3. How can you be a more divine centered leader of leaders?


It is always the most effective when I keep the leadership skills that Jesus practiced in mind when I am leading others. It is also important that I keep the BYUSA vision in mind whenever I am executing leadership so that I am never forgetting our purpose as a service association. Incorporating the Lord's will into my actions as a leader will help me strive to be like a leader unto Jesus. 

Conflict

Choose one skill you use in dealing with conflict, research it, pounce on every chance to practice, teach someone else about it, and then write 3-4 paragraphs about what you did and what you learned.


The skill I use when I deal with conflict is saying sorry even if I'm not the one at fault. Sometimes this action is a sign of defeat and many people refuse to use it because they don't want to "lose", but I believe that this skill is very useful and effective. I can see that this skill may be overused or used for the wrong circumstances, but when perfected, it is a very powerful way to build better relationships with the opposing party. 


One instance that I used this skill is when I recently had conflicts with my roommate. There were many miscommunications and we were not on speaking terms at all. I knew my side of the story and I stuck by it. When we decided to talk about it, I took the time and listened to her side of the story and realized that I really wasn't at fault. My initial reaction was that I wanted to fight it and "win" because I was right all along. But I knew that our fight wouldn't end anytime soon if I fought because she's never going to back down. So I decided to just admit my faults, even the ones that weren't true, and tried to make amends. This experience really opened my eyes up to how effective this skill worked. My roommate and I instantly stopped fighting and both of our hearts were softened because someone had the guts to apologize first. We were talking with softer voices and we became willing to compromise. 


We talked about this skill during home teaching today and it was interesting how we can relate that to the gospel. President Monson talked in the new Ensign about how we need to Show, Express, and Share our love. We started talking about conflict situations that were similar to the one I experienced. It was cool to find that connection that by saying sorry and being the bigger person, it is a way to express our love for the other person. We care about the opposing party enough to swallow up our pride and just apologize instead of prolonging our conflict. 


I learned that sometimes it is important to keep your dignity, never letting someone make you feel inferior. But this skill of saying sorry at the appropriate time requires you to act inferior in order for you and the opposing party to come out superior together. Sometime it is ok to suck it up and let that ego down and have the courage to do something that is difficult. 

Finances

1. How will you make sure each new person in your area is trained and held accountable for our financial processes?


I have made a routine to have all of the volunteers in my area go through the same procedures before they get started with volunteer appreciation. After they get a tour of the office and receive the volunteer packet, they are introduced to the computer lab and certification test. I work with them to make a deadline to finish taking the test. When they struggle with it, I try to give them tips on how to remember some of the procedures with the financial processes. When I was a program director, my ED was there to help me with each step of the first EAF I filled out. I plan on doing that for my program directors this year to ensure that they know exactly how to fill out an EAF properly and correctly. I will always make myself available to them whenever they have questions with the financial processes. 

In what ways can our financial processes help you in managing your own finances?


The BYUSA financial processes are very precise and "on top" of everything. It gives me incentive to be on top of my own finances. Having to plan and be careful about the spendings within my budget for BYUSA reflects on my own expenses and makes me more careful about my personal spendings.