Ethical Leadership Review

I am satisfied with what I learned here at the Ethical Leadership course at Brown. I completed all of my assignments and used my time wisely to learn as much as I could. Even though the course was a little exhausting, I managed to organize an agenda and succeed.

            I did not know that there were four types of leaders: North, South, East, West. Before, I thought all leaders were North with some qualities of the other groups.

            It was really surprising to learn that it is okay if a leader does something evil as long as his intension is to maintain power and benefit his people. All leaders, according to Machiavelli, can use cruelty to manipulate and obtain their goals. They can use cruelty to “create”, not to destroy. I also learned from Machiavelli that leaders should have a lion’s and a fox’s qualities. The first to be able to use strength and sometimes force people, the second one to analyze and make wise decisions focusing on details and different perspectives.

            I am now prepared to go back home and be a better leader than I was before. I will listen more to my follower’s opinions, and I will make them feel valued. If it is necessary, I will make evil decisions as long as the whole group benefits, not only myself. It will be very important to constantly remind myself of the most important values of a leader: congruence with values, collaboration, citizenship, controversy with civility, common purpose, commitment, most importantly: change.