At first I thought that ethics were simple and clear cut for a leader. Now I realize the significance of ethical leadership. After reading The Prince by Machiavelli, I believed that being an ethical leader was nearly impossible. To add on, I thought that the idea of dirty hands would be morally correct but destroy any chance of keeping the trust of the people. Then I wondered about the advantages of being a feared leader than a loved leader. I could not grasp the concept of doing necessary evils for the good end goal.  

            After watching Invictus, I gained more confidence in making the ethical decision as a leader. Both François and Mandela had a positive outcome. Even though they were against the majority, they still understood their goal. They picked the choice that would help them reach it. It gave me another example of a leader losing favor due to their decision but then gaining it back along with more trust and respect.

            I imagine that I will try to match up with the leadership demonstrated in Invictus. I want to aim to benefit the members even if that means I may have to go against the majority. I will apply the lessons I have learned to help me make decisions as a leader. To incorporate these new skills, I will resolve the issue by considering which path would be best for the long term goal rather than the short term goal.

            Another assignment that I found interesting was reading Vargas. I had a preconceived opinion about the topic but immediately after reading his personal experience, I changed my mind. The ethics of this issue came into play that I had not considered before. I got a lot out of the readings because they questioned the ethics of the situation and think deeper into the problem. I have gained a better understanding of the meaning of ethics as well as a greater awareness of the different types of situations from this course.