SLC has brought a new perspective on a wide variety of topics. The recurring theme of relational leadership has allowed me to critically analyze myself and the extent to which I personally live up to expected benefits. Perhaps the greatest realization for me over the course of the semester was my strength in leading ethically but my inability to diversify. As a former leader of a religious youth group, I believe I have done well to stay true to ethical leadership, however I have also seen how differences in belief and culture can make individuals feel, especially if they are strange. I admit that I am very limited in my ability to empower others and be inclusive at the same time. As a leader, I prioritize my ethics and seek to persuade others to not only agree with my ideas, but also feel empowered by them. For me, my moral code and leadership style should work in harmony, not in contradiction. I too have Jesus as a personal anchor that serves as the core of my leadership values. However, this can lead to problems when I find myself in a leadership position in more diverse groups. For example, when doing my project with my group, we had to consider the population of the NC State student body who practiced religions other than Christianity when advertising a Christmas-themed cause. I find it difficult to empower others who do not conceive of a similar mindset to mine, because it becomes more difficult for me to find an anchor and a purpose that applies to them. Understanding my weakness is understanding myself as an overall leader and giving myself the opportunity to improve. Knowing that I have limited methods of empowerment will hopefully allow me to develop a means to work towards great… middle of paper… comfort zones. I can help the current leaders of my youth group, my predecessors, by sharing my new insight so that they too can continue to grow and develop a more inclusive community that preserves its soul-empowering capacity. Communication needs to be kept up and I know I can personally do my part to prioritize my tasks so I can make time for others who need me. As for the village, I know that even if I am not a member next year, I will not stop being a leader. It has already provided me with a system to facilitate networking and relational connections which will be a huge benefit in the future. However, I know that there are still people in the village that I can get close to. By breaking out of my normal friend groups, I can work to adapt to different beliefs and personalities and become a relational leader with everyone.