Ethics, Discipline, and Service in Action

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There comes a moment in every leadership journey where the internal work begins to shape the external world. It doesn’t happen abruptly—it happens gradually, quietly, and intentionally. In the Better World Project, the work I did on myself naturally extended into the three tracks that demanded outward expression: Ethics, Physical Development, and Service to Others. Each track became a reflection of the refined version of myself I was becoming. Together, they revealed the leader emerging from my healing, learning, and strengthening.

Ethics: Choosing Integrity in Environments That Test It

Ethical leadership is not a title; it is a posture. It is the willingness to stand in truth even when the environment is unsteady, the circumstances are complex, or the outcome is uncertain. For me, the Ethics component of this project aligned deeply with the real-life challenges I faced in my professional environment. Leadership demanded that I navigate situations involving fairness, confidentiality, accountability, and the courage to speak when silence would have been easier.

One of the most defining experiences during this period was advocating for transparency and fairness related to administrative leave processes. Writing that email was not just an administrative task—it was an act of ethical leadership. It required clarity of thought, composure under pressure, and the courage to challenge what felt misaligned with our organizational values. The goal was never to criticize; the goal was to uphold integrity, ensure procedural fairness, and protect both staff and organizational trust.

Ethical leadership often happens behind the scenes. It is the unseen work, the conversations that reshape culture, the advocacy that protects the vulnerable, and the consistency that builds credibility over time. Through this project, I recognized that my voice—steady, respectful, and unwavering—was one of my greatest tools for ethical influence.

Physical Development: Rebuilding Strength as a Leader and a Woman

Leadership is not just emotional and intellectual—it is physical. When the body is neglected, the mind strains, the emotions destabilize, and resilience weakens. For years, I carried tension, stress, and exhaustion without realizing how deeply it was affecting my physical health. My walking routine—simple but profound—became an anchor not only for my wellbeing but for my leadership capacity.

Each step I recorded on my pedometer was more than a number. It was a declaration of consistency. It was a reminder that renewal requires discipline. It was an act of reclaiming strength in a season where I felt stretched in every direction. Walking became my daily reset, my thinking space, my meditation in motion. It grounded me when emotions ran high and lifted my energy when fatigue crept in.

Physical development is often overlooked in leadership conversations, but it is a critical pillar. A leader who is physically depleted cannot show up with clarity, stamina, or presence. Through this project, I prioritized myself in a way I had not done in years—and my body responded with gratitude. My endurance improved. My posture strengthened. My energy increased. And more importantly, I remembered what it felt like to care for myself with intention.

Service: The Heart of Leadership Revealed

If ethics is the backbone of leadership, then service is its heartbeat. Service is where leadership meets humanity. It is where intention meets impact. It is where the leader’s growth becomes visible to others.

My service component centered on supporting my colleagues, mentoring peers, and leading Perioperative Week celebrations. In a healthcare environment where stress can overshadow appreciation, I wanted to create a moment where our perioperative staff felt seen, valued, and deeply appreciated. And the result was more than an event—it was an experience.

The article, the team recognition, the coordinated activities—they were not about decoration or formality. They were about honoring people whose work often goes unnoticed, despite being essential to safe surgical care. The pride on their faces, the sense of unity in the department, and the emotional uplift that week brought reaffirmed something I have always known: service transforms spaces.

Service also occurred in quieter ways—mentoring colleagues through challenges, offering clarity to staff navigating conflict, and being a steady presence in moments of uncertainty. Leadership is not merely positional; it is relational. And each act of service was a reminder of the type of leader I strive to be: compassionate, accessible, insightful, and deeply committed to the wellbeing of others.

The Leader That Emerged

Through ethics, physical strengthening, and service, I saw a clearer reflection of myself as a leader:

• Ethics sharpened my voice
• Physical development restored my grounding
• Service deepened my purpose

These three tracks became outward evidence of the internal evolution I had already begun. They reminded me that leadership is not about perfection; it is about presence. It is not about authority; it is about responsibility. And it is not about recognition; it is about impact.

Through this project, the leader in me did not change—she emerged.