I dug through a few drawers and found 'The Prince' by Machiavelli. I never thought that I would be able to heed the advice of Dr. Gregg and Machiavelli and apply it to my sorority life but at that moment I was glad I had saved the book, jotted notes down in the margin, and taken the class. There are several lessons that I will apply to my term and I am anxious to see how they work out. First of all, Machiavelli often talks about how important it is to know the people who you are leading. As President, it is important to remember that I am first and foremost a member of my chapter and that makes me no better than anyone else. I must spend precious time with my sisters and consider their input when making decisions. Secondly, Machiavelli says "do not get frightened in adversity" and I hope to remember this when times are hard. As a leader, it is important to keep your demeanor confident and calm even if bad events are bestowed upon you. Lastly, every one's favorite Machiavelli lesson- "if you cannot have both, it is better to be feared than loved". Obviously, I do not want my sisters to fear me, but I do believe that is important to stick to the rules, that are set by our bylaws- no matter what or who is the case. It is essential that a leader has a backbone and shows diligence in everything that they do.
Little did I know that sitting in Dr. Gregg's class would be able to impact me in such a way. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to read 'The Prince' and I look forward to seeing how the lessons that I learned will continue to impact me and help to make my term as President as success. I know that did not Machiavelli write 'The Prince' with sororities in mind, but I am glad that I can heed his knowledge and apply to my life.