At Cumorah Academy, leadership isn’t taught as a theory. It’s lived, questioned, practiced, and refined.
During this past week, students explored the Key Traits of an Effective Leader alongside mentors Nephi and Elizabeth Zufelt, whose lives quietly model what they teach.
Rather than focusing on résumés or authority, they invited students into a deeper conversation:
“What does it actually mean to lead when no one is watching?”
From informal leadership moments to life-changing decisions, their classes challenged young adults to rethink influence, time, failure, and purpose.
Also, they asked students to see leadership as something deeply personal.
Leadership That Starts Before the Title
One of the first ideas Nephi and Elizabeth unpacked was the difference between formal and informal leadership.
Formal leadership comes with a role, a title, or a responsibility handed to you. Informal leadership shows up in everyday moments.
How you treat people, how you respond under pressure, and how you serve without being asked.
This distinction matters because the Key Traits of an Effective Leader don’t magically appear when you get promoted. They’re formed long before that, shaped by attitude, consistency, and love.
Leadership, as the Zufelts emphasized, is influence.
Influence begins with who you are, not what position you hold.
Students were encouraged to reflect on their own stories and identify defining moments when their leadership journey truly began.
Often, those moments aren’t glamorous. They’re quiet decisions, difficult failures, or times when choosing courage felt uncomfortable.
Key Traits of an Effective Leader
When asked what truly defines great leadership, the Zufelts didn’t hesitate. They pointed to qualities that are timeless, deeply human, and rooted in service.
Among the Key Traits of an Effective Leader, they shared were leading with love, understanding what kind of leadership a situation requires, and serving people based on real needs—not assumptions.
They also anchored their message in Christ’s example of leadership: humble, courageous, and others-focused. True leadership isn’t about control; it’s about responsibility. It’s not about being normal—it’s about being willing to be different for the sake of others.
This perspective challenged students to expand their definition of leadership qualities. Instead of chasing visibility or validation, they were invited to pursue character, compassion, and conviction.
“A great lesson I learned this week is about the importance of learning from our failures. Learning from failure is part of the success process; mistakes shouldn’t be seen as something bad, but as a new opportunity to start over and try again, so that we can succeed next time.”
These words by Bruno Penha, from Brazil, show the importance of setting goals and learning from failure.
Courage, Time, and the Cost of Waiting
A recurring theme throughout the week was time. Nephi and Elizabeth reminded students that life is short, and time is one of our most valuable resources. Waiting for the “right moment” often becomes an excuse to avoid responsibility.
The Key Traits of an Effective Leader include the ability to act with purpose—even when clarity isn’t complete. Leadership requires courage: the courage to fail, to try again, and to step forward when it would be easier to stay comfortable.
“Nothing great has ever happened in the world by being normal,” they said. That message resonated deeply with students navigating big decisions about school, careers, faith, and direction. Leadership development, they learned, isn’t passive. It demands intentional choices made day after day.
A Life That Reflects the Message
What made the Zufelts’ mentorship especially powerful was the alignment between what they taught and how they lived.
Originally from Idaho, Nephi and Elizabeth homeschool their five children and prioritize time together as a family. Nephi works from home, giving them the freedom to invest deeply in relationships and shared experiences—whether that’s playing basketball, rock climbing, or simply being outdoors together.
Their professional journey was driven by a desire to control their time, sacrifice short-term comfort, and build long-term freedom.
A pivotal moment came when Nephi realized he no longer wanted to work for someone else. Choosing to start businesses wasn’t just a career move—it was a leadership decision grounded in purpose.
This real-life example showed students that the Key Traits of an Effective Leader don’t end at work. They show up in family life, personal discipline, and the willingness to design a life aligned with values.
Failure as a Training Ground
Another powerful takeaway from the week was the mentors’ perspective on failure. “Learning from failure is a lot of the process of success,” they shared. Mistakes aren’t proof that you’re unqualified—they’re proof that you’re growing.
Students echoed this insight in their feedback. Bruno Penha from Brazil shared how reframing failure changed his mindset. Lucas Dias de Lima spoke about finally understanding that setbacks are part of the process. These reflections highlighted how leadership skills are often forged through struggle rather than success.
The Key Traits of an Effective Leader include resilience, humility, and the ability to learn quickly, especially when things don’t go as planned.
A Final Challenge to Students
In their closing message, Nephi and Elizabeth urged students to recognize how unique Cumorah Academy truly is. This isn’t traditional education. It’s formation. It’s mentorship and preparation for real life.
They encouraged students to deeply understand this model and carry it into the world—to replicate it, adapt it, and use it to create positive change wherever they go. Leadership, after all, multiplies when it’s shared.
The Key Traits of an Effective Leader are not reserved for a few. They are available to anyone willing to live intentionally, serve courageously, and choose purpose over comfort.
Ready to Become the Leader You’re Meant to Be?
If you’re a young adult searching for direction, growth, and meaningful leadership development, Cumorah Academy might be exactly what you’re looking for.
Here, you won’t just learn about leadership—you’ll live it, guided by mentors who walk the path with you. Apply to Cumorah Academy and start developing the character, courage, and vision that will shape your future and the lives of others.
Written by Fernando L. Ferreira Jr.
Supervision by Kamila Uberto Fullmer
