If you're applying to business school, you know how important it is to highlight your leadership skills. In the admissions world where so much relies on "It depends…," it can universally be agreed upon that leadership is an absolute, desired quality.
But what exactly is leadership? How do you define the term? And most importantly, how can you best express that you possess it?
Here's one way to look at it, through the lens of military service: Leadership is defined by the taking on of increased responsibilities that will ultimately move or impact others.
No doubt, people who go through the military accumulate a heavy dose of leadership skills, mainly because the experience gives people much more responsibility than they would otherwise have in civilian life. And that responsibility is not insignificant—military responsibilities require commitment to a mission, to moving, persuading, or motivating other people.
The concepts of responsibility and followers go hand in hand when defining leadership. That means that there is no such thing as a leader without followers, and that there is no such thing as a leader without responsibilities and a mission.
When writing your essays, make sure that your leadership stories utilize these two elements—that you are not a leader in a bubble, but one who has taken on responsibilities that help motivate or persuade others.
Need more tips about how to present your leadership experiences and skills in your b-school application? Download Accepted.com's free special report, Leadership in Admissions, to learn how to tackle tricky leadership questions.
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