{"id":45724,"date":"2019-05-24T02:45:27","date_gmt":"2019-05-24T09:45:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2019\/05\/leadership-is-a-buzzword-heres-how-to-use-it-well\/"},"modified":"2019-05-24T02:45:27","modified_gmt":"2019-05-24T09:45:27","slug":"leadership-is-a-buzzword-heres-how-to-use-it-well","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/leadership-is-a-buzzword-heres-how-to-use-it-well\/","title":{"rendered":"Leadership is a Buzzword. Here\u2019s How to Use it Well."},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Leadership<\/figure>\n

It\u2019s no secret that MBAs are looking to produce the world\u2019s next generation of leaders. And that explains why the idea of \u201cleadership\u201d forms a big part of nearly every application essay prompt. But what does it actually mean to be a leader? <\/p>\n

The term can seem nebulous at times \u2013 obviously, not everyone can be a capital-L Leader, or else who would those people lead? And, likely, if you\u2019re applying for an MBA, it\u2019s because <\/em>you\u2019re seeking out leadership positions. You\u2019re probably not Satya Nadella<\/a> quite yet, but the point of these prompts is to show that you have the potential to become the type of person who could head a major company or project in the future. Therefore, the idea is not necessarily to show that you\u2019re a leader <\/em>(because, again\u2026 what?) but, rather, to show that you\u2019ve demonstrated<\/em> leadership <\/em>in the past, as this is the best indicator for your potential in the future. <\/p>\n

When arguing your leadership, you\u2019ll need to focus on particular moments that demonstrate this potential. By focusing on specific experiences from your professional past, you can avoid sounding like you\u2019re using \u201cleadership\u201d as a buzzword. There are a couple ways to do this. The first, and least effective (though, admittedly, still effective) is to show that you were placed in charge or a group of people. This, by definition, is leadership. If you\u2019re an Associate at a bank and you mentor a team of four Analysts, great. That\u2019s leadership. But it\u2019s worth noting that this kind of leadership can easily be listed as a bullet point on your resume. It doesn\u2019t do much to show how you have demonstrated <\/em>leadership ability, and it doesn\u2019t promise that you\u2019ll be able to lead a team of 100 later on in your career. So, though you should absolutely list this kind of leadership on your resume, your essays require a more robust approach. <\/p>\n

To
\ndemonstrate leadership in your essays, try the following equation:<\/p>\n

Demonstrated leadership
\n= innovation + impact.<\/strong> <\/h4>\n

For
\nevery act of leadership that you want to include, start with innovation. To do
\nso, you\u2019ll need to step back and start with the need <\/em>for innovation. There\u2019s a problem. There\u2019s an obstacle in the
\nway. There\u2019s an inefficiency of process that\u2019s causing a bottleneck. Take a
\nmoment and explain the issue to the adcom. Your team needed to accomplish XX goal,
\nbut YY obstacle stood in your way. Step 1 to demonstrating leadership is
\nshowing how you, the innovative thinker, found a way to overcome that obstacle.
\nFrom there, you rallied your team around the plan, and you ultimately
\nsucceeded. <\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve showcased your innovation, it\u2019s time to show your impact<\/a>. Compared to the results your team usually achieves, how did your newly innovative approach stack up? Give comparative results to show that your innovation improved <\/em>your team\u2019s success. Revenue on a specific project grew by 20%? That\u2019s impact. <\/p>\n

But there\u2019s more! True leadership creates lasting <\/em>impact, so you\u2019ll get some major leadership bonus points if you can show that your innovation \u2013 your legacy \u2013 was carried on by your company after you moved on to other projects. Let\u2019s say you designed an automated reporting tool for your company\u2019s consulting platform, and let\u2019s say your tool saved 15% in labor costs in the first quarter. Great. But what\u2019s greater is if that tool was preserved in your institutional process and saved 15% in labor cost every quarter for the past 3 years. That\u2019s lasting <\/em>impact resulting from your innovation, and that\u2019s the highest mark of demonstrated leadership. <\/p>\n

===<\/p>\n

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