Personal Statement MBA
Personal Statement MBA
Personal Statement MBA
the
program at this stage of your career. How would you like to see your career develop over the next 5
years? What are your career objectives?
Leadership is
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________.
Leaders are
______________________________________________________________________________
____________________.
Leaders motivate others by
______________________________________________________________________________
_______.
Fair: A true leader is a vehicle for justice and equality. It may sound like a tall order;
because it really is. Exercising fairness and objectivity is challenging. But a leader is
able to set aside personal biases and suspend unnecessary judgment. Throughout
history, leaders have been known to challenge oppressive systems and fight for what is
fair to all.Openminded: Many people are familiar with the image of a boss who loves
barking orders. But a boss is not always a leader. A lesser known portrayal of a leader
is that of a leader who listens. Listening and understanding are important components
for anyone who wants to lead. A good leader hears both sides of the story and practices
sound reason and principled judgment when calling the shots.Honest: Honesty is vastly
underrated in today’s world. It is one of the most basic human virtues yet there are still a
lot of people who struggle with telling the truth. Integrity is an essential trait for any
person; more so a leader. It is so important that the word integrity is almost synonymous
with character. A person with unquestionable character is usually considered someone
with high integrity. But of course, honesty and integrity are traits that are not achieved
overnight. It is a constant process that a leader must consistently work
on.Generous: Generosity is a trait many people admire. And it is especially important
for leaders. This does not only mean material or economic generosity. But it also means
when one is generous and giving when it comes to time, knowledge, effort, and skills.
Everyone loathes a micromanager yet there are so many bosses who nitpick at
everything. A good leader is generous enough and understands how to delegate tasks.
A true leader is not only an exceptional mentor, but he or she is genuinely interested in
seeing their subordinates grow and mature in the workplace. Emotionally Mature: The
mark of a true leader is his or her emotional maturity. They actually care for their team
members and people under their supervision. They also provide a nurturing office
environment. This entails going beyond the tasks and functions. A good leader takes
the time to assess each individual member’s qualities, strengths and
weaknesses.Competent: Obviously, leaders should not only rely on sentiment or
interpersonal skills. Competence is a required trait in all leaders. He or she must be
diligent and responsible enough to get the job done. Team members must be able to
rely on their leaders for support, guidance, and expertise.Level-headed: They say a
person’s true nature is revealed in times of adversity. One true test of leadership is
being able to remain calm and collected amidst turmoil. Weak and poor leaders
abandon ship or wash their hands of accountability when things go awry. Only the
strong and capable ones stay level-headed and face the challenges head on.
Be Bold: People who want to change the world and make a difference do not get to do
that by settling for mediocrity. If you want to challenge norms and draw people to your
vision, use bold and impactful language. However, it is important to note that being bold
does not mean being arrogant or full of yourself. It is wanting to change and improve a
situation or system for the better. It comes from a place of dreaming boldly to achieve a
common good, not self-serving ends.Be Realistic: Leadership statements must also be
grounded in reality. It is not enough to have big dreams and goals yet have no concrete
plan to execute those dreams. It is perfectly fine to aim high but the tone of your
statement should at the same time, also be realistic and attainable.Keep it Brief: No
one wants a long, drawn out statement that contains nothing more than flowery words.
Keep your leadership statement brief and straight to the point. This delivers more
impact compared to lengthy ones that drag on. If it helps, your statement can also be
divided into bullet points or key agenda items.Be Action-oriented: Similar to a mission-
vision statement, your leadership statement should be action-oriented. Use active verbs
or descriptive language for a more effective and provoking statement. Words like affirm,
recognize, or commit are good examples of action-oriented language.Make it Value-
laden: In any leadership statement, it is important to express your values and principles
clearly. It is not enough to use action words or make promises; you also need to
communicate what ideals and standards you are willing to stand up for and uphold. For
instance, if your leadership statement vows to promote greater transparency within an
organization; your values would naturally involve honesty and integrity.
What is the one thing that matters to you? Everyone values something or
finds importance in something; it could be relationships, Professional
Development Plans and growth, or even causes or advocacies. Values are
an essential part of a leadership statement and should therefore be
reflected accordingly. A good way to get the ball rolling is to actually sit
down and take the time to reflect on what values matter to you most. Most
of us have more than a single value or principle that we adhere to. In cases
like these, it is important to prioritize. It helps to list your values down
according to importance.
Lastly, ensure that you review the statement before publishing it. Like all
written work, it is always good practice to refine and rewrite as needed.
You can have your leadership statement proofread by a trusted aide,
friend, or colleague. A second set of eyes can work twice as well than just
one.
FAQs
How do you start a leadership statement?
Like any regular essay, a leadership statement can contain an introduction, a body,
and a conclusion. You can start a leadership statement with an impactful opening
line. Use personal pronouns like “I”.