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Sample MBA Essay Five - Accepted by Tuck/Dartmouth
Prompt: Describe the characteristics of an exceptional manager by examining someone whom you
have observed or with whom you have worked. Illustrate how his or her management style has
influenced you. (Tuck)
In management consulting, strong analytical skills are valued as much as, if not more than, effective
managerial and leadership skills. Unfortunately, for some consultants, these characteristics, at
times, are mutually exclusive. I was fortunate, however, to work with [name] on my first major project
at [consulting firm]. As my project manager, he demonstrated a superior combination of leadership,
managerial, and communication skills. As a result of our interaction, I learned several important
lessons and tools that I used on subsequent projects to improve my effectiveness as a team leader.
To begin, [name] is a true leader who exhibits courage and dedication. A powerful trait rarely found in
the realm of business, courage is unique in its ability to unify and motivate people. Moreover, his
courage is balanced appropriately with professionalism, strong values, and humility. He is sensitive to
others’ feelings and recognizes that different people require different types of direction and treatment.
Although he often works with diverse and difficult groups, he always seems able to reach consensus
and create a shared vision and purpose. Furthermore, he excels at establishing priorities and
proactively setting direction.
As an effective manager, [name] also is able to translate his broad direction into discrete, tangible
tasks. Since consultants often use difficult or creative analytical approaches, clearly articulating
tasks and defining outputs is very important. In addition, he exercises the appropriate level of
supervision. Rather than micro-managing his team members, [name] establishes clear
accountabilities and expectations and pushes work down to the correct level. As a result, he creates
a strong sense of ownership and leverages the skills of his team members. Furthermore, he excels at
creating a supportive environment and, when necessary, coaching team members to help them
develop new skills.
Finally, [name] is a masterful communicator. He is the only project manager I have had who gave me
consistent and constructive feedback, importantly, both positive and negative. Such feedback not
only provides clear developmental objectives, but also signals to others that he values their
contributions. This type of balanced and open communication quickly forms the foundation of mutual
trust and respect. Furthermore, [name] excels in the art of negotiation and debate. He states his
points with remarkable precision and is expert at remaining objective and recognizing all sides of an
argument. And, regardless of the volatility of a situation or the strength of his feelings, he always
listens to all positions patiently and effectively controls his demonstration of emotion, thereby gaining
the respect of others and lending additional credibility to his positions.
Given my limited experience managing teams, my exposure to [name] was central to my early
success at [consulting firm]. For example, although I had considered myself a leader in athletics, I
had not learned to translate those skills into the business arena. [Name] taught me several effective
methods to lead teams. Admittedly, as a highly motivated young analyst with very high work
standards, I also lacked many of the skills required for effective team leadership. However, I quickly
learned the importance of flexibility and became more comfortable providing feedback and directing
the work of others. Furthermore, through his example, [name] taught me the importance of objectivity
and the utility of several effective communication techniques. For example, I learned to use my sense
of humor as an effective tool to persuade, disarm, or motivate others.
Early in my career at [consulting firm], I had several rare opportunities to lead client teams. In part
due to the lessons I learned from [name], these projects were a great success. As a result, I went on
to manage a half dozen diverse and difficult client teams that ranged in membership. With each
project, I further refined the lessons I learned from [name] and developed new techniques for leading
and managing teams. Due to my rapid development, I was promoted to [position], a managerial,
post-M.B.A. position at [consulting firm], signifying that I can progress to the partner level. Although I
realize my tool kit is far from complete, these skills will be invaluable both in business school and
beyond.
** ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE COMMENTS: **
This is another essay that stands out because of its solid writing and superior organization. It starts
with a bold assertion to catch the reader’ s attention and then uses the assertion to introduce the
mentor’ s most outstanding quality. Each of the next three paragraphs clearly asserts and describes
an additional supporting quality. The essay concludes with examples of how the mentor’ s influence
has tangibly affected the writer’ s actions and work performance, resulting in rapid promotion.
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