I’ve always thought that it takes a lot of leadership skills to inspire people to work not just for the sake of working, but for the sake of reaching a common goal. Leaders ought to always bring the team’s standard at the fore, keeping his or her subordinates reminded of the quality of work that they should always produce. But to be able to get your members to internalize and actualize that kind of working habit, the leader himself or herself should always be able to reach those standards.
However, standards should not be static. It should be constantly improved to meet the demands of time. And as standards change, so too should the quality of work be. Workers are mandated by company policy to always meet and even exceed those standards. And in this, leaders should take the lead.
I had the feel of this phenomenon in my life in the academe and in the business world. As a student I’ve been involved in extracurricular activities and organizations that utilized and tested my leadership skills. As I leader, I’ve always felt the need to continually improve myself. Not only did I strive to obtain as much academic knowledge as I could within the classroom’s walls, I also allowed myself to learn through interactions with other people. I involved myself in various social and political activities: gaining experiences, honing my skills, and building my network.
I did not stop my education even after school. I used every opportunity at work to learn and improve. I started from the bottom, ascending the career ladder in the business world step by step. I went through every position until I became a manager, appreciating each member’s goal in a business organization. As a manager in that Information Technology company, a had hands-on experience not just in marketing, programming, and graphic design but also in manpower handling.
Having gone through all those experiences, I realized how big the responsibilities of leaders are. Decision-making and management are among the most crucial skills that could make or break a leader in a snap. It is based on these two factors that leaders gain or lose their subordinates’ respect. And I’ve made it my goal to be as effective as I can be in those two aspects.
I’ve worked in many different environments, and doing so gave me the advantage of versatility, flexibility and readiness to changes. My various experiences do not just involve hands-on experiences on different work functions and capabilities, but also exposure to many places and cultures. I have traveled across national borders, learning different languages and dealing with different kinds of people.
Because of these experiences, I know that I could fit in fairly well in the world of graduate education.
Through all those endeavors, I have learned. And I intend to continue learning, increasing my business and management skills in both breadth and depth. I intend to continue improving myself to become a more effective leader, and a better person. Learning does not stop, and as for me, I want a graduate education to be part of it.
Thank you so much for your consideration.
Photo Credit : takomabibelot
