admission essay on leadership

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Talking about Leadership in Your College Application Essay

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It’s easy to talk about being a leader, but how do you demonstrate that in your college application essay? Here are 5 successful examples from students at UPenn , Stanford , Brown , and Columbia :

To divide all mankind into such a distinctive and witty set of classes can only be the  brainchild of someone as clever as Benjamin Franklin. Still, this classification is one of profound implications. Defining oneself amongst the movers, the movable, or the immovable can reveal one’s true character. It is with this mindset that I consider myself one that ‘moves.’ Of course, as an inherently imperfect human being I cannot deny that I have been lazy or inflexible at times; nor have I not been one to follow and let others take action for me. But I the grander scope, I am definitely one who prefers to lead and be the individual to take action or make decisions. Keep reading.  

Columbia’ 17

I watch my grinning friends troop into the auditorium. Some can sense my nervousness, and call out to me reassuringly. I wonder if our relationship will change, once I become head boy. I will no longer be able to take part in all the pranks that they wanted to pull off in senior year. I just hope they will not do something so reckless that I need to march them to the principal’s office. I realise then that I would if I had to. Read more.

I stand on the peak of a mountain, 4,867 feet above the ground, accompanied by a handful of summer camp friends. From the top of the mountain, I take in the beautiful panoramic view of the Adirondacks, unfettered by pesky clouds. The sun shines directly into my eyes, forcing me to squint. Beads of sweat drip down my forehead. Although I am tired, I feel exhilarated. This particular summit is perhaps the most significant of those I have climbed as a hiker. Continue reading.

Stanford ‘17

I felt a bead of sweat tracing its way down my forehead. My legs began to twitch, as if they knew how badly I wanted to run. I stared, in desperation, back at the nine pairs of eyes that watched my every move. For a second, I imagined my escape- sprinting down the stairs, past the faded murals on the walls, out the gate and into the street. But just for a second. Read more.  

Brownandproud

Stanford ‘15.

I walk off the stage and see my nephew running to me. He says “congratulations,” and as I look around I see my 2 parents, 2 sisters, 15 cousins, 9 aunts and 9 uncles smiling at me and clapping so loud I forget where I am. Twenty five years ago, my parents decided to leave not just Mexico City but their home, family, and culture, in pursuit of a better and brighter future for their families. My father and mother worked endlessly to bring their families over to California. I envy my father’s determination, as he gave up his teaching job in Mexico and worked 60-hour weeks for a decade to provide homes for my relatives. He was the leader, the commander of the ship guiding though the rapid current. It did not matter that we had 18 people living in our home; the most important priority was that we were together. View full profile.

Liked these essay intros? Unlock them all in one go in this leadership package . Brainstorm and think carefully about what you want to write in your personal statement and how you want to share your own, unique story. For more inspiration, AdmitSee has a database of 60,000+ successful  college applications files  waiting for you! 

About The Author

Frances was born in Hong Kong and received her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She loves super sad drama television, cooking, and reading. Her favorite person on Earth isn’t actually a member of the AdmitSee team - it’s her dog Cooper.

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How to Write the UC Essay on Leadership Experience

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Vinay Bhaskara in a CollegeVine Livestream. You can watch the full Livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

What exactly is leadership, consider different types of leadership, mistakes to avoid.

The first of the University of California’s essay prompts states: 

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.

This prompt is all about conveying your leadership experience. However, keep in mind that your essay does not need to be limited to an example of school-based leadership. Many of the better versions of this essay convey leadership in ways that are about neither academic leadership nor direct or positional extracurricular leadership.

It’s really easy to get lost in a definition of what leadership means with this prompt. Remember that leadership has a very expansive definition. What leadership looks like to each student will vary drastically, but, in other words, the prompt is asking you to describe how you have utilized your personal experience for the betterment of yourself and others. 

This prompt focuses on concrete actions that create tangible benefits for members of an organization, or even for an individual within the organization. Many students focus on how they have inspired their classmates or helped to resolve a conflict. While these are good examples of being a leader, try not to limit yourself to formal leadership positions and actions when brainstorming your response.

Leadership can range from formal leadership positions, such as being president of a club, to informal positions, such as mentoring a younger peer. Some examples of more formal leadership would be leadership positions in extracurricular activities including athletics , academics, and even work with non-profit organizations. Informal leadership, on the other hand, is leading in any capacity that is out of the ordinary, specifically when you do not have an official title.These are events or instances that you may not think of as leadership, but discussing such examples may actually help your essay stand out even more. 

A really powerful example of this could be a student helping peers deal with and overcome mental health struggles. Another example could be a student taking on more responsibility within their family by helping a sibling with their homework. The most compelling essays tend to be about informal examples of leadership, which are then supplemented by the formal leadership positions on your resume . 

Though there is no right or wrong answer for this essay prompt, here are a few things that you should avoid in your response.

Cliche Responses

A cliche essay response is any topic that reviewers may see repeatedly, and therefore is something you want to try and avoid in order to stand out among the applicant pool. Cliche responses for this essay prompt generally include examples about a club, such as a sports team, orchestra, or group, failing at something initially, and then the student helping the group succeed. It is possible to tackle such topics if you are an incredible writer, but if you aren’t then it may be hard for your essay to really make a lasting impact.

Restating Your Resume

Always avoid using the leadership experience prompt to restate your resume! It often seems that the most direct way to complete this essay is to speak about the leadership that can be found in your Activities section. Remember, however, that colleges already can see what’s on your resume. Therefore if you’re only expanding on the information in your application and using your essay to further list the clubs you led or your accomplishments, you’re not conveying anything new. You are missing an opportunity to add additional context to your application by doing this.

What the schools are really looking for are the qualities of leadership demonstrated through your experience – not the accomplishments or awards that you’ve accumulated from leadership positions. Instead of focusing on a title, focus on the impact of your leadership on others or on the approach used to build personal dynamics and relationships in leadership. Remember you want your essay to show which of your concrete actions have driven tangible benefits for others.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Leadership Essay

27 August, 2020

12 minutes read

Author:  Richard Pircher

As a college student, you must write essays on a regular basis since the latter is one of the most common types of home assignments. All this means is that in order to get good grades and be successful with writing the papers, you need to have a sound understanding of the structure. Additionally, what you should never neglect is the variety of essay types. Indeed, your essay will significantly differ from one type to another: description essay will most likely have a structure that is slightly different from an argumentative one.

What you may have already encountered in your academic life is the work on a leadership essay. Although it sounds pretty complicated and vague, it is mostly possible to master an essay on leadership. Below is a guide for you to get an insight into this particular essay type.

What is a good leadership essay?

A good leadership essay is the one in which the essay writer has fully covered the topic of leadership and understood its core ideas. More specifically, to end up with a flawless leadership essay, you will need to indicate what makes a person a good leader. For achieving the latter, you will most likely need to conduct research and trace how a particular person reaches his or her goals. In other words, the task is to discover which actions the person undertakes, what their followers say about him or her, and how the person organizes the work. So, a leadership essay implies providing real-life success examples and further revealing them.

Above all, a good leadership essay is the one that follows a precise, clear, comprehensive structure. Structuring your essay about leadership in the most coherent way leads to a win-win situation: you have fewer troubles and barriers to writing a brilliant essay, and your teacher is able to comprehend the essay easily. This guide is what you will need to refer to to get an insight into how the flawless structure for a leadership essay looks like and how it will let you take a benefit.

How to write a Leadership essay?

To write a leadership essay that stands out, you first need to brainstorm all the ideas that you have and come up with a topic for your essay. If you are struggling with this step, you may think of some of the most influential people, read about them, and find out what makes them unique. Or, you can pick any topic which is mentioned at the end of this article. After you have chosen an issue, it is time to structure your essay appropriately.

As you already know, an essay constitutes three essential sections: introduction, main body, and conclusion. Below is the more detailed description of each of the parts.

Introduction

Of course, your leadership essay introduction will always vary depending on the topic of the essay. However, you can always begin by stating your vision of leadership regardless of the topic. Additionally, to motivate the reader and instantly catch his or her attention, you may use a quote of a famous leader, or simply a quote which you find relevant to the topic. Be aware that you should avoid outlining the essence and the role of the leadership in your introduction; leave it for the body paragraphs.

What you may also do in your leadership essay is ask a question, which will most likely intrigue the leader. Or it will at least give your reader an overview of what you will dwell on  in your essay.

Body Paragraphs

You will need to divide the main body into 3-5 paragraphs to make the structure more comprehensive. What you have to do at this point  is  give your reader a sound understanding of your ideas. Therefore, try to fit each idea in a single body paragraph so that you do not confuse your reader. Do not hesitate to indicate your examples to strengthen your arguments. For instance, you may explain a fact that makes a particular person you are writing about a real leader.

Also, always stick to your thesis statement and don’t forget that the body paragraphs should reveal the parts of your thesis statement.

As you may already know, you need to restate your opinion and briefly summarize all the points from the main body in conclusion. For instance, if you wrote your essay on qualities of an effective leader, state the most fundamental qualities and indicate why they matter the most. Besides, try not to copy what you have already written in the body – it is better to restate your opinion using different words. And, of course, beware adding any new and extra information; indicate only those points that you have already outlined in the text. Finally, keep in mind that it is always favorable to keep your concluding remarks short.

Leadership Essay Examples

Writing a leadership essay requires some research and time. In case you feel the necessity to go through an essay example, below is a leadership essay sample you can refer to.

Is leadership an inborn or an acquired feature?

Is everyone capable of becoming a leader, or is this ability innate? A lot of researchers have been struggling to answer this question. One assumption about leadership implies that the leader is the person who possesses particular characteristics. Another assumption claims that leaders are capable of acquiring specific features over their life span. As the evidence shows, leaders own many features that distinguish them among others and make more and more people become their followers. These might be cognitive abilities, psychological traits, professional qualities, and a lot more, and all of them will be either acquired or innate. Based on the importance of leadership qualities, such as commitment, stress resistance, and the ability to make quality decisions, it is reasonable to claim that leaders are made, not born. 

One can deem commitment as one of the top fundamental qualities of the leader. In essence, such a feature indicates that a person is passionate about the common goal, strives to be a team player, and makes every effort to reach a shared goal. As the history shows, none of the successful companies was uncoordinated by an influential, committed leader: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft – all of these companies are examples of dominant teams led by a dedicated leader. A committed leader also inspires his or her team to achieve common goals and put more effort into the shared activity. Besides, commitment is unlikely to be an innate feature; it instead comes with experience. This is so, since commitment implies dedicating oneself to the shared task, and one can reach it only via learning and continuous self-improvement.

Stress resistance is another incredibly important feature that every good leader should possess. This is because only a stress-resistant leader has sufficient capabilities to overcome any complexity and not let the anxiety and stress prevent him or her from making proper decisions. Besides, such a leader will most likely have a positive influence on the team, as long as leading by example will motivate the team members to attain the same emotional stability. What is so far familiar about stress resistance as an effective leader’s feature is that it can be either innate or attained. However, although some researchers admit that emotional stability is something one is born with, it is not entirely true; many people still put a great effort into self-improvement, changing the attitude to unfortunate situations, and so on. Therefore, being resistant to stress can be mostly attributed to a personality.

An ability to make high-quality decisions most likely determines the chances for an enterprise’s success. In particular, such quality is incredibly fundamental for a company of any size and professional orientation. Additionally, it is one of the top tasks of a good leader to make final decisions. What he or she should do implies brainstorming, discussing various opinions in the group, making forecasts, analyzing all the pros and cons. However, the leader is the one to make a final decision. Thereby, he is in charge of researching the market, discovering all the hidden truths, and analyzing the organization’s potential and capabilities to result in the most effective decision. As it flows logically from the latter, an ability to make sound quality decisions is purely a professional quality. This leads to the conclusion that one has to work hard to become a genuine leader and master the skill of making effective decisions. 

Overall, the leader may possess a multitude of different skills and master them perfectly. However, what has so far become transparent is that any leader, regardless of which team he leads, must possess three essential qualities. These qualities are commitment to the common goal, ability to handle and resist stress, and, finally, an ability to make effective decisions. All of the three qualities are most likely to be acquired over a lifetime. The statement below leads to the conclusion that even though some qualities can be innate, most are not the ones that leaders are born with. Hence, this answers an essential question: leadership feature is acquired, and not necessarily inborn.  

20 leadership essay topics

When coming up with your next leadership essay topic, it is imperative to brainstorm ideas and think of what leadership might be related to. If you are struggling with a topic of the importance of leadership essay or any relevant type of essay, you may quickly take a look at some of the possible topics we prepared for you:

• What are the main qualities of the leader?
• Successful Time Management as a feature of an effective leader
• The role that rhetoric plays in leadership
• The most exceptional leader in the history of the 20-th century
• The role of female leadership
• What are the challenges of the leader of the 21-st century?
• How college helps students develop leadership skills?
• Qualities of the leader that motivate people to follow them 
• Top things to avoid doing to become a team leader
• Examples of effective and ineffective leadership in the history
• Top techniques for developing leadership skills
• The interconnection of creativity and leadership 
• Is a university’s role fundamental in developing leadership skills?
• Dictatorship as an anti-example of leadership
• Liberal vs Authoritative leadership: which one works better?
• The influence of the leader’s role model on the followers’ mindset
• Main difficulties that the new leader may face in a new team
• Leadership of today vs leadership of the past: what has changed?
• Reasons why I want to become a member if the leadership program
• The role of cognitive abilities for the leader 

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Showcase Your Leadership Experience for College Admissions: Examples for College Applications

Leadership skills. It’s something that all prospective college students should have listed on their applications.

Why is it so important? In today’s competitive college admissions landscape, demonstrating strong leadership skills can give applicants a significant edge.

But to really showcase your leadership experience and skills, you need to know what leadership truly means–and get a little creative.

Simply put, leadership is service. Andrew Malrux said, “To command is to serve, nothing more and nothing less.”

But can talking about service really help you?

According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling ( NACAC ) 2020 State of College Admission report, yes. More than half of colleges and universities surveyed consider a student’s demonstrated leadership qualities as a significant factor in their admissions decisions.

These institutions understand that leaders not only contribute positively to campus life but also go on to make a difference in their communities and excel in their careers.

This blog post aims to guide students on effectively showcasing their leadership skills during the college application process. In addition, applicants can demonstrate their commitment to leadership through extracurricular activities, volunteer experiences, and personal narratives.

Let’s dig in.

Importance of Leadership Skills in College Admissions

Leadership skills refer to a set of abilities that enable an individual to effectively guide, influence, and motivate others toward achieving a common goal. These skills play a crucial role in the college application process and in helping students excel throughout their higher education journey and impress employers upon entering the workforce.

You attract leadership opportunities when you use these skills to serve a purpose. You don’t have to be certain age or member of a specific club or organization to do that. Student leaders from all walks of life can develop and strengthen these important skills. This, in turn, shows employers (and the admission committee) that you have what it takes to be a good team member, finish a group project, and set a great example on campus.

Examples of Leadership Skills

Some key leadership skills include:

• Communication: Effective communication involves clearly articulating ideas, actively listening to others, and adapting one’s message to suit diverse audiences. Strong communication skills are essential for leaders to convey their vision, facilitate group discussions, and maintain open channels of dialogue with team members.
• Decision-making: Leaders often need to make quick, informed decisions while considering various factors and potential consequences. The ability to assess situations and make sound judgments is vital for successful leaders.
• Problem-solving: Leaders must identify issues, analyze information, and develop practical solutions. Problem-solving skills allow leaders to navigate challenges, overcome obstacles, and find new ideas for achieving their goals.
• Teamwork: Effective leaders know how to collaborate with others, delegate tasks, and foster a supportive environment where team members can thrive. Being a team player involves recognizing and valuing the contributions of others, resolving conflicts, and promoting a culture of mutual respect.
• Empathy: Leaders who demonstrate empathy can understand and relate to the feelings, perspectives, and experiences of others. This quality allows them to build strong relationships, offer support, and lead with compassion.

What Does This Look Like?

Let’s say you’ve served as a student orientation leader at your school. There are many situations where you would need to utilize a variety of skills to ensure the successful orientation of new students.

During the orientation process, an incoming student approaches you, expressing concern about a scheduling conflict between a required course and a part-time job. The student is worried about losing their job but also wants to ensure that they fulfill all academic requirements.

To address this issue, you listen attentively to the student’s concerns and ask clarifying questions to understand the situation entirely. Then you explain the options available to the student, such as seeking a course override or looking for a new job that accommodates their schedule.

Using problem-solving skills, you help the student weigh the pros and cons of each option and provide guidance on how to make an informed decision. You also encourage students to communicate with the appropriate academic and career services departments to explore additional resources.

Throughout the interaction, you demonstrate empathy by acknowledging the student’s worries and fears and offering emotional support. You make sure the student feels heard and validated while also providing practical solutions to address the issue at hand.

By utilizing effective communication, decision-making, problem-solving, and empathy skills, the orientation leader is able to help the student navigate a difficult situation and feel more confident and supported during their transition to college life.

Although you might not have this same leadership experience for college just yet, you probably have one you can use similarly.

What about a community service project or time spent on a sports team? Volunteer experience requires you to talk the talk while getting to contribute to causes you are interested in, even if for a short period of time. The same for part-time jobs that allow you to earn both extra cash and confidence.

Identifying Your Leadership Experiences

What qualifies as a leadership role? Does it have to be a student government position or a paid job? The answer is no! Here are a few examples.

Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities play a significant role in helping students develop and showcase their leadership skills. For example, participating in student government, sports teams, cultural events, or clubs and organizations provides opportunities to hold leadership roles such as team captain, club president, or event organizer.

These experiences allow students to gain hands-on experience in decision-making, teamwork, and communication, demonstrating their leadership abilities to college admissions officers.

Community Service

Community service and volunteer experiences also offer a platform for students to exhibit their leadership skills. Students can make a difference in their communities while building valuable skills by participating in community service projects or taking the initiative to create and lead their own projects.

This could involve organizing a fundraiser for a local organization, coordinating a neighborhood clean-up effort, or mentoring younger students in after-school programs. These experiences demonstrate a student’s commitment to community engagement and highlight their ability to lead, problem-solve, and work with diverse groups of people.

Work or Internship Experiences

Work or internship experiences are another avenue for students to gain leadership experience and showcase their skills. Whether it’s a part-time job during the school year, a summer internship, or a volunteer position, these experiences often present opportunities for students to take on responsibilities, manage tasks, and collaborate with team members.

By taking the initiative to lead projects or contribute new ideas, students can demonstrate strong leadership qualities, such as time management, interpersonal skills, and the ability to adapt to a professional environment.

Including these experiences on college applications and resumes will impress both admissions officers and future employers, signaling a student’s potential for success in higher education and the workforce.

How to Showcase Your Leadership Skills in Your Application

College application.

To effectively showcase your leadership skills in your college application, strategically highlighting your experiences and personal growth is essential. College applications, such as the Common Application or individual university applications, often include sections dedicated to extracurricular activities, work experience, and community service. Be sure to emphasize the leadership roles you’ve held and your impact in these areas. A college admissions consultant can help you with all aspects of showcasing your leadership skills and much more with the admissions and application process.

Essays and Personal Statements

College admissions essays and personal statements provide an excellent opportunity for you to delve deeper into your leadership experiences.

Choosing a Leadership-Related Essay Prompt

Begin by selecting a leadership-related essay prompt or crafting your own if the application allows for open-ended topics. This gives you a chance to showcase your unique perspective on leadership, share personal anecdotes, and highlight the qualities that make you a great leader.

Crafting a Compelling Narrative

When crafting a compelling narrative, focus on telling a story that demonstrates your leadership growth. Describe the challenges you’ve faced, the lessons you’ve learned, and the impact you’ve had on others. By illustrating your journey and the obstacles you’ve overcome, you can demonstrate your resilience, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities.

Showcasing Your Leadership Growth

Showcasing your leadership growth is an essential component of your application. It not only highlights your past accomplishments but also indicates your potential for continued development and success in college and beyond. By weaving your leadership experiences throughout your application, you can paint a vivid picture of your strengths and potential, ultimately making a lasting impression on college admissions officers.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation play a crucial role in showcasing your leadership skills to college admissions officers.

To ensure your letters effectively highlight your abilities, it’s important to choose recommenders who have directly observed your leadership experiences, such as teachers, coaches, or supervisors. These individuals can provide specific examples of your leadership qualities, interpersonal skills, and problem-solving abilities, giving admissions officers valuable insight into your potential.

When requesting letters of recommendation, provide your recommenders with context for your leadership experiences. Share your resume, a list of your extracurricular activities, and any relevant accomplishments or projects you’ve led. This will enable your recommenders to craft a well-rounded, detailed portrait of your leadership abilities, which will strengthen your application .

Extracurricular Activities and Leadership Positions

Selecting meaningful extracurricular activities that align with your passions and interests is vital in developing your leadership skills. By engaging in activities that genuinely interest you, you’ll be more likely to demonstrate commitment and consistency, which are important qualities of successful leaders.

Seek out leadership positions within your chosen activities, such as becoming a club president, team captain, or event organizer. To obtain these roles, show initiative, contribute new ideas, and actively participate in meetings and planning. Demonstrating your dedication and enthusiasm can increase your chances of being selected for leadership roles.

Balancing your extracurricular responsibilities with your academic performance is essential. Ensure that you allocate sufficient time to both your leadership pursuits and your studies to maintain a strong application.

Pursuing Leadership Positions

Obtaining leadership roles within your chosen activities can significantly enhance your college application and demonstrate your commitment to personal growth. Here are some tips to help you secure these positions:

Tips for Obtaining Leadership Roles

• Show initiative: Be proactive in your involvement with clubs, organizations, or teams by contributing new ideas, volunteering for tasks, and actively participating in meetings and planning sessions.
• Build relationships: Establish strong connections with other members, mentors, or advisors within the organization. This will demonstrate your teamwork and interpersonal skills, which are essential qualities of a leader.
• Be reliable: Consistently fulfill your responsibilities and meet deadlines, showing that you can be trusted to take on more significant roles within the group.
• Seek feedback: Ask for input from your peers and mentors on your performance and how you can improve your leadership abilities. This will show your dedication to growth and self-improvement.

Developing Your Leadership Skills

Attending leadership workshops and conferences.

To further develop your leadership skills, consider attending workshops, conferences, or training programs that focus on leadership development. These events can provide valuable insights, resources, and networking opportunities to help you refine your leadership abilities. Many schools, universities, and organizations offer such programs, which can cover topics such as public speaking, time management, and effective communication. Participating in these events not only enhances your skills but also demonstrates your commitment to personal growth and continuous improvement.

Participating in Mentorship Programs

Mentorship programs can also play a significant role in developing your leadership skills. By connecting with experienced leaders or professionals in your field of interest, you can gain practical advice, guidance, and support as you navigate your leadership journey. Mentors can offer valuable perspectives on overcoming challenges, setting goals, and building on your strengths as a leader.

Engaging in Self Reflection and Seeking Feedback

Engaging in self-reflection and seeking feedback from peers, mentors, and supervisors is another crucial aspect of leadership development. Reflect on your experiences, identify areas for improvement, and set actionable goals for growth. By actively seeking feedback from others, you can gain insights into your strengths and weaknesses and develop a plan for further improvement. This ongoing process of self-reflection and growth will not only enhance your leadership abilities but also showcase your dedication to personal development, setting you apart from other applicants in the college admissions process.

Showcasing Your Leadership Skills in Interviews

In addition to highlighting your leadership skills in your college application, it’s essential to showcase these qualities during interviews with college admissions officers or potential employers. Proper preparation is key to making a lasting impression and effectively conveying your leadership experiences.

Preparing for Interviews

Begin by preparing for college interviews by researching the institution or organization and reflecting on your leadership experiences. Develop a list of potential leadership-related questions that you might be asked, such as “Can you describe a time when you faced a challenge as a leader and how you overcame it?” or “What qualities do you believe make a great leader, and how do you embody them?” Practice your responses, focusing on providing specific examples that demonstrate your leadership abilities.

Answering Leadership Related Questions

When answering leadership-related questions during interviews, be sure to communicate your experiences effectively. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, and Result) to structure your responses, clearly describing the context, your role, the actions you took, and the outcomes of your leadership efforts. This will provide a comprehensive and engaging narrative of your experiences, showcasing your problem-solving, decision-making, and teamwork skills.

Get Help From College Admissions Consultants With Your Leadership Skills

Showcasing your leadership skills in college applications is crucial, as it demonstrates your ability to contribute positively to the campus community and excel in your future endeavors. By embracing and developing your leadership potential, you can stand out from other applicants and increase your chances of success in higher education and beyond.

Remember that showcasing your leadership skills involves not only highlighting your experiences but also continuously refining your abilities through workshops, mentorship, and self-reflection. Embrace your potential and become the leader you aspire to be.

Leadership experience for college can encompass a wide range of activities, including extracurricular activities, community service, work or internship experiences, and volunteer opportunities. Any experience in which you have taken on a leadership role, demonstrated initiative or contributed to a team’s success can be considered leadership experience.

To gain leadership experience in high school, you can participate in extracurricular activities, join clubs or organizations, volunteer in your community, or pursue internships or part-time jobs. Seek out leadership positions within these activities, such as club president, team captain, or project leader, and actively contribute your ideas and efforts to make a difference.

Even if you haven’t held a formal leadership position, you can still showcase your leadership skills by highlighting instances where you took the initiative, collaborated effectively with others, or made a significant impact within a group or project. Focus on specific examples that demonstrate your problem-solving, decision-making, and teamwork abilities.

Yes, you can still develop your leadership skills even if you’re not naturally outgoing or assertive. Leadership comes in many forms, and different situations call for different leadership styles. Focus on developing your unique strengths, such as active listening, empathy, or creative problem-solving, and seek out opportunities to practice and refine your skills in various contexts.

To improve your communication skills as a leader, practice active listening, ask open-ended questions, and provide clear and concise instructions. Be receptive to feedback from others and be willing to adapt your communication style based on the needs of your team or audience. Participating in public speaking workshops or joining clubs like Toastmasters can also help you develop your communication skills.

Some common mistakes to avoid when showcasing leadership skills in college applications include being overly vague about your experiences, focusing solely on your accomplishments without discussing the challenges you faced, and neglecting to mention the impact your leadership had on others or the organization. To effectively showcase your leadership skills, provide specific examples, discuss the lessons you’ve learned, and highlight the positive outcomes that resulted from your efforts.

Bryce Welker is an active speaker, blogger, and regular contributor to Forbes, Inc.com, and Business.com where he shares his knowledge to help others boost their careers.  Bryce is the founder of more than 20 test prep websites that help students and professionals pass their certification exams.

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How to write an essay about leadership

Leadership essays, or essays where you are asked about your work as a leader in your school or community, are not as common as you might imagine. Given all of the emphasis schools and clubs put on leadership roles and titles, essays asking students to dive deeply into this work are actually pretty rare in college applications. That said, it is important to consider leadership very broadly! You do not need to be the President or Founder of a club to write an effective essay for one of these prompts. In fact, sometimes the less common considerations and definitions of “leadership” can make for more compelling essays.

Example Leadership Essay Questions:

• U of California: Describe an example of your leadership and a way that you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
• U of Texas: How do you show leadership in your life? How do you see yourself being a leader at UT Austin?

LET'S BREAK DOWN THE ESSENTIAL POINTS YOU NEED TO HIT WHEN RESPONDING TO THIS SUPPLEMENT:

Leadership is more than titles – it is important, when you consider questions like these, that you reflect on activities where you have contributed to an accomplishment and learned something (about yourself, about your community). In fact, it would be a more powerful essay to reflect on a leadership contribution that was not connected to a title of leadership, but where you learned something important, than to reflect upon your activity where your leadership title is big “in name only.”

Sometimes leadership happens within your family – you do not need to limit your focus to leadership that happens during your school day.

You can consider this essay happening in two distinct ways: narrative structure – where you present a challenge you faced in a leadership role, actions you did that had an impact, and lessons you learned (skills you gained); OR montage structure – where you take on two different activities that both taught you a common lesson about leadership. Don’t muddle these together! Decide whether you want to write linearly (and chronologically in time) about one activity or if you want to write non-linearly about one leadership lesson.

THINGS TO AVOID:

Try to stay away from topics where your leadership takes the reader on a familiar journey. If you want to write about your leadership on an athletic team, that is wonderful, but try to avoid an essay about how your leadership of your team during The Big Game contributed to (winning/losing) The Big Game and the team becoming closer and being “one-strong-team.” Does that feel familiar to you? That’s because college admissions folks will have read thousands of essays that tell this type of story. If you select a common team to lead, take your essay in an uncommon direction.

Avoid lengthy introductions that take away from your word count and don’t actually support your essay response.

Avoid overemphasis on one aspect that detracts from your ability to talk about the other aspects of your story. In other words, if you spend half of your words outlining the challenge you faced, you only have ¼ of the remaining words to discuss your actions and ¼ to discuss the lessons you learned. This is not a good balance!

ADDITIONAL TIPS AND TRICKS:

• What did you do?
• What problems did you solve?
• What lessons did you learn?
• What impact did you have?
• How have you applied these lessons?

Answering these questions (and in this order) actually builds you an outline for this essay!

Do you have an extracurricular activity where the character count really limits you in terms of describing your work and impact? Consider using this essay to further highlight your contributions!

Do you have an extracurricular activity that speaks directly toward your intended major or field of study? This might be a great time to make your application stand out by sharing your leadership and contributions to this field! What problems have you solved? How can you use this prompt to share these solutions?

Elise holds a BA in Political Philosophy from Williams College and an MEd in Administration & Social Policy from Harvard. She has spent the past twenty years working in top-tier independent schools.

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August 8, 2022

Writing a Powerful Leadership/Achievement Essay [Sample Essay]

Essays that ask you to write about significant achievements fall under the category of

what are known as behavioral or experiential questions . The basic assumption behind these questions is that past behavior is a great predictor of future behavior . They are all varieties on the theme of “Tell us about a time when you…” These questions are meant to take the measure of your managerial potential.

Let’s look at how one candidate effectively addressed this essay question from  Stanford GSB  (*this question is not from the current application):

Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.

This writer avoids writing about leadership in any generic way and zeroes in on the specific aspects of his contributions and their impact:

Leadership essay example: The Change Agent

When I was invited to become the Vice President and General Manager at Third Way Associates (TWA)* two years ago, the company was in financial and administrative disorder. Employee retention was poor, and TWA took too long to pay vendors because of poor communication and accounting processes. Cash flow was managed based on immediate needs rather than by the logic of budgets planned by project and city. Sloppy expense reports that were turned in with no receipts were reimbursed to employees.

TWA founders Scott W ____ and Glenn L ____ had good intentions, but spent most of their time selling sponsorships and getting new clients rather than directing and managing the company. As we begin 20XX, TWA is much healthier in every way. Under my direction, vendors are paid in an average of 20 days from date of invoice, instead of 60 days or more. Our cash flow is better administered since I introduced very specific detailed area budgets with over 125 budget lines per city. Because I can give the company founders much better stability and macromanagement vision, the three of us are able to look more to the future rather than simply put out fires.

Despite the difficult economy in 20XX, we not only retained our same clients but also signed several new client agreements for three years or more, including a two-year contract with Big Shoe Company worth $1.3 million. I’ve brought fresh accounts and industries into TWA, including ____ Airlines and Drink Y, among others. Combined, these accounts generated more than $500,000 in 20XX, and we estimate close to $1 million dollars in the following year.

Since my arrival, we have a much wider and broader sales menu which has been crucial to generate more revenue. I’ve expanded our most popular sports events to 25 cities, giving our clients new investment opportunities. These events range from recreational soccer clinic tours to professional soccer games broadcast on TV.

I also expanded our field staff, and at present we have 25 strong and reliable managers who report directly to me from each city. Despite the economy, 20XX was not a bad year for TWA, and this year promises to be even better if we continue our current strategy and continue to work as a team.

Leadership essay analysis

In every paragraph, this writer mentions concrete measures he took to introduce order to a chaotic company that was trying to grow. From instituting budgets with line items, an improved accounts payable system, and recruiting additional big-name accounts, the writer proves how his efforts strengthened the organization.

How can you maximize on your thought leadership experiences?

As you choose among your own experiences as essay material, think about these questions to help you frame answers of substance:

• What was the obstacle, challenge, or problem that you solved in this accomplishment? A tight client deadline? A complex merger transaction? A new product launch amidst fierce competition?
• What did you do to rise to the challenge you are writing about? Motivate your team to work overtime? Sell senior management on the deal’s long-term upside? Identify a marketing profile for your product that no competitor can match?
• What facts demonstrate that your intervention created a happy ending? Did your team submit the project deliverables three days early despite being 20% understaffed? Your client approved the $500 million merger, the largest ever in its industry? Your new product has 20% market share after only one year? What was the impact of your leadership?

Don’t forget about your people leadership skills

What we’ve spoken about until this point revolves mostly on skilled problem-solving, or “thought leadership.” But respected businesspeople need to be equally or even more talented at something we didn’t have a formal name for: people leadership. By effectively leading the thinking of client firms’ problems as well as motivating them to work long hours to develop solutions to these problems and collaborate with clients on implementing them, these businesspeople prove to have what it takes to be exemplary leaders.

So don’t forget to include strong elements of people leadership in your essays. Here are several to keep in mind:

• Rallying others around a vision. Did you convince your team or group to follow a specific path/solution? How did you do it? Successful clients have talked about handling dissenting opinions diplomatically or presenting their teams’ detailed quantitative evidence for a recommendation. The more you can show that you understood your audience and tailored the content and form of your message to them, the better.
• Harnessing others’ strengths – and expanding them. Did you provide team members tasks they could handle comfortably based on their capabilities, as well as opportunities to broaden their skills? For example, you may have handed your quant jock teammate the most complicated operations analysis as well as responsibility for leading a key client meeting. In this way, you leverage teammates’ strengths while helping them develop new ones.
• Getting through tough times. Did you model for your team enviable cool in pressure-cooker situations, maybe helping them keep the big-picture goal in mind or lightening the mood with humor? Did you reward teammates with praise, pizza, or both for working long into the night? Did you pitch in on others’ responsibilities as deadlines loomed? Helping your team handle stress while managing your own is a cornerstone of strong leadership.

Use your words

Another tip: Look for opportunities to incorporate strong verbs that illustrate your strengths in these areas. Good examples of leadership might incorporate several of the following:

• Establishing a goal or vision
• Obtaining buy-in
• Taking responsibility

The old adage, “Show, don’t tell,” remains a classic bit of wisdom in the writing process. Make that a guiding principle not only in your leadership/achievement essays, but throughout your application.

For personalized advice tailored just for you, check out our MBA Admissions Consulting & Editing services and work one-on-one with a pro who will help you discover your competitive advantage and use it to get accepted.

Related Resources:

• School-Specific MBA Application Essay Tips • Tone Up Your Writing: Confidence vs Arrogance • “I’m Smart, Really I Am!” Proving Character Traits in Your Essays

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College admissions

Course: college admissions   >   unit 4.

• Writing a strong college admissions essay
• Avoiding common admissions essay mistakes
• Brainstorming tips for your college essay
• How formal should the tone of your college essay be?

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Video transcript

Your Complete Guide to Writing a Compelling Leadership Essay

• Essay Writing Guides

True leadership lies at the heart of human well-being and success. Every positive step humanity ever took required great and responsible leadership. Therefore, people have studied leadership for many edges to unravel its different underlying factors. 

But how do you write a great essay that demonstrates your grasp of this sacred call? This post shares practical insights on how to write a leadership essay . Keep reading it to sharpen your skills in this assignment niche. 

What Is a Leadership Essay ?

Before proceeding to see how best to draft a perfect leadership essay, let’s answer the big question, “ What is leadership essay ?” A leadership essay is an assignment that falls under student application essays. This paper provides student admission officers with insight into your previous leadership experience. 

While this assignment appears to be specific, it acknowledges that the nature and perception of leadership can greatly vary depending on context and individuals. 

Leadership Essay Ideas and Topics

Selecting the best topics for your essays on leadership is vital. When composing this paper, you will focus on two main areas revolving around your leadership style and the memorable moment when you demonstrated leadership. Please note that these two areas usually overlap because while recounting that moment you demonstrated leadership, you will also show your leadership style. 

Whichever area you choose to focus on, use anecdotal evidence that proves the idea. Here, you can freely go with what feels best for you. Just ensure that the instance you use to demonstrate leadership is a real-life experience. This way, you will be best placed to choose a topic that makes your readers enjoy your paper.

How to Write a Leadership Essay

While this paper might sound like an introduction on leadership essay , it doesn’t mean you aren’t a leader or can’t lead people. So, how do you compose a killer leadership essay that impresses student admission officials? Here are ideas on how to write leadership essay that fetches good grades and makes a positive impression of your leadership potential. 

• As earlier hinted, you must research to choose a good topic that will impress your readers and portray you as an upcoming great leader.
• When writing about a leadership concept, take notes of some credible sources of information. Find out what others have written about that topic.  
• Outline your essay to organize all the details you want to include. This way, you won’t forget to include anything your readers need. 

Alternatively, you can check out past papers written on your chosen leadership topics. This way, you will have a strong basis for further expansion of your arguments and incorporating relevant ideas into your paper. However, remember to follow intellectual property laws to avoid plagiarism.

Formatting Your Leadership Essay

Your essay about leadership requires correct formatting to ensure everything flows well. Like other types of papers, leadership essays follow a five-paragraph pattern. It has an introduction, a body section, and a conclusion, depending on its word count or page limits.  

• Introduction: This section captures the reader’s interest, defines good leadership in relation to you, and directly addresses the given prompt.
• Body paragraphs: The body section gives some background information using anecdotes to describe your leadership style or moment.
• Conclusion: This finishing section is a compelling statement about your leadership attributes and capabilities. It also shows how you hope to apply them to your life and solve other people’s problems.

Tips for Writing a Leadership Essay

Do you want tips to help you write the best leadership essays that will garner good grades? Here are tips and insights to help you compose excellent leadership essays .

Define Good Leadership First

It would be best to define good leadership before proceeding. Take time to think about the best attributes that make one a great leader. Of these qualities you have figured out, which ones do you have? Outline the qualities you demonstrated in your memorable leadership moment. These attributes could be, but aren’t limited to:

• The ability to motivate and inspire others.
• Valuing others.

Lastly, review your list and select the traits you would wish to focus on. 

Moderate Your Humility 

Humility is an invaluable virtue that needs to flow through your papers. However, don’t overdo it when highlighting your leadership moment. So, draw the line between humility and self-humiliation. Just let your readers know what you did to benefit other people’s lives—period.

Don’t Use Another Person’s Voice and Style

When highlighting your leadership abilities and experience, remember to use your personal style and voice. Admission officers want to hear your voice and “see you” in the essay. Thus, allow them to see your personality in the paper the best way you know how to put it. You can use your reasonable sense of humor without overstepping boundaries. 

Tell a Story About Your Journey 

When addressing college admission officers, use your storytelling skills to describe your leadership journey. Give them an engaging story that shows them your true leadership potential. Your story should exhibit the traits you believe are instrumental in helping you lead others. The narrative should tell the readers about the following:

• That you faced a real-life challenge.
• How you solved the problem. 
• How your leadership style and potential have grown over the years.
• Any specific challenge or moment that has helped you grow in your leadership. 

Choose a Case in Which You Played a Key Role

Your leadership doesn’t necessarily mean you are always at the help of things or people. Instead, it means that you helped solve a problem that affected others. Thus, don’t fear highlighting a moment just because you were not calling the shots. Why? Because the officials are looking for the results you helped bring to the table and not necessarily the position you occupied in the story. 

Thus, you should focus more on the improved position others found themselves in after your intervention instead of the position you occupied. Also, don’t mind more about the story’s title, especially when brainstorming. If you tell an impactful story, the title will automatically fall in place. 

Acknowledge Other People’s Contributions

We said in previous sections that you should tell the reader more about your leadership skills and journey. Up to this point, so good. However, you shouldn’t become so egoistic that you assume you aren’t an island. Your personal statement should indeed be personal, but it’s better to remember that other people still have a stake in your journey. 

So, give other people their deserved credit wherever they contributed to your success. Credit others for their loyalty, hard work, and any insights they offer. This way, you will portray your leadership as inclusive and not a one-man army that gives all the credit to one man. 

Solve Problems

Lastly, your essay should focus on solving problems. There is no point in telling a long story if it doesn’t bring out this element. Why? Because leadership essentially solves other people’s problems. If this element is missing, then you were not leading. Most likely, you were merely occupying a position or exercising authority but not leading. 

Do you remember how you solved that issue on your team amicably? Did you negotiate peace between team members whose rift was threatening to tear the team apart? Then, tell it out because that is all the admission officers are looking for in the narrative. 

Leadership Essay Example

Nothing will power your leadership writing skills like a perfect example of leadership essay . This section has three excellent excerpts from the introductions, bodies, and conclusions of leadership papers. 

• Introduction 

The floor was full of press cameras and microphones ready to capture a critical event. The venue was filled with different types of furniture, leather seats, and the who-is-who in the media industry that could change the entire media industry. Until then, I never saw myself as a leader, although I knew that this event was bigger than me, a moment that I could positively influence for the benefit of everyone present.

Gaining experience is one of the pillars of growing up in one’s leadership journey. The reason is that leadership isn’t a theory or concept captured in the heads, arguments, or counterarguments of so-called leadership gurus. Instead, it’s about practical life engagements that solve people’s problems in the real world. Thus, experience is the best tool to provide leaders with the opportunities to face and solve problems, make sound decisions, and learn from their failures and successes. All great leaders cherish such experiences and use them to grow and develop their leadership. 

• Conclusion 

In my view, leadership is about solving problems and meeting people’s needs, period. That’s the big picture, and the rest are minor details. My ability to empathize with others and give them a helping hand instead of pointing fingers at them summarizes my leadership philosophy. I hope to use this drive to be on the solution side of life, to prescribe solutions instead of just describing and decrying problems. 

Final Word 

Do you want to boost your writing skills on the topic of leadership? We’ve created this post to give you valuable and practical insights to accelerate your leadership research and writing journey. We hope you will use them to compose a perfect essay on effective leadership .

• Academic Writing Guides
• Citation Guides
• Essay Samples
• Essay Topics
• Research Paper Topics
• Research Paper Writing Guides
• Study Tips and Tricks

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Composing an assignment on a problem and solution essay topic allows you to demonstrate your ability to resolve human challenges. It helps you understand human problems and how to be a part of the solution instead of allocating blame and pointing fingers. So, how do you compose a great problem solutions essay? This post has […]

Author: Marina Kean

True leadership lies at the heart of human well-being and success. Every positive step humanity ever took required great and responsible leadership. Therefore, people have studied leadership for many edges to unravel its different underlying factors.  But how do you write a great essay that demonstrates your grasp of this sacred call? This post shares […]

Feb 15, 2023

Essays on Leadership for Students | 200 - 500 Word Essays

Are you writing an essay about leadership? Check out these examples!

Leadership is often defined as "the action of inspiring others to act in concert to achieve a particular goal." It signifies the harmony in actions that lead to a common objective. A genuine leader not only exudes confidence but also paves the way for their followers towards triumph. Over the years, various leadership styles have been identified and discussed by psychologists.

 Qualities such as intelligence, adaptability, extroversion, innate self-awareness, and social competence often emerge as the hallmarks of impactful leaders. There's a consensus that these traits mold an individual into an effective leader. Interestingly, some theories suggest that extraordinary situations can thrust an ordinary individual into the spotlight, bestowing upon them the mantle of leadership. It's also believed that leadership isn't a static trait but an evolving journey. It underscores the belief that with dedication and the right resources, anyone can hone their leadership abilities.

 True leadership goes beyond merely advocating for a cause. It involves taking responsibility, igniting motivation in others, and differentiating oneself from just being a 'boss'. A leader's essence lies in their ability to inspire and propel people towards grand visions, whereas a manager typically focuses on oversight and operational aspects.

What Is a Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay falls under the category of student application essays and serves to provide student admissions officers with insight into your past leadership experiences. Despite appearing to be very specific, this type of essay acknowledges that the nature and perception of leadership can vary significantly depending on the individual and the context.

 If you find yourself in need of further insights or a unique angle for your leadership essay, consider exploring an expert essay-writing tool designed to assist students in crafting compelling narratives by analyzing vast data and generating fresh ideas within minutes. In this article, we'll also delve into various leadership essay examples to offer a clearer understanding of the genre and inspire your writing journey.

4 Examples of Leadership Essays

Qualities of a good leader, introduction.

Confidence is the most important attribute first of all. One of the most important qualities in a leader is confidence in one's own abilities. A lack of self-assurance is fatal to a person's leadership potential. If you want others to follow you, you need to exude self-assurance. It's imperative for a leader to have faith in his own judgment and actions. How can people want to follow him if he doesn't even know what he's doing?

Every effective leader knows that they need to be an inspiration to their followers. A leader needs to set an example for his team. In addition, he ought to inspire them whenever feasible. A leader must also maintain optimism in trying times.

What qualities a good leader must have?

Leadership is the ability to influence and guide individuals or groups toward a common goal. A leader must possess several qualities to be effective, including:

Communication skills: A leader must be able to communicate their vision and goals clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. This requires excellent listening skills, empathy, and the ability to adapt to different communication styles.

Emotional intelligence: A leader must be able to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as those of their team members. This includes being able to understand and respond to the emotions of others, and handling conflicts in a constructive manner.

Visionary: A leader must have a clear and inspiring vision of the future, and be able to articulate this vision in a way that motivates others to work towards it.

Strategic thinking: A leader must be able to think critically and creatively to identify and solve problems, make decisions, and develop plans and strategies to achieve their goals.

Flexibility: A leader must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and be open to new ideas and perspectives. This requires the ability to embrace change, be innovative, and continuously learn and grow.

Integrity: A leader must have strong ethics and values, and be willing to make difficult decisions that are consistent with their beliefs. This requires honesty, transparency, and accountability.

Decisiveness: A leader must be able to make tough decisions quickly, without undue hesitation or procrastination. This requires courage and the ability to take calculated risks.

Empowerment: A leader must be able to delegate responsibilities, give team members the resources they need to succeed, and foster a sense of ownership and accountability among their team.

Conclusion 

These qualities are essential for effective leadership, and when combined with hard work, determination, and a commitment to excellence, can help leaders to achieve great things.

How one can be a Great Leader?

Leadership is the act of performing the duties of a leader. In the business world, for instance, it is essential to have someone in charge of a team to ensure everything runs well. Effective leadership is essential for any group that wants to maximize its prospects of success.

Leadership Comes from Experience

As we've shown, leadership can be innate in some cases but is more often learned through practice and exposure. Sometimes the best traits of a leader must be learned over a lengthy period of time, so that one can become a notable one, proving that leadership is not always about a person's innate qualities. Leaders should continuously be on the lookout for opportunities to grow their leadership skills.

Nobody can disagree that experience is a key component of leadership. Numerous examples exist to back up this claim, such as:

Instance 1:

Our school's head boy or girl has traditionally been an older student who has been around for a while and thus has a better grasp of the ins and outs of school politics.

Instance 2:

When there is a vacancy for a team leader, it is common practice for the employee who has consistently put in the most effort and attention to the office job to receive a higher number of votes than their coworkers. 

“The best teacher for a leader is evaluated experience.” - John C. Maxwell

How one can be a Great Leader/Skills to be a Great Leader?

Effective leadership is a skill that develops through time. Developing into a leader with all the qualities that are needed takes a lot of hard work and potential. Being a prominent leader calls for a wide variety of traits. Some of these characteristics are addressed in further detail below:

One should be a Good Communicator

To be an effective leader, one must be able to convey his thoughts clearly to his/her/its subordinates.

Should have Confidence

The individual should have faith in what he says and does.

Give Credit to other Team Members too

A leader not only needs to impose his viewpoints and opinions instead he must also hear to the suggestions of other members of the team and offer them credit if their concept is appropriate.

Good Bond with the Team

A leader's ability to command respect from his team members depends on his ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with them.

Leads with Responsibility

A leader needs to be completely committed to his position. It's important that he takes on responsibility so that he can effectively deal with the various challenges he will inevitably face.

Any group or organization needs a leader above all else. Leadership development takes time and effort. One needs to have lived through a lot to be an effective leader. It's not enough to simply have years of experience in the field; one must also have the traits that make one an effective leader. You can't be a great leader unless you possess certain traits.

What makes a Good Leader?

Trying one's hand as a leader appears easy when viewed through this lens. Is that so tough? Of course not; leading is difficult, and not everyone aspires to be a leader. The vast majority of us have settled into well-established careers where we report to superiors and make a living. Still, not everyone is content to go along with the crowd. They become leaders in whatever field they pursue. A leader is an example to followers and will prioritize the needs of those around them.

Some Unique Qualities of a Leader

Many individuals resort to their leaders to vent their frustrations, therefore it's important for them to be good listeners.

A leader ought to be completely forthright; they can't play favorites or give anyone preferential treatment. One of the most essential qualities of a strong leader is the ability to make decisions with integrity.

They need to be aware of the bigger picture and understand what makes an individual stand out or become a leader. It's their expertise in addition to other distinguishing traits. Their awareness of current events and the results of recent studies is essential. In many ways, this is helpful, and it's the leader's responsibility to stay current.

Since some might not understand them, they should utilize straightforward, easily comprehended language. Leaders need to be able to communicate effectively at all times. In reality, what sets them apart is their exceptional communication skills. Adolf Hitler was such a gifted orator that his followers believed every word he said.

No matter how you're feeling or what's going on in the world, if you listen to a leader, they may make you feel energized. Since leaders are in charge of inspiring confidence in their followers, they can't afford to be wary or unsure of themselves. People tend to blindly follow their leaders.

Whether you're a leader or a doctor, you should devote yourself completely to your chosen field. Everything we do is for the benefit of others; engineers, for example, spend much of their time designing and constructing buildings for other people. So, take pride in what you do, and if you possess the aforementioned traits, you are also a leader who doesn't have to rely on others to succeed. No matter what you do, aspiring to leadership positions will always benefit others.

What is Leadership in Management and what are the weaknesses and strengths of a Leader?

Simply said, leadership is acting as a supervisor or manager of a group. Different mental pictures pop up when we hear the word "leadership" used in conversation. One might think of a political leader, team leader, corporate leader, school leader, etc. Leaders facilitate order and efficiency in the workplace. Teamwork and success are fundamental to effective leadership. Leaders utilize their managerial abilities to establish courses and guide their teams to success.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Leadership

Able to express oneself more clearly

Growth of character.

Self-awareness.

Possession of teamwork skills.

Gain assurance in yourself.

Weaknesses:

Acting favorably toward one's teammates.

Having no faith in the leader.

Thinks they're better than everyone else, but act hypocritically.

Not living up to the promised standard.

Insufficient morals.

Leadership and Management

Management and leadership are inextricably linked to one another. Leadership and management are both vital to the efficient operation of an organization; but, they accomplish very different things in the process. Leadership is a necessary skill for anyone aspiring to be an effective manager. The terms management and leadership are synonymous with one another. In this manner, we are able to draw the conclusion that a manager who demonstrates the traits of a successful leader is, in fact, a manager who is effective.

Leadership in School

Leadership is essential in nearly every group, as we've seen above. That group includes one's educational institution. Every school needs an outstanding figure to serve as its head of school. Class monitor, assembly captain, cultural leader, etc. are all examples of leadership roles that can be taken on at school, but this raises the question of what makes a person a successful school leader.

Any student hoping to be chosen as a student body leader will need to demonstrate a wide range of competencies. He or she needs to be a consistent student who pays attention in class and does well in extracurricular activities. For the simple reason that no intelligent and hardworking kid would ever be considered for leadership. Student leaders are most often selected from among those who participate fully in all activities.

Leadership in Organization

Leadership in an organization, also known as organizational leadership, is the process of establishing long-term objectives that further the company's mission and help it reach its ultimate destination. This is a classic illustration of how Bill Gates often works with his team: they agree on a strategy, and Gates implements it. To the same extent, it is the responsibility of the leader in each given organization to determine what it is that the group is trying to accomplish.

Leadership in Politics

Leadership in politics, also known as political leadership, is the process of becoming actively involved in a political party in the role of a party leader. Knowledge of political processes, their outcomes, and the political agenda is central to the idea of political leadership.

An effective leader can be developed in anyone who has the determination and drives to do so. Both the strengths and the areas for improvement should be nurtured. Whether in the classroom, the workplace, or the political arena, leadership is always necessary. Therefore, one can exercise leadership anywhere they like inside their own organization.

What are the types of Leadership?

The ability to lead is a rare trait that not everyone possesses. The ability to do so is a gift, so count your blessings if you possess it. It's recommended that you hone it even more so that you can propel your career forward and serve as an example to people around you. However, it is crucial to grasp the various leadership styles before you go ahead and polish your skills.

Types of Leadership Styles

Democratic Leadership

In this style of management, subordinates are given a voice in decision-making. Although the subordinates' efforts are highlighted, the leader is ultimately held responsible for the group's actions. Many people find this type of leadership to be effective.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders motivate and inspire others to adopt new behaviors and ways of thinking in order to improve their own performance and that of their teams and organizations. A transformational leader is someone who encourages their team to strive for greater things and works to boost morale and output.

Team Leadership

A good leader fully incorporates his team into the task at hand. Members of the team are motivated to reach their goals and advance in their careers thanks to the leadership of the group.

Strategic Leadership

It requires a chief executive who doesn't restrict himself to brainstorming sessions with his superiors. He contributes on every level of the team. He is well-liked for his ability to unite the need for fresh ideas with the necessity of grounding them in reality.

Autocratic Leadership

The leader in a command and control structure is the center of attention. The chief executive has absolute power in this setting. He decides things on his own, without polling his staff. He relays this information to his staff and stresses the importance of swift action. The buck stops with him, and he alone must answer for his actions. Not much room for negotiation exists. It's no secret that this method of leading has its detractors.

Visionary Leadership

This kind of leader appreciates the abilities and requirements of his team members. He describes his ideal outcome and the teamwork that will be necessary to attain it.

Coaching Leadership

Leaders who coach their teams do so regularly in an effort to raise output. He inspires his employees to do better and works to keep them motivated. This approach to leadership has been much praised.

Facilitative Leadership

With occasional guidance, a facilitative leader ensures that the process runs smoothly for his team. As a precaution in case his team is ineffective. If the team is highly effective, the leader will take a hands-off approach.

Cross-Cultural Leadership

The leadership of this type is necessary when interacting with people from various cultural backgrounds. Because of the wide variety of cultures represented in the workforce across the United States, many managers and executives hold cross-cultural positions.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

The members of the team are given responsibility in this style of management. They are free to choose how they spend their time at work, with minimal oversight from the boss. It's not a good way to lead, according to experts.

Transactional Leadership

An interactive approach is integral to this kind of leadership. When team members successfully implement their leader's ideas and choices, they are rewarded with immediate, material benefits.

Charismatic Leadership

In order to bring out the best in his followers, this kind of leader makes the effort to change their attitudes, values, and actions.

This article should dispel the notion that leadership qualities can't be further subdivided. It should also assist you in pinpointing your own personal brand of leadership so you can perfect it over time.

Final Words

In conclusion, leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept that involves various qualities and skills. Effective leaders possess traits such as integrity, vision, empathy, decisiveness, and the ability to inspire and motivate others. They are able to navigate challenges, make difficult decisions, and lead their team toward success. Leadership also involves continuous learning and self-improvement, as leaders must adapt to changing circumstances and remain relevant. Effective leadership can have a positive impact on both individuals and organizations, fostering growth and creating a culture of success.

You can use Jenni.ai to quickly compose an essay on leadership, or any other topic, of your choosing. It's a fantastic choice that promises convenience and relief. Create an essay on any topic in a matter of minutes with the help of our AI-powered program. Membership is immediately available upon your free registration here.

You can use Jenni.ai to quickly compose an essay on leadership, or any other topic, of your choosing. It's a fantastic choice that promises convenience and relief. Create an essay on any topic in a matter of minutes with the help of our AI-powered program. Sign up on Jenni.ai and get a free trial.

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How to Effectively Demonstrate Leadership in MBA Essays

May 14, 2021

UPDATE: This article was originally posted on April 12, 2019. It has been updated with new information and tips below. 

Sitting down to compose your MBA admissions essays, you may be wondering what you should write about in the first place. While there are many different strategies that can lead to an effective essay , there is one thing that you definitely need to include: a will and capability for leadership .

Leadership, more than almost any other single quality, is one of the top things schools look for in their candidates. Some schools have even decided to dedicate an entire essay to their value of strong leadership. Take Kellogg’s essay A prompt, for example, which reads:

“Kellogg’s Purpose is to educate, equip & inspire brave leaders who create lasting value. Tell us about a time you have demonstrated leadership and created lasting value. What challenges did you face, and what did you learn?” (450 words)

Other schools, on the other hand, specifically ask about leadership as an element of essays or understand leadership to be an implicit part of the answer they are looking for, like Chicago Booth’s essay 2 prompt: 

“Chicago Booth immerses you in a choice-rich environment. How have your interests, leadership experiences, and other passions influenced the choices in your life?” (250 word minimum) 

This means that it is absolutely imperative that you clearly demonstrate your leadership capabilities in your essays . 

Your essay may be a masterful piece of writing, but only with the element of leadership is it likely to be successful and land you a spot in your top MBA program. 

Why is demonstrating leadership so important for elite MBA programs?

All business schools value leadership in their candidates. However, leadership has many different facets and forms , a fact that becomes clear when looking at schools – and what they value – in depth. 

Berkeley Haas, for example, connects leadership with their value of innovation . Specifically, Berkeley’s full-time MBA program features four Defining Leadership Principles . These include Confidence without Attitude, Question the Status Quo, Students Always , and Beyond Yourself . Berkeley sees each of these as an integral part of good leadership.

London Business School , on the other hand, sees leadership as an inherent and essential value for a global outlook,  one of their most important values. They write : 

“We nurture our students to challenge the status quo, to question the norm and to develop the skills to become the world’s best business leaders. Over the years we have adopted a truly global outlook tackling challenges faced by international businesses and their leaders.” ​  

For LBS, the qualities of leadership and having a global mindset go hand-in-hand.

This list goes on and on. IESE sees leadership as an essential prerequisite for impact , one of their greatest focuses; Wharton specifically offers training for global leadership capabilities through their Leadership Ventures ; Booth – a school heavily focused on community – views leadership as a fundamental element of that value . 

Given the different forms of leadership that each school values, how you showcase your own will change depending on which application you’re completing. So be sure to choose stories and lessons learned that align with the school you’re applying to. 

Of course, not only do these schools look for leadership in their candidates, they also offer explicit opportunities for developing and polishing leadership skills in their students. 

It is clear that leadership is extremely important in MBA programs, the work you do post-MBA, and of course, to the MBA admission committee. 

Leadership comes in many different forms

As you can see from above, there is no one definition of leadership that schools adhere to . In fact, because leadership can be tied into so many different values, there are many different ways to demonstrate it effectively in your MBA admissions essay. 

Here are some ideas about how to show leadership:

1. Innovative ideas

Leadership can be shown through an ability and desire to innovate . This can be coming up with a new product at a company, developing a new idea for a business, or helping an existing company capture a market opportunity that may not have been obvious before. By coming up with a creative new idea, you can show that you took the lead to help a company become more successful. 

Take a look at this example. Here, in his essay for Harvard Business School , our client Bruno demonstrated his capacity for leadership by applying data: 

“While working on a marketing and sales project for a large telecommunications company in Brazil, I was responsible for translating all the knowledge we had created with machine learning into segmented offerings, client retention actions, and up-selling initiatives. Combining industry expertise with the insights generated, I identified a 10% margin increase in the company’s mobile business, a market that is highly competitive and usually seen as margin-deteriorating. This experience made me realize that corporations need people who can guide them to make intelligent use of data.”

As you can see, identifying an opportunity to grow a business can be used to help show off your potential as a leader, especially as an entrepreneur. 

2. Helping others

This can be applied to both personal or professional situations. Maybe there was a time when your family was struggling financially, so you stepped in to offer your support? Maybe you had a colleague who couldn’t get their work done on time, so you helped them organize their priorities better and grow as a professional? Both of these instances show how you guided others through challenging experiences by relying on your leadership skills. 

This value can also be strongly related to impact and community , ideas that are becoming increasingly important within MBA programs . In many instances, leadership skills can be connected to a professional endeavor that helped a company create value for others. This is a great way to show how helping others revealed or helped you train your own leadership skills. 

Take a look at this example from a client’s application to Wharton last year:

“To escape Rio de Janeiro’s perilous, impoverished favelas, education and employment are the only way out. During university, I came to understand this while mentoring a group of underprivileged students. Despite wanting to attend school, my students often missed class due to active shootouts between gangs and police, on top of the many other challenges of living in favelas. Through this experience, I became aware of my role in society and how I could directly impact other’s lives.”

Here, our client Conrado used his experiences of mentoring others to understand his ability for impactful leadership. Not only does this help you underline the impact of your achievements, but also reveals a deeper aspect of your personality.

3. Taking initiative

Showing your desire and ability to be proactive can easily overlap with either of the two suggestions above. Often, recognizing a problem – either in your personal life or professional environment – and deciding to do something about it is a great way to demonstrate leadership. 

This is especially true if the problem was something nobody else had identified – or even blatantly denied existed. Here, your will to take the steps to fix it might be the perfect way to show your potential as a leader and self-starter while highlighting your drive and motivation.

4. Community and teamwork

A sense of community and working in teams is an essential value for many top MBA programs. Highlighting your leadership role does not mean you were working individually or only at the head of a team. Leadership can be also demonstrated through your ability to promote teamwork and collaboration. 

An important part of teamwork is being a team member who is not afraid to speak up, proactively solve problems, include others, or put new ideas on the table . 

By taking on a leadership role, even a minor one, within your community or team, you help further collective success and often multiply your impact. This is an awesome quality to demonstrate in your MBA essay. 

This can be a great opportunity to utilize extra-professional examples in your MBA essays. Take a look at another strategy Bruno used in one of his Columbia Business School essays:

“We’ve just stopped to catch some air, a scarce resource above 6000 meters. All members of the expedition are feeling mental exhaustion, but we fight it with team spirit. I nod heads with each member, making sure signals are clear. Each and every one of us is responsible for encouraging the others not to give up and for knowing when to tell a teammate to stop because going forward might risk their life. Lucky for all of us, now is not that time.”

Here, Bruno does an excellent job utilizing storytelling to help show how he is a leader within the group. As you can see, leadership can be evident even in stories of personal and group achievement.

5. Taking a leap of faith

Good leadership is not just about making data-backed decisions. Much more, it entails taking risks and using your intuition to navigate the complicated worlds of interpersonal communication, timing, and networking. 

This can not only highlight your courage but also your ability to push the envelope and create new solutions and possibilities.

For example, you could demonstrate leadership by telling the story of how your confidence in a subordinate helped them grow to become a more mature professional and enrich your team as a whole. It may also manifest itself through the idea to start a new business, despite not knowing if you will reach success. 

6. Getting out of your comfort zone

Leadership can also be recognized in the desire to get outside one’s comfort zone. Adcoms are looking for individuals who are ready to take full advantage of their MBA programs, which requires a willingness to learn and grow. This is an especially good tactic if you want to show attributes of global or international leadership, a characteristic that is especially valuable for European schools like LBS, INSEAD, or IESE. 

For example, spending a year in a foreign country can help you understand intercultural connotations of business in ways you could never have experienced before or how to communicate in completely new ways. 

Demonstrating leadership by getting out of your comfort zone can be expanded to experiences about polishing foreign language skills, helping international colleagues understand your home region, or expanding a business internationally. All of these can reveal and train global leadership skills and intercultural competencies – something all schools are looking for in their candidates. 

7. Straightforward leadership positions

Of course, we cannot forget the most obvious way to demonstrate leadership. If you have taken on an explicit leadership position within your company or organization, this is a great way to express this value to the admissions committee. 

Professional leadership positions can include leading teams, guiding clients through transformation processes, presenting results to senior leadership, or taking on a senior leadership position itself. If you have had experiences like this, be sure to include them – and the challenges you faced – in your MBA admissions essay. 

These ideas not only help you demonstrate leadership in your MBA essay, they might also give you bonus points for connecting leadership to other values a school might share, like community, innovation, teamwork, creativity, and a drive to make an impact. 

Tips for demonstrating effective leadership

Naturally, just explaining one of the above situations in your essay will not cut it. There are a few other things that you should keep in mind and try to apply when focusing on leadership in your MBA essay. 

Use the STAR method

Telling a story that thoroughly highlights your leadership role does not automatically mean it will be compelling. Often, candidates fail to show how leadership was necessary – in other words, what the problem was that required them to take on a leadership position in the first place.

That is where storytelling – and specifically the STAR method – comes in. The STAR method will help you highlight not just the problem that you faced, but also your specific role in solving it that led to success. 

STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action , and Results . If you want to make your story about leadership convincing, you must include all of these elements. This translates to:

Situation – clearly presenting the context for your story.

Task – demonstrating that there was a problem to be solved or a challenge to be faced.

Action – showing exactly what you did to solve that problem or overcome that challenge.

Results – the outcome of your actions. This can range from personal growth to helping other individuals to producing company-wide results. 

In this example, our client Karen effectively used the STAR method in her Kellogg essay to show leadership initiative at her mother’s store:

“I learned the value of hard work early, as a child helping in my mother’s gift shop, serving customers and wrapping gifts. (Situation) Once the boom of social media started, I saw the opportunity to leverage this technology to improve our business – this could attract more customers, increase revenues, and keep our financials organized. Simultaneously, I realized I wouldn’t be able to help in the store once I left for university (Task) , so I taught my mom to use the computer to manage our Facebook page and financials (Action) . The fulfillment of providing my mother with the tools and skills necessary to run and improve her business – increasing sales by 10% – is indescribable (Results) .”

Using STAR is a great way to make your leadership role very clear throughout your essay and utilize storytelling strategies successfully. 

At Ellin Lolis Consulting , we believe that one of the keys to a compelling essay is effective storytelling. This technique transforms your example of leadership from a stale image that adcoms have heard a thousand times to a colorful journey that highlights you as unique and valuable to their community.

Highlighting your role

Your MBA essay is the place to discuss your personal achievements . Don’t sell yourself short in your essay! Telling a story about leadership that does not thoroughly explain your part will not be a good demonstration of leadership. 

This means that it is important to show the admissions committee what you specifically did in your story. Just saying that you were part of a team that produced fantastic results will not achieve this. Instead, you must show them how your work – what you did and how you did it – was essential for collective or individual success. 

Even if a success was only possible due to the work of your entire team, it’s still important to show how your actions complemented those of your colleagues. Not only does this allow the readers to see your contributions, but also demonstrates your capacity for collaboration!

Combining personal and professional examples

We have already established that leadership can manifest itself in many different forms, and that admissions committees see it that way, too. 

This means that the adcom is not only looking for your professional leadership experiences – or that they will condemn you for demonstrating leadership in your personal life. In fact, a good mix helps the adcom understand that you have a well-rounded, flexible understanding of what leadership means. 

For example, last year, our client Thais wanted to show leadership via the theme “grow by growing others”. To do so, she included the following stories in her Berkeley Haas essays :

• Teaching fellow children how to read as a child
• Mentoring younger students during university
• Professionally mapping NGO efforts to coordinate the distribution of their impact more evenly throughout Brazil

Don’t be afraid to include personal examples of leadership – this may help to reinforce your multi-faceted capabilities as a leader even more in your MBA essay. This is also a great way to show a clear pattern of leadership.

Show a pattern of leadership

When writing your MBA essay, it is good to not just show a single instance of leadership, but instead to demonstrate how your tendency for leadership is part of your brand using multiple stories. 

Of course, this only applies to prompts that do not ask for only a single experience (unlike Kellogg’s essay B!)

For example, you could show how you led a school club as a teenager, started a project at an NGO during college, and went on to lead recruiting initiates at your current consulting firm. This way, the adcom has a number of examples to go on to understand that you will make for a good leader in the future. 

Often, the greatest way to demonstrate a pattern of leadership is by establishing it via your central theme .

Leadership and theme

A theme is a great way to connect your message to your reader. A theme is a central topic that is reinforced throughout your essay via one or more stories. If you are curious about how to effectively apply a theme in your MBA essay, check out this article .

Many candidates decide to use leadership as their central theme in one or more of their essays. This is a great strategy and is definitely a winning possibility. However, you can also choose a theme with a bit more subtlety and still create an effective argument for leadership. 

To demonstrate, let’s take another look at Kellogg’s essay B. Their question specifically asks candidates to talk about a (single!) past leadership experience.

Last fall, our client Carolina began her essay with: 

“While the choreographed movements of a ballet dancer are polished and graceful, the journey to reach this result is full of setbacks. Although I no longer practice ballet, I have benefited from the discipline and determination I developed as a ballet dancer, applying these strengths to my professional and personal life.”

Here, Carolina uses ballet to help the reader visualize discipline and determination. She goes on to explain that she later used these traits to successfully demonstrate her leadership capabilities to overcome hurdles while implementing a membership program at her company. 

She ends her essay like this: 

“Although the membership program was successful, it required overcoming many setbacks through a rigorous execution process. Like ballet dancing, the completed project shows little of the work that went into it or the learnings I acquired along the way. Ultimately, it gave me the opportunity to lead a very diverse team, learn about a new industry, and strategically collaborate to achieve impressive results.”

As you can see, she uses the theme ballet to focus the reader on specific leadership qualities (discipline and determination) that helped her succeed in her career.

This strategy will work for other schools and essay prompts just as well. If your answer to Stanford’s What Matters Most to You and Why is quality leadership, you may be able to express that best with a metaphor. 

Our client Isabella, for example, began her essay like this: 

“What matters most to me is watering plants. Not any plant, but the ones that insist on growing, even when lacking nutrients and sunshine.” 

She continues her essay by explaining how, by overcoming bias and obstacles in her own life, she was able to grow into a leader who helped others overcome their own obstacles as well, thus “watering plants that insist on growing.”

As you can see, it is possible to demonstrate leadership in your MBA essay indirectly and implicitly – and even in unique, creative ways. Choosing your theme like this may even help reveal a new side of your personality that the admissions committee might not have otherwise been exposed to.

Don’t be afraid of conflict

In life, we work hard to avoid conflict as much as possible, yet when it comes to stories, conflict and tensions are not only important, but essential to captivating attention. 

Would Breaking Bad have been as interesting if Walter White was already an established drug lord when the show started? Probably not. Watching him take the news of his cancer diagnosis and find an unusual way to drum up the money for treatment is just what makes the show so addictive. 

Conflict and how our “hero” (in this case, you!) solves the challenge is at the core of any good story, so make sure you use the STAR method to clearly set up the conflict you needed to navigate and then show how you took steps to turn this roadblock into one of your standout moments. 

Let’s take this essay for example. In an early version, the story was conflict-free. 

Upon joining MBB after graduation, another experience inspired personal growth. While abroad, I participated in recruiting processes for top consulting firms, and saw firsthand that MBB lagged behind in recruiting students pursuing dual degrees abroad. After joining, I created a dedicated process to recruit these top performers. Four months later, we had the first online connection event, which attracted more than 40 interested students. The program has since become an essential recruiting tool. I am proud to lead this internal team in contributing to MBB’s long-term success as we attract the talent we need to deliver high-impact results to clients.

Though this shows initiative on the applicant’s part, it is far less compelling than this version of events:

After graduating, I joined MBB, as it allowed me to channel my intellectual curiosity, explore various sectors and be an agent of change. While abroad, I participated in recruiting processes for other top consulting firms, and saw firsthand that MBB lagged behind in recruiting dual-degree students. After joining, I spoke with several partners about creating a program to solve this issue. The partners were hesitant, however, concerned they could not adequately evaluate candidates remotely. After demonstrating the implications of overlooking these high-potential candidates, I received permission to create a dedicated dual-degree recruiting process. Four months later, I had mobilized 10 colleagues, leading them in organizing BCG’s first online connection event. The program has since become an essential recruiting tool, bringing in more than 10% of our hires since inception.

Here, not only does she show initiative, she also shows she has an ability to clearly communicate and add value to her firm , even when the odds are stacked against her. This tactic shows development and engages the reader, making your story more memorable.

So, when writing your leadership essays, make sure to give your stories some much-needed drama to really demonstrate how much impact your actions generated!

Still struggling with leadership in your MBA essays?

There are many factors to consider when deciding how you will demonstrate leadership in your MBA essay. 

On the one hand, it is good to consider the multi-faceted nature of leadership. You will want to demonstrate multiple environments and ways in which you have been able to create impact. And just because you have never managed a team or become the leader of a school club does not mean you cannot show your leadership capabilities to the admissions committee. 

In fact, you may be able to prove to them that you are a leader through a number of other situations, like taking the initiative or innovation, and even simultaneously connect those situations to other things the school values. 

On the other hand, just selecting a story that demonstrates leadership is not enough – you must also present it in a way that is convincing . Using strategies like STAR, a mix of professional and personal examples, and reinforcing the message through your theme, you can make sure that the admissions committee remembers your unique value as a leader. 

Of course, understanding these concepts and applying them is not the same thing. 

Even more importantly, we can help you effectively highlight your desire to grow as a leader in your top MBA program and the global world of business beyond. After all, as Kellogg’s admissions point out , growth is a challenge confronted by every organization – and every leader. 

If you still find yourself struggling with these issues, we are happy to help! Our MBA essay editors at Ellin Lolis Consulting have the expertise you need to identify the right stories and approaches to discussing leadership for each school you’re applying to. We can help you polish your essay to really make your leadership experiences shine. 

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Tips for an Effective MBA Essay on Leadership

Do you want to get admitted into your dream business school? Doing so requires a good deal of forward thinking, especially when it comes to crafting a winning MBA essay on leadership. While there’s no miracle formula that guarantees acceptance, applying the right tips and tricks can give you an edge and make your application stands out from the rest.

If you’re wracking your brain for creative angles and insights about what makes great leaders tick, don’t worry – we’ve got some amazing advice that will help boost your chances of submitting the best possible leadership essay!

What is leadership and why is it so important in the MBA application process?

Leadership is an important quality to possess, especially when it comes to the MBA application process. Leadership is generally understood as the ability to motivate and guide a group of people towards a shared outcome or goal. Strong leadership skills are essential for any business professional because they demonstrate that you have the energy, confidence and organizational skills necessary to be successful in a managerial role.

In the MBA application process , admission committees look for applicants who have established leadership credentials through their academic and professional accomplishments, extracurricular involvement, community service and entrepreneurial activities. They also consider how applicants interact with peers during interviews and assess their communication, problem-solving and decision-making abilities. These qualities can be demonstrated through examples of leading teams in any context: professional, academic, extracurricular activities, community or volunteer work.

The size of the project or team doesn’t matter as much as your commitment to taking initiative and driving progress. The committee is interested in seeing how you have handled obstacles and challenges and worked towards positive outcomes. They want to see that you have actively sought out leadership roles and taken on responsibility for your success, no matter how small or large the project was. Ultimately, MBA admissions committees are looking for evidence that you are a leader who is capable of bringing vision, energy, and innovation to your studies and future career.

Here are a few tips to highlight your leadership skills in your MBA essays:

Prepare Ahead of Time

Starting early is important when it comes to writing an MBA essay on leadership that effectively presents your skills and experiences in a unique and compelling way. The earlier you begin the process, the more time you have to brainstorm ideas, research topics, edit drafts, and perfect your essay. In addition to having plenty of time to craft an exceptional essay, starting early allows for ample feedback from peers or mentors who could help identify any areas of improvement or provide additional insight into how best to highlight relevant experiences. By beginning the MBA essay-writing process early on, you can get an edge over other applicants by ensuring your application stands out for its originality and quality. This will not only make your application stronger but will also create a lasting impression on admissions readers—something that could make the difference between getting accepted and being rejected .

Showcase Your Vulnerability

It’s often easy to think of leaders as untouchable, all-knowing beings who possess all the answers. To effectively demonstrate leadership in your MBA essays , start by showcasing your vulnerability. Admissions teams are looking for individuals who can lead by example and inspire others to follow their lead. Therefore, it’s crucial to show that you’re human, just like everyone else.

This involves acknowledging personal weaknesses and mistakes that you have experienced in the past, as well as demonstrating how those experiences have shaped your ability to lead with confidence and humility. Additionally, talking about any moments of self-reflection or growth when it comes to developing your leadership skills is a great way to demonstrate vulnerability. Don’t be afraid to talk openly and honestly about the challenges you’ve faced while attempting to develop yourself into a better leader; such stories will show admissions officers that you are not afraid to take risks and that you’re willing to accept constructive criticism.

Lastly, make sure to emphasize how these lessons have informed your current leadership style so that it’s clear you have come a long way since the moments of vulnerability. Doing so will show that you are confident and resilient in the face of any leadership challenges you may encounter in the future.

Emphasize On Your Strengths

When writing your MBA essays , focus on your strengths as they directly align with leadership. Enumerate how you have applied these strengths in your professional or personal life, and how you plan on utilizing them in your MBA program and beyond.

You should focus on the ways in which you have effectively managed teams or projects in the past, how you have demonstrated a capacity for creative problem-solving, and how you have successfully communicated with colleagues and stakeholders. Examples of such strengths could include motivating those around you to strive for excellence, inspiring others to work collaboratively towards a common goal, or making sound decisions quickly under pressure. Additionally, when discussing your achievements be sure to provide specific details rather than generalizations as this will help create a stronger case for your candidacy.

Demonstrate Selflessness

To stand out, showcase your willingness to serve those around you, rather than solely focusing on your achievements. Leaders who are selfless are often given the most significant tasks and responsibilities. Highlight your contributions to your workplace or the community at large, and how your actions helped those around you. Additionally, highlight how you seek out the opinions of those you lead in decision-making processes.

For example, you can highlight how you took initiative in organizing volunteer activities or encouraged a team to work together towards shared goals despite personal sacrifices. Other examples may include how you used your expertise and resources to help those less fortunate than you and how you were able to generate enthusiasm within a team even when faced with great challenges.

In addition to showcasing tangible examples of selfless leadership, your should also be sure to explain why you chose to act in a selfless manner. By writing about your motivation and thought process, you can better illustrate the depth of your character and commitment to serve others.

Make your essays thoroughly engaging

Writing MBA essays can be challenging as they can seem lengthy and uninteresting. To capture the attention of your reader and avoid rejection, it’s important to make your essays engaging and unique. One way to achieve this is by using wit and humour while remaining relevant and professional.

To make an MBA essay on leadership truly engaging, it is also important to focus on developing a well-structured argument that carefully considers both the practicalities and theory of leadership. Begin by outlining your main position regarding leadership, then use evidence from personal experience as well as examples from notable leaders in history to back up your arguments. Make sure to utilize data and research whenever possible, as well as provide clear explanations for why you believe your specific approach is effective.

Finally, don’t forget to include relevant anecdotes or stories that illustrate how the ideas discussed can be applied in real-world situations. By taking this comprehensive approach when writing MBA essays on leadership, readers will find them far more engaging and interesting than if they were simply a list of facts.

Another great way for your essays to be engaging is to avoid rambling and stay on course.You can achieve this by using the STAR method. The STAR acronym stands for Situation, Task, Action, and Result; each word representing an aspect of a successful application essay. By considering these four components together when crafting essays, you can create an impactful narrative that highlights your individual accomplishments in a cohesive manner.

The Situation component describes the context and circumstances surrounding the accomplishment or experience being discussed in the essay; this includes when and where it occurred.

The Task outlines what was expected from you in regards to the situation at hand; here you explain what obstacles had to be overcome to reach success.

The Action portion details how you went about completing the task – including any strategies adopted – to reach the desired result.

Lastly, the Result part of the STAR method is where your write about what was achieved and you demonstrate why it was a success.

By following this format, you can effectively highlight your achievements while also exhibiting strong storytelling skills that will help set you apart from other candidates. Ultimately, utilizing the STAR method when crafting an essay ensures that both admissions officers receive a comprehensive overview of an your capabilities as well as how you approach difficult challenges in your work environment.

Show your leadership values

Leadership is more than just power and authority. It’s also about possessing crucial values like integrity, empathy, and accountability. In your MBA essay on leadership, showcase how you incorporate these values into your leadership style. For instance, share stories about times when you took initiative by initiating projects or solving problems. Talk about instances where you displayed strong communication skills in order to effectively collaborate with others. Showcase any moments where you demonstrated resilience while overcoming difficult challenges or tasks. All of these examples will help emphasize your leadership capacity and prove that you are prepared to take on the demands of an MBA program. By effectively conveying your leadership values and qualities, you can make a strong case for yourself as an ideal candidate for admissions.

Additionally, providing examples of how you have led in past experiences can also be beneficial to demonstrate your commitment to becoming a better leader. Talk about any opportunities or initiatives that you took part in that helped build up your skills such as joining student organizations, attending seminars and conferences, or participating in team projects. These activities help showcase your drive and capability to continue learning and growing which makes for an even more compelling essay.

Highlight your unique leadership style

Every person is different; similarly, every leader has a distinct style that suits them. Highlighting your leadership style in your MBA essay will show the admission committee how you differ from other applicants and your potential as a future leader. This can be done by discussing specific examples of occasions when you have demonstrated leadership qualities such as taking initiative in a difficult situation, demonstrating creativity and problem-solving skills, or displaying strong communication and interpersonal skills. You may also want to discuss how you have learned from mistakes or challenges which were difficult for you at first, but that you overcame successfully. Doing so will help demonstrate that you are self-aware and reflective about your own strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Highlighting these moments in your essay will give admissions officers a better understanding of the type of leader you are and how well you will fit into their program.

Show how you plan to grow as a leader

Your MBA program is an opportunity for you to grow into a better leader. So, use your MBA essay to show the admission committee how you plan to take your leadership skills to the next level. You can talk about the specific skills you want to learn or the challenges you want to take on in the program. This will demonstrate your eagerness to grow and be a standout leader in your field.

Examples of ways to demonstrate this could include discussing how taking courses related to leadership will help expand your knowledge and understanding of the topic, or how participating in professional development activities such as conferences and seminars can help hone existing abilities and develop new ones.

Additionally, showcasing examples from past experiences of when you have successfully navigated difficult situations by demonstrating strong leadership qualities can be a powerful way to demonstrate your commitment to improving yourself. These types of anecdotes provide a tangible example of the kind of growth you are willing to pursue and provide an opportunity for the admissions committee to envision you as a successful leader in the future.

By demonstrating your desire and ability to grow, you can show that you are serious about developing yourself as a leader and will be ready to take on any challenges that may come with it once enrolled in an MBA program.

Demonstrating your leadership skills effectively in your MBA essay on leadership is a must to stand out from other applicants. It’s not just about displaying how great or impressive you are, but rather how you can lead and add value to the MBA program and the business world. When you focus on your individual power and potential, your story can be empowering and engaging. Your journey has its own value, so share it when you are writing about leadership. Believe in yourself and have confidence in the story you want to tell. Make a memorable essay that showcases your leadership abilities and sets you apart from others. If you need further help with crafting your MBA essay, don’t forget to check out our MBA essay services . We’ll make sure your application essays show off the very best of who you are – taking your application to the next level! Got questions about the application process or would like to get a quick assessement of your existing draft? Sign up for a consultation or send us your draft for a free assessment, it’s FREE!

With a Master’s from McGill University and a Ph.D. from New York University, Philippe Barr is the founder of The Admit Lab . As a tenure-track professor, Philippe spent a decade teaching and serving on several graduate admission committees at UNC-Chapel Hill before turning to full-time consulting. With more than seven years of experience as a graduate school admissions consultant, Philippe has stewarded the candidate journey across multiple master’s and Ph.D. programs and helped hundreds of students get admitted to top-tier graduate programs all over the world .

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Guide to Writing a Stellar Leadership Essay (With Essay on Leadership Examples)

Apr 5, 2024 | 0 comments

Apr 5, 2024 | Blog | 0 comments

 Writing a leadership essay can be daunting for many students, as it requires a deep understanding of what makes a great leader and how to effectively convey those characteristics to a reader. To excel in this type of assignment, one must first understand the qualities that make a good leader, such as communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and the ability to inspire others. Additionally, it is important to provide specific examples and anecdotes supporting your claims and demonstrating your leadership experience. This article will explore the key components of a successful leadership essay, including how to structure your essay, develop a strong thesis statement, and effectively incorporate evidence to support your arguments. By following these tips and guidelines, you will be well on your way to crafting a compelling and persuasive leadership essay that showcases your unique qualities as a leader. 

How To Write A Leadership Essay: Step-by-Step Guide

Crafting a standout leadership essay requires a methodical approach that covers key stages, from understanding the prompt to polishing your final draft. In the sections below, we’ll guide you through the step-by-step process of writing an impactful leadership essay that showcases your unique perspective and qualifications.

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Are you struggling to craft a leadership essay that truly captures your unique experiences and qualifications? Our step-by-step guide and expert college application essay writing help will transform your leadership narrative and propel you towards your dreams!

Step 1: Understanding the Essay Prompt

When crafting a standout leadership essay, the first step is to understand the prompt or instructions given thoroughly. Whether you’re writing a college application essay, a scholarship essay, or a general essay on leadership, it’s crucial to analyze the prompt and identify the key points and requirements.

What exactly are the admissions officers or evaluators looking for? Are they interested in your leadership abilities, experiences in a leadership position, or your idea of leadership in general? Carefully dissecting the prompt will help you determine the focus of your essay and ensure that you address all the necessary elements.

Once you have a solid grasp of the prompt, it’s time to start brainstorming ideas. What are the most significant leadership roles you’ve held? What examples of leadership best showcase your kind of leadership and leadership style? Jot down any relevant experiences, skills, or insights you can potentially incorporate into your essay.

Step 2: Research and Preparation

With the prompt in mind, it’s time to dive into your research and preparation. Start by gathering relevant information and sources to help you build a strong foundation for your essay. This might include academic articles on leadership and management, biographies of influential leaders, or even interviews with team members who have witnessed your good leadership in action.

Consider conducting your interviews or surveys to gain first-hand insights into your leadership abilities. Talking to members of the team you’ve led or colleagues who have observed your ways of leading can provide valuable perspectives that you can weave into your essay.

As you gather your research, begin organizing and outlining your essay. This will help you structure your thoughts and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider the key elements of a well-structured leadership essay: the introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

Step 3: Structure of a Leadership Essay

Introduction

The introduction of your leadership essay is your chance to hook the reader and set the tone for the rest of your writing. It’s important to start strong and grab the reader’s attention from the first sentence.

One effective way to begin is with a compelling hook. This could be a thought-provoking quote about leadership, an anecdote that illustrates your unique leadership style, or a startling statistic highlighting the importance of good leadership. The goal is to pique the reader’s interest and make them eager to learn more about your perspective on leadership.

After the hook, you’ll want to provide some background information on leadership. This could include a brief overview of the concept of leadership, the key traits of a leader, or the significance of leadership and management in various contexts. Aim to give the reader a solid foundation for understanding the core themes and ideas you’ll explore in your essay.

Finally, you’ll want to introduce your thesis statement. This single sentence should clearly articulate your essay’s central message or argument, setting the stage for the rest of your writing. Your thesis should reflect your unique idea of leadership and the specific leadership abilities or experiences you plan to highlight.

Body Paragraphs

The body of your leadership essay is where you’ll explore your examples of leadership and leadership experiences in more detail. Each body paragraph should focus on a specific aspect of your kind of leadership, using concrete examples to support your claims.

Begin each paragraph with a clear topic sentence introducing the main idea or argument you’ll explore. From there, use vivid details, anecdotes, and evidence to paint a picture of your leadership style in action.

For instance, you might dedicate a paragraph to discussing when you had to lead a group and inspire others to achieve a common goal. Describe the situation, the challenges you faced, the actions you took, and the outcomes you achieved. This will demonstrate your leadership abilities and give the reader a deeper understanding of what your leadership means.

Another body paragraph might explore the leadership theories or styles that have influenced your own kind of leader. How have these ideas shaped your approach to problem-solving and decision-making? What examples of leadership can you draw upon to illustrate these principles in practice?

Throughout your body paragraphs, maintain a clear and logical flow. Use smooth transitions to guide the reader from one idea to the next and ensure that each paragraph builds upon the previous one to create a cohesive and compelling narrative.

The conclusion of your leadership essay is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the reader. Here, you’ll want to synthesize the key points of your essay and reinforce the significance of your leadership in essential experiences.

Begin by freshly restating your thesis statement , reminding the reader of the central message or argument you’ve been exploring. This helps to bring your essay full circle and solidify the main takeaway for the reader.

Next, summarize the most important examples of leadership and leadership abilities you’ve discussed throughout your essay. Highlight the key lessons you’ve learned and how your idea of leadership has evolved. This demonstrates your leadership ability and commitment to continuous growth and improvement.

Finally, conclude your essay by reflecting on the broader importance of good leadership. How do your personal experiences and insights relate to the larger concept of leadership? Why is it crucial for individuals to develop strong leadership skills to inspire people and accomplish the task? By connecting your essay to a larger societal or global context, you’ll leave the reader with a deeper appreciation for the value of leadership.

School Application Essay Writing Help

Feeling overwhelmed by the task of writing a standout school application essay that highlights your leadership abilities? Our proven step-by-step guide and personalized essay writing assistance will help you craft a compelling narrative that leaves a lasting impression on admissions committees.

Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Leadership Essay

As you craft your leadership essay, keep the following dos and don’ts in mind:

• Maintain a professional yet engaging tone throughout your writing.
• Provide specific, real-life examples of your leadership roles and experiences.
• Demonstrate your emotional intelligence and ability to solve problems effectively.
• Highlight your personal growth and how your leadership style has evolved over time.
• Proofread your essay thoroughly to ensure it is free of grammatical and spelling errors.
• Avoid using clichés or generic statements about leadership.
• Refrain from making unsupported claims or exaggerating your experiences.
• Don’t simply recite your resume or list your achievements; focus on the why and how behind your leadership abilities.
• Steer clear of overly personal or irrelevant information that doesn’t directly support your main argument.
• Remember to address any potential weaknesses or challenges you’ve faced as a leader and how you’ve learned from them.

Tips for Writing a Successful Leadership Essay

• Be Authentic and Genuine in Your Writing: Avoid sounding like you’re trying to fit a certain mold or meet expectations. Let your unique leadership style and personality shine through in your writing. Share personal anecdotes and reflections that showcase your leadership abilities. Demonstrate your emotional intelligence by being vulnerable and self-aware. Your writing allows the reader to experience your leadership roles and various leadership experiences.
• Show Rather Than Tell Your Leadership Qualities: Use vivid descriptions and specific examples of leadership to illustrate how you’ve exhibited effective leadership qualities. Avoid generic statements or clichés about what it means to be a successful leader. Demonstrate your ability to lead by showing the impact of your actions and decisions. Incorporate data, statistics, quotes from essay samples or other credible sources to bolster your arguments. Provide specific details about the challenges you faced, your actions, and the outcomes you achieved as a leader.
• Use Concrete Examples and Evidence: Support your claims about your leadership abilities with real-life anecdotes and experiences. Use vivid language and sensory details to help the reader visualize your leadership experiences. Avoid vague or generalized statements that lack substance or ability to make a strong impact. Highlight the leadership abilities and styles most relevant to the role model or opportunity you’re seeking. Demonstrate how your use of my leadership experiences and qualities make you the ideal candidate for the leadership position or application essay you’re pursuing.
• Tailor Your Essay to the Specific Audience or Purpose: Research the admissions officers or business environment you’re writing for and understand their idea of leadership. Align your essay with the specific requirements or type of essay outlined in the prompt. Adjust your tone, language, and focus to resonate with the intended audience and their leadership is often expected. Demonstrate how your leadership abilities and unique leadership style can contribute to the organization or institution you’re applying to. Emphasize the specific leadership qualities and traits of a leader most valued in the type of leadership you’re pursuing.

Leadership Essay Examples

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How To Write A Leadership Essay FAQs

How should i start a leadership essay.

To begin a leadership essay, define what effective leadership means to you. Consider what qualities a true leader must possess and how you have experienced or observed leadership. A captivating anecdote or leadership essay example can grab the reader’s attention and set the tone for your essay.

What is the structure of a leadership essay?

A typical leader essay should have a well-organized structure. Start with an engaging introduction introducing your thesis statement about what makes a strong leader. Then, support your argument with specific examples and detail different leadership styles. Conclude your essay by summarizing your main points and reinforcing your stance on leadership development.

How do you write an introduction for leadership?

When crafting an introduction for a leader essay, grab the reader’s attention with a compelling hook related to leadership. Clearly state your thesis on what qualities make an effective leader. You can also tease some of the main points you will discuss in your essay, such as leading by example, leadership allows, and bad leadership.

How do I write about my leadership?

In writing about your leadership experiences, focus on specific instances where you demonstrated leadership qualities. Reflect on how you could look inward and recognize areas for improvement. Explain how you were able to inspire others and develop your leadership skills. Avoid vague statements and instead provide concrete examples.

What makes an effective leader?

An effective leader possesses strong technical skills and can develop people and teams. A true leader should lead by example and inspire others through their actions. Understanding different leadership styles and adapting to situations is crucial for a successful leader.

Through my engaging and informative blog posts, I aim to provide helpful tips on topics such as essay writing, research skills, and academic planning, empowering students to thrive in their academic pursuits.

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Home — Application Essay — National Universities — Leadership: College Admission Essay Sample

Leadership: College Admission Essay Sample

• University: University of Georgia

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Words: 509 |

Published: Jul 18, 2018

Words: 509 | Pages: 1 | 3 min read

Society must work together. People must endeavor to do everything they can so as to ensure that humanity upholds valuable ethics and a strong sense of goodwill. The I Club, sponsored by Rotary International, seeks to accomplish these goals on a worldwide scale. As the Treasurer of the I Club for the past three years, I have not only learned the importance of global service and international benevolence, but also the indispensable skills that have taught me to be a more effective leader and a more motivated individual.

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I was born in war-torn former Yugoslavia and relocated to the United States as a refugee of a war of genocide. I have always felt an obligation to my country to advocate global awareness and peace on an international scale. Accordingly, during my sophomore year of high school, I discovered I Club. I is an international organization of students aged twelve to eighteen with more than 250,000 participants in over 120 countries. As part of its undertaking, it ventures to promote service and global awareness among the youth.

As an officer for my high school’s chapter of the I Club, I am accountable for the organization of a multitude of charitable events that benefit others on either a local or an international scale. In terms of local contributions, I have worked with my colleagues to organize a number of school enhancement and library beautification projects. Our chapter of the I Club has cultivated strong affiliations with local elementary schools and worked hard to make sure that I Club members are always available to offer our services at the schools. Moreover, as a leader of the club, I helped to regulate a number of service projects that contributed to international causes. During the aftermath of the devastating Japanese Tsunami in early 2011, our I Club worked to initiate a charity drive in which we sent boxes of food and supplies to victims of the natural disaster. Our chapter of the I Club also prides itself in having maintained a commitment to providing support for the eradication of the Polio disease worldwide. Today, Polio is impairing the lives of children in four countries – Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Nigeria. Although entirely avoidable with the administration of a simple vaccine, families in these countries live in such impoverishment that such a vaccine is exorbitant to them. Consequently, our club has worked to raise funds so as to help us join in the fight against this preventable disease. With enough persistence and tenacity, my fellow I Club members and I are more than convinced that our work will help to make a positive effect on the lives of hundreds of impoverished children in these developing countries.

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I Club has allowed me to raise awareness for those who are being born into the same impoverished and destitute conditions that I was born into, and I feel so fortunate to have escaped. Today, I fight to ensure that all people can have the opportunity that I was given to achieve something and to become successful.

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Medical School Leadership Essay: Complete Guide

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One of the most challenging parts of the application process for many candidates is composing the leadership essay. They find it difficult to define what leadership is. 

Saying you have "strong leadership skills" is simple, but what does that entail? 

Does that imply you guided a 400-person team toward impossible, lofty objectives? 

Does that mean your chances of demonstrating leadership are zero if you have yet to do that? 

No, definitely not.

It is possible to be a leader in any capacity. However, finding or analyzing one's leadership experiences is not always straightforward. 

Still, it is crucial to ace this essay and convince the admissions committee that you are a determined, goal-oriented leader.

This article will guide you through composing your leadership essay. We have gathered the best tips and sample leadership essays to make it easier.

What is a Leadership Essay for Medical School?

Leadership is an essential skill needed in medical school. Moreover, effective leadership is critical for the healthcare industry to execute reforms and change its corporate culture. 

It is because the current state of the American healthcare system is plagued by several issues, such as rising healthcare expenses, unequal access to care, and racial discrimination in medical practice. 

Hence, you must ensure that when you compose your leadership essay for medical school, the admissions committee will know you are ready to take the challenge. 

Consider Paul Farmer , Vivek Murthy , and Atul Gawande as physicians who have sparked change. These physicians are leaders in their fields and have influenced structural change in particular branches of medicine, whether through study, writing, or policy. 

Like the physicians mentioned above, medical institutions seek out students who are willing to put forth an effort to address issues.

Tips for Writing Medical School Leadership Essays

Your medical school secondary essays will flood your inbox once you hit submit on your primary medical school application . 

If you apply to more schools, you will undoubtedly increase your chances of being accepted somewhere. Still, there is a catch: you will proportionally receive excessive secondaries.

How can you maximize your success when 75+ essays fall into your lap simultaneously? 

Keeping in mind that you should apply to 25–30 schools to be on the safe side and that each program has anywhere from one to nine secondary prompts, the question is: how can you?

We have listed some tips for writing secondary essays for medical school to help you get through the writing process.

Plan Your Time Accordingly

You might wonder how long the application process takes before you compose leadership essays for medical school. 

Your medical school secondary essays will trickle in throughout the summer after you submit your primary, usually starting at the end of June.

You will quickly experience writing fatigue because most medical schools automatically send secondaries back to every primary that has been finished. Therefore, your secondary timetable should be carefully thought out. 

Schools will assume you do not care about your essays if you take too long to send them. 

If you send them in a day but do not take the time to proofread them for grammar and other issues, you will come across as a careless applicant.

Think the Way an Admission Committee Would

Professors and students make up a large portion of admissions panels. They will also read countless leadership essays for medical education. 

Reading applications after application, 75% of which sound the same, will make them incredibly bored.

They will undoubtedly have glazed eyes. With your beginning and introduction, in particular, you need to catch their interest. You definitely do not want your reader to yawn straight away! 

Keep your vocabulary straightforward and your grammatical construction simple throughout your answers.

Avoid Reiterating Yourself

Your AMCAS application is already on file with the selection committee. You will benefit from repetition when composing leadership essays for medical school. 

Admissions officers will become tired and unimpressed if you restate what you said in the personal statement with your secondaries.

You must instead present new knowledge. That does not mean you cannot discuss the same experiences or activities; you most definitely can. However, it implies that you must examine each event differently.

Answer the Prompt Clearly

Too many students when writing leadership essays for medical school, too many students get caught up in what they want to say and fail to answer the question. As a result, similar topics for many essays will have minor variations. 

Ensure you respond to each query even though they are essentially asking the same thing.

Before beginning to write, underline each keyword and sentence. 

When writing your leadership essays, be aware of the questions the school is asking, and structure your essay appropriately. Then, make sure your response directly addresses the query and avoids any major detours.

Do Not Forget to Edit and Proofread

You will grow weary of writing once you have gone through many prompts for each of your institutions. 

The temptation, however, to send the first draft should be resisted. Your chances of obtaining an interview may depend on how well your leadership essays are written.

So, if you require a pause, do so. After that, go back and look over the work for any mistakes. 

Your word processor might have missed a grammatical or spelling mistake that you made. For example, it is possible that you wrote the name of one institution by mistake rather than the other. 

You are human, so errors like this can occur. However, if the admissions committee sees them, you will appear to lack professionalism. So do your best to edit.

Enter your text here...

Leadership Essay Sample Prompts 

Writing a leadership essay can be nerve-wracking. You have to impress the admissions committee while being humble at the same time.

 Hence, it would help if you put a lot of thought into developing a brilliant essay. 

To get you started, here are a few leadership essays prompts that you may encounter during your medical school application:

• How can a good leader improve the healthcare system in your country?
• What are your unique leadership skills? How will you apply it in medical school?
• What are the characteristics of a good leader and follower? Which among these qualities do you have and not have? How can you improve?
• Leadership, Curiosity, and Commitment are the three pillars of our program. Describe how you have exhibited one or more of these qualities on your journey to becoming a doctor. Which categories offer the most tremendous potential for personal development, and why?

Sample Medical School Leadership Essays

Your leadership essay plays a crucial role in your medical school application. Remember that you are competing against hundreds of candidates and must find a way to stand out.

Here are a few model leadership essays you could get ideas for your reference.

Leadership Essay for Medical School Sample 1:

I was chosen to serve as the executive director of BerkeleyShelter. During my second year of college, this undergraduate volunteer group runs a shelter for students facing homelessness. The following year, I established HealthGroup, a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access to reasonably priced medications for people with chronic illnesses. My perception of what it means to be a leader has started to shift due to these activities. 

By creating legislation, collaborating with elected officials, and launching campaigns to increase public knowledge of the problems related to medication prices, HealthGroup attempted to effect change. As the company's creator, I took it upon myself to develop a strategy that other employees and members could adhere to. I believed that as a boss, I was responsible for overseeing the organization's operations. 

However, HealthGroup found it challenging to make any noticeable difference in the cost of prescribed drugs. There were too many barriers brought on by pre-existing issues with the American healthcare system. In reality, not much had altered a year after HealthGroups was founded. So, naturally, I didn't expect the healthcare system to be fixed immediately. Still, I didn't anticipate my efforts to have been so ineffective. 

Before my final year of college, I started considering what I could do as the organization's leader to alter HealthGroup. I realized that I hadn't allowed others to express their opinions; instead, I had presumed that I needed to lead the group by myself. Maybe my role as a leader was to foster an environment where others would voice their opinions rather than to determine the organization's course on my own.

Leadership Essay for Medical School Sample 2:Enter your text here...

"Laura needs the ball, please!" "Okay, keep moving forward; don't let her grab the ball!" "You can outrun her by moving your thighs and putting more effort into running." 

My soccer friends frequently overheard these words during practice and during games. I've played soccer for my school for the past two years. I have forged strong relationships with my colleagues over the past two years and have observed that one of a leader's qualities is the capacity to inspire others. John Quincy Adams once said,  "You are a leader if your actions motivate others to dream bigger, learn more, do more, and become more."

I always wanted to be a leader in any circumstance as a young child. When my class was split into groups to work on projects, for instance, I wanted to be the leader—not bossy or overbearing, but rather to make sure my group produced the finest work. When we have group activities, my peers want me to be in charge because they know I'm smart and will push them until the task is completed.

I was a sophomore in college when I decided I wanted to play on an athletic squad. I knew I wouldn't be our top scorer as a rookie player, but I was confident the experience would be helpful. I stood at the sideline on my first day on the field and carefully observed each squad move.

Even though we worked together, I observed that we weren't playing as a team. We were missing a crucial component. After days of research, I concluded that motivation and unity were the keys to building a stronger team. I inspired my peers to push themselves past their comfort zones during practice. After training, I made them run an additional lap or course for ten more minutes. Even though I occasionally annoyed them, they eventually realized how much my persistence had helped them.

I developed into a leader by inspiring my team members. Leadership capacity is more important than subject-matter expertise for someone to be a good leader. Although I didn't have the best performance or the most goals scored on the squad, I did help the team as a whole. We played as individuals at the start of the season but as a team toward the finish. 

Because I'm always willing to assist others, my leadership abilities and experiences in soccer and the classroom have helped me improve. I need to be able to do that if I want to become an excellent orthodontist. I have acquired it and proven it throughout my existence. I'll keep leading by example and pushing others and myself forward as I have so far.

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• School Education /

Essay on Leadership: Samples in 100, 200, 300 Words

• Updated on  
• Oct 7, 2023

The concept of leadership has been known to us since ancient times, from Ashoka: The Great to modern-day democratic leaders. Whether it’s politics or business, sports or entertainment, leadership is an essential part of human society, Leadership is the art of inspiring and guiding people towards a common goal. 

Critics might argue that being a leader is just about holding a prestigious position and living a fancy life. That might be 1 in 1000 cases, as leaders across the globe work for the welfare and development of their people and country. Below we have discussed some essays on leadership where the multifaceted roles of this position are highlighted. 

Table of Contents

• 1 Essay on Leadership in 100 Words
• 2 Essay on Leadership in 200 Words
• 3 Essay on Leadership in 300 Words

Also Read – Essay on Summer Vacation

Essay on Leadership in 100 Words

Leadership involves a set of qualities, values and actions, which are focused on the benefit of people and their country. A person holding the position of a leader plays a pivotal role in every facet of life, influencing the direction and success of organizations, communities, and nations. To become a leader, one must have a clear vision to understand a future state that is better than the present and communicate that vision to their team or followers.

A leader’s actions should be aligned with their words, and they must demonstrate their honesty, transparency and ethical behaviour. Trust is the foundation for any successful leadership, and it is built through consistent ethical conduct. 

Essay on Leadership in 200 Words

Leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept and is an essential part of developing a society or organisation. Leadership can involve various positions and types, from democratic to autocratic, where the leaders inspire and empower their teams, fostering an environment where individuals can thrive and achieve their fullest potential.

Effective leadership involves skilled communicators to can convey ideas, expectations, and feedback clearly and persuasively. They also listen actively to their team’s input and concerns. A great leader empowers a team of professionals by entrusting them with responsibilities and decision-making authority. With the formation of delegates, the power of leadership is divided among different authorities who are responsible for fostering growth and development among team members, making the organization more robust.

Some of the fundamentals of leadership are authenticity, integrity, ethical behaviour, a clear vision and other vital traits. Trust is the bedrock of leadership, and it is built through honesty, transparency, and consistency in actions and decisions. A leader who understands and cares about the needs and concerns of their team fosters strong relationships, promoting collaboration and cohesion.

At last, leadership is more than a title; it’s the embodiment of vision, integrity, empathy, communication and resilience. Effective leaders work to bring positive changes, inspire people around them and create a sense of purpose and direction in their terms and organizations.

Also Read – Essay on Cricket

Essay on Leadership in 300 Words

Leadership is a vital concept for the welfare of a society, community or country, depending on what the leadership is about. A leader transcends boundaries and is fundamental to human endeavours in various domains. Their job involves the ability to influence and guide a group of individuals toward achieving a common objective. Effective leadership is characterized by a combination of qualities, skills, and behaviours that inspire, motivate, and empower a team.

The first and most important aspect of a successful leader is having a clear vision. A clear vision works as a guiding light, outlining the desired future and providing a sense of purpose and direction for the team. Leaders with a compelling vision can inspire and rally their followers, creating a shared sense of purpose. 

The other cornerstone of leadership is integrity. Leaders must demonstrate honesty, transparency, and ethical behaviour. Trust, which is essential in any team or organization, is built on the foundation of integrity. When people believe that their leader acts with integrity, they are more likely to follow willingly and commit to the cause. 

Another trait that is essential for effective leadership is empathy. Leaders with empathy understand and connect with the emotions, needs, and perspectives of their team members. By showing compassion and actively listening, they create a supportive and inclusive environment that fosters trust and collaboration.

Apart from these traits, other important qualities for effective leadership include effective communication and interpersonal skills. A leader must be able to articulate their vision, goals, and expectations clearly and persuasively. 

In conclusion, leadership is a multifaceted concept that plays a pivotal role towards the positive growth and development of organizations, communities, and societies. Effective leaders inspire their teams, create a sense of purpose, and drive positive change. Leadership is not merely a position; it is a journey of personal growth and a commitment to serving the greater good.

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Some of the synonyms for a leader are: Coach, Captain, Principal, Chairman, Kingpin, Boss, CEO, etc.

What makes a good leader is their ability to persuade people using their effective communication skills, having a clear vision working towards the welfare of society, and taking responsibility for their actions.

Writing an essay on leadership in 200 words must include the fundamental aspects of leadership and the qualities they must possess. Effective leaders around the world create a supportive and inclusive environment where people can thrive and contribute their best efforts. They inspire a shared sense of purpose, foster collaboration, and guide their teams toward achieving collective goals.

For more information about such informative articles, visit our essay writing page and make sure to follow Leverage Edu .

Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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• Essay Database >
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• Essay on Education

Educational Leadership Doctoral Program Admission Essay

Type of paper: Admission Essay

Topic: Education , University , English , Organization , Knowledge , Students , Teaching , Leadership

Published: 01/29/2020

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Admission Essay:

Admission Essay Every course in life has its own season and time. I believe that my interest in educational matters cannot be complete without pursuing the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program. Since childhood, I have always desired to give back to the society. This formed the main basis of my passion and interest in the education field at large. Moreover, I am a strong advocate of quality rather than quantity. As such, I have faith that pursuing the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program at Lamar University will make me more instrumental. Enrolling for the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program at Lamar University will act as a stepping stone towards realizing my long term career goal of pursuing leadership position in the teaching profession. My career in Education began way back in May 2004 when I enrolled for an undergraduate program in Bachelor of Arts in English at Sam Houston University. As an undergraduate at Sam Houston University, my passion for becoming a teacher was enhanced. Time and again, I admired my lecturers. I was not only enthused by their kind attitude towards students, but also by their adequate knowledge and mastery of the various subjects they taught. From then on, I put much effort in my studies with a main aim of making the best of out of my endowment. Thereafter, I enrolled for M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership at Lamar University. Additionally, I studied M. Ed. in Technology Leadership at the same institution. I did all these programs in order to gain adequate theoretical knowledge and skills in the education field. Further, in order to acquire more knowledge in English, I did Certifications offered by Texas Teacher Certification in both English Language Arts and Reading, and English as a second Language. My efforts were not futile since I made an immense improvement in both spoken and written English. Additionally, my strong background in English has enabled me to participate in several presentations including Assessment Literacy, Thinkfinity, Word Generation, and Vocabulary across the Curriculum. In addition, I have contributed towards two publications, that is, Vocabulary across the Curriculum and Parental Technology Awareness and Increased Students Success. Moreover, I have acquired a mass of professional experience over the years by serving as a middle school teacher at Missouri City in Texas. My stint at Missouri City provided me with an ample opportunity to prepare, develop, and prepare various subject matters for each class. Additionally, I have had a chance to participate in staff meeting and conference workshops. Further, I have been able to liaise with counsellors, senior teachers, and parents in regard to problems faced by students. I would like to pursue a Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership in order to acquaint myself with adequate knowledge on various issues concerning educational institutions including technical, conceptual, social, interpersonal, and organizational dimensions. I have faith that my leadership experience in different capacities including the district textbook committee, district power standard curriculum writing team, and campus based leadership team has nurture me into a better person. Moreover, my choice for Lamar University is based on the belief that the institution offers the best learning and development environment to students. Therefore, I am certain that gaining admission at Lamar University will help me turn my long term desire of becoming an efficient leader in an educational institution into a reality.

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Statement of Purpose Educational Leadership Sample

EssayEdge > Blog > Statement of Purpose Educational Leadership Sample

Note: This essay appears unedited for instructional purposes. Essays edited by experienced graduate application essay editors are dramatically improved.

My purpose for seeking a Doctorate Degree in Educational Leadership is to expand my knowledge of theory and research methods as it pertains to education. I especially want to fine-tune my research skills as I feel that the importance of gaining research skills is imperative to becoming a lifelong learner and developing intellectual self-actualization as I prepare myself for a career in Education. I realize the importance of gaining credibility among my future colleagues and people that I will be serving in the field.

My view of Education is that of a reformist. I have a particular interest in the improvement of homeless individuals, single mothers and women of color. Because of my own experience with both homelessness and single motherhood, I know the feeling of helplessness as you are sinking deeper and deeper in desperation that you feel that you will never recover from it. I have seen how generations of these people have become prisoners by being illiterate and /or insufficiently educated around our city with little or no hope of getting free from their bondage. Although I have struggled hard to get myself out of this situation I refuse to forget.

I have strove to make a difference wherever I can. As volunteer at Christian Assistance Ministry I witnessed the overworked conditions that the social workers and volunteers faced. Worn from these conditions these dedicated workers had no respite from their daily work of feeding, clothing and providing funds for the homeless and families who have found themselves in a desperate situation. Although I had many job responsibilities at Christian Assistance Ministry the most common was that of interviewer where I assessed the clients situation and offered help either monetary or that of food and clothing. I soon found that intake and interview forms as well as information that was distributed to the patrons. I took it upon myself after approval from the Director to redo and modernize these forms and lists. Also I had initiated lists of other agencies that would assist clients find additional help that they needed in the Greater Houston Area. One of theses lists that I have generated has been used by City Public Service to refer customers that are in need of financial assistance to pay their utility bills. I had contacted each of the agencies personally to get up to date hours, addresses and contact names and numbers before adding them to the list. Many patrons of Christian Assistance Ministry were included in my project as I compiled lists of job hotlines, shelters and affordable housing options. This inclusion also gave many of the patrons a sense of community collaboration, as I would discuss information with them.

In my present job at SeaNet I felt that it was necessary to know what our clients, Small businesses Development Center and Small business administration Counselors felt about the services we were providing them since in the job we do we don’t have personal contact with them. With my directors approval I sent out surveys asking various questions about the service we provide and got an overwhelming response. This information was used in a quarterly report that is submitted to our funding agency in Washington DC. At SeaNet I am known as an individual that prides herself in thorough research techniques. I am often being asked to do research for special projects that are beyond our usual information requests. Most recently I have done research on the availability of renewable energy sources in South Texas. This research was for a consortium of various Universities in Texas, The Economic Development Center, Solar Energy and Brooks Air Force Base investigating who are examining the feasibility using various energy sources.

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I am also an advocate of 21st Century Learning Centers that would provide a safe refuge for the millions of latch-key children in this country that go home to an empty house on any given school day. Along with that thought are full service schools that would provide many of the health and social services so desperately needed in many school districts. I have and continue to research community programs that are available to school children and their families. I recently collaborated with three such agencies (Upward Bound, Peace Center, and Davis….) in Houston to present to my fellow classmates the importance and impact community collaboration makes on our schools in our city. I also provided information in the form of brochures and handouts about other such organizations that could assist in the needs of their own schools. I feel that it is imperative that every teacher, principle and administrative staff in all schools be aware of these resources in our community. After the presentation of these research topics for educational leadership many of my classmates who are teachers and administrators contacted several of the organizations that I had introduced them to in that hour presentation and have started programs within their schools.

Although I have not yet formally been employed in the educational work environment I have been a mentor for many students attending Davis Middle School as well as a tutor for several home-schooled children. During the years of my own children attending school, I was very involved in their schools both private and public and took on many organizational and leadership roles. I served on many boards and was very active in assisting instructors and administrators in the schools my children attended. Because of these 15 years of experience, I am very familiar with the diverse educational system in Houston.

I have helped develop leadership in others by serving as an example of how far you can go in education with dedication and hard work. By being a student I have been example to others who didn’t feel they could juggle school with work and raising a family. I have a very hard working and decisive character that has earned me a 4.0 GPA. I have never been one to do anything halfway but instead show the dedication and integrity it takes to finish a project to its fullest.

My short-term goals include: establishing a network of scholars and future administrators, participating in a rigorous intellectual process.

My short-term goals include taking full advantage of the Doctorate program to fine-tune and learn more about research and writing skills. I want to use and improve my knowledge in quantitative research using programs such as SPSS and Microcase, in tandem with qualitative researching techniques. I want to develop a clear and concise understanding of leadership and the education profession and how the two mesh as one while enjoying the opportunity to develop a network of scholars. To experience the community and closeness that my fellow cohort mates can provide enjoy the opportunity to brainstorm and discuss pressing issues in our schools today and how we/I/they plan on changing them for tomorrow. After researching many doctorate programs in the area I feel that Texas A&M is unique in the standpoint of wanting to create a bonding collaborative experience among all the Educational Leadership Students and especially among cohort mates. I feel that the young and innovative program suits the fresh outlook on Educational Leadership that I am in search of. I have seen the department of education blossom in the last 4 years that I have been involved with it. I can appreciate the effort and future seeking work that is going on in the department, everyone has the attitude of moving forward and evolving with the times. To me this is the true example of reform, there is no lip service in this program, and it is practicing what it preaches. I know that in the classes that I have taken there is open invitation for research and suggestions for improvement solicited. Although I have no trouble working independently on projects it is reassuring that there will be others to inspire the creative juices that comes from group interaction that this program invites. I will look forward to working with professors that I have worked with before and I am anxious to meet those I have not. There is camaraderie in the Education Department that I do not feel is quite like any other at Texas A&M.

My long-term goals take what I have learned in my master’s courses in combination with the doctorate courses that will well have prepared me to enter any job in Education. I intend to prepare much of the educational leadership research topics using the foundations for a higher level of research I have established at Texas A&M and be published and make a difference in how the underprivileged will be educated. I know that the preparation for that higher plane of achievement that has been instilled in me will serve me well in any Educational or Governmental Occupation I will find myself in. Above all I will be secure in my ability to someway participate in the nation’s urgent need to educate moor efficiently and comprehensively.

See this essay after the edit . Also, see the educational leadership goal statement examples in our blog.

If you plan to apply to a certain program, you must explain your connection to it and your motivation in your statement of purpose. This sample has good content but needs some improvements. However, you can use it as a template for writing your paper. Send the final version to our statement of purpose editing service: we’ll review your paper and correct mistakes.

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