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5. Theme: Teamwork – How Do You Work with Others in a Group
Setting?
At X School, a team, which consists of approximately five
first-year students, is often assigned group projects and class
presentations. Imaging that, one year from now, your team has a
marketing class assignments due at 9:00 am on Monday morning. It is
now 10:00 pm on Sunday night; time is short, tension builds, and
your team has reached an impasse. What role would you take in such a
situation? How would you enable the team to meet your deadline?
(Note; The specific nature of the assignment is not as important
there as the team dynamic). Feel free to draw on previous
experiences, if applicable in order to illustrate your approach.
Translation:
We need to cooperative, one-for-all and all-for-one students
here. Are you cut out to be one, or are you a take-over type who has
all the answers? Are you likely to help everyone get along and
arrive at solutions? (We like those kinds of students). Can you lead
others to order and synergy? (We especially like leaders). Or do you
retreat or become a follower?
This too is a curveball question. But you can’t afford to get it
wrong. After the career goals question, it probably ranks as the
most critical essay you write. Here the committee isn’t looking to
see how you save the team (so put yourself on ego-alert as you sit
down to write this one). They want to see how you can create an
environment in which everyone contributes so the sum is greater than
its parts. Bottom line – the admissions committee is looking to see
whether you have “emotional intelligence.” Understand that schools
today believe that emotional intelligence, the ability to navigate
emotion-laden situations, is as important as strategic and
analytical skills. This question is intended to illustrate this
particular type of intelligence.
Expect to shift gears with this essay. Almost the entire
application process thus far has asked you to showcase me-me-me. Now
the focus of your story needs to be on the we and how you made the
we happen.
As you write your essay, consider that when you get to school,
some team members will be from different countries where cultural
attitudes play into team dynamics. Your sensitivity to these
cultural differences, as well as to personality types, will go a
long way toward demonstrating your emotional intelligence. For
example, a team member hailing from a certain culture may withhold
an opinion in an attempt to foster consensus. How can you help this
persona make a contribution? Likewise, consider differences among
team members in terms of their academic and professional strengths.
If the assignment is heavy on numbers, finance students may dominate
teammates from softer sciences. How can you ensure that everyone
feels valued? Teams are inspired to success when everyone is
motivated and taking ownership within a context of respect.
Remember: the team in this particular essay is at an impasse, as
most teams are at some point and time. Write about how you unjammed
the jam. Ideas: a change of scene, food, twenty push-ups, a quick
round-the-room confessional about why you came to b-school.
Introducing some process is also useful: ground rules such as
voting, speaking times, a division of labor and a timeline, all
create a method out of the madness. Perhaps you encourage members to
adopt roles – business or otherwise. Hint: the leader or CEO in this
case might be your most soft-spoken team member. Whatever you do in
this essay, be careful not to present yourself as the one who single
handedly gets the team dynamic going.
Sample Essay Topic: Describe when you were part of a team
where the group process and/or intended outcome failed. What did you
learn?
I still remember one thing from college. As a leader of my
college modern dance team , I took my team into the annual
university modern dance contest in Hubei province. There were five
teams to compete each other for the gold. My team seemed to be the
most competitive one and we carefully designed some very difficult
poses and very nice teaming layout . We practiced a lot before the
month of the final. At the same time , I had another assignment from
student union to arrange the annual welcome-new-student party .
Since that party involved more performers and more school management
team members than before, I had to spend a lot of time to select
programs, performers and even monitor the rehearsal . Two weeks
before the modern dance contest , I decided to cut down my practice
time with modern dance team to devote more time in preparation of
the welcome party since with almost five years of experience I was
very confident in my skill of dance. My team members had concerns
over that but I dismissed it simply saying I already had enough
practice.
The day before the final contest , as planed, we went to the
Wuhan theatre, where the contest would be held, to have the final
stage rehearsal. But that was interrupted by an urgent call from my
co-worker of the welcome-party so that I told modern dance team to
practice without me. Not surprisingly, my team lost in the final
contest the next day. But what left me shocked and frustrated is, it
was me who ruined the team performance . I literally slipped after a
“twirl”, which I thought could never happen to me. Then I stepped to
the wrong position of the stage in a rush partially because I was in
a tension partially because I did not attend the final rehearsal in
this unfamiliar stage.
That taught me how over-confidence can ruin something important .
After that event, I reflected that the only way to success is
objective assessment , clear plan , and hard-working. That reminded
me of my father’s saying, want to make 100% sure to get what you
want, you need make 200% of effort needed . Later in my academic
life and working environment , that principle gives me a very
practical and careful planning methodology.
Next: Sample MBA Essays #6: Diversity and
What Makes You Unique |
