How I Will Grow From My MBA Experience Essay -- MBA Admissions Essay

Growth is an essential trait that builds people toward success. That being said, no two individuals are the same. However, like any challenge in life, the more effort and practice dedicated to a specific task, the sharper those skills become. Today’s world is continually altering into an ever more complex and highly competitive place. For this reason, people are being challenged, more than ever before, to pursue more education, increase their background of skills, and to carve their own personal niche that places them ahead of everyone else. Carol Dweck, a researcher at Stanford University says, â€Å"individuals with a growth mind-set believe that intelligence can be developed, like muscles† (Heath, Jul/Aug 2007, Issue 117). With this sort of mentality, you should continually push yourself for results, embrace challenges that test your abilities, and seek opinions about yourself from others. Working at Great American Opportunities has proven to me that growth is an essential part of business success. Knowing this, it becomes apparent that personal growth is the only way to ensure that we can acclimate ourselves for the next obstacle that life has to offer. Understanding of Leadership and Areas of Growth Understanding the process of growth plays an important role within a person’s concept of leadership. Leadership can be understood as an individual’s influence over a particular person or group that enables them to complete a shared and specific goal. Having studied Ken Blanchard’s (May 2008) model of situational leadership, I believe that leadership can be broken down into four main categories: â€Å"directing, coaching, supporting, and delegating† (p. 19). Blanchard then drives his process a little deeper and explains the ... ...m Christian Brothers University. Knowing that growth is not a one-time action, I plan to frequently ask myself the questions surrounding this assignment in an effort to continue my growth beyond the points I have already stated. References Blanchard, K. (2008). Situational leadership. Leadership Excellence, 25(5), 19-19. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.cbu.edu:9000/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=31950744&site=ehost-live&scope=site Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2007). Leadership is a muscle. Fast Company, (117), 62-63. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.cbu.edu:9000/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=25455522&site=ehost-live&scope=site Lombardo, M. M., & Eichinger, R. W. (2009). For your improvement: A guide for developing and coaching (5th ed.) Logimer International: A Korn/Ferry Company.