Preparing students for the challenge of leadership is a significant goal of the Georgetown MBA program. What is your definition of leadership, and how
Leadership means making a difference. Leaders create a positive change and are able to provide the impetus that creates an atmosphere of positive change that improves the world in ways large and small. Leaders provide a new ways of thinking and new energy to current situations. Whether it means facing the issues in their department, practice, family or personal lives leaders do what needs to be done, even when it would be easier to delay, procrastinate or ignore problems. The basic function of a leader is to persuade, influence, motivate and to inspire others over time. Additionally, in my opinion, the most effective leaders are characterized by a sense of service to others.
Professionally I have had numerous opportunities to display leadership skills. One recent occurrence was at my workplace K12 Inc. I saw an opportunity to cut down my team’s production support effort by increasing the efficiency of the processes established by my team. I took the lead in quickly putting together and demonstrating to my manager how we improve internal processes. I then motivated my fellow team members to implement the changes. My team was convinced to try my ideas. I lead a team of five people and my team implemented changes and the production support effort has been cut down by nearly seventy percent. The highlight for me was when one of my team members who had been with us for seven years thanked me personally and said “No one in my time here has brought such changes to our team before”. Now we focus that effort time towards new development and automation of existing manual practices.
As a leader I am never afraid to speak my mind and to stand up for my core values, even when things are heated. When I was a Senior Programmer Analyst at Sprint I was given a free hand to design and implement a software application. I put together a team of two programmers and designed the prototype and showed it to my manager. My manager did not see the value of some of the features and asked to downsize the application, but insisted and clearly explained him how it would be useful for the client and after the application went live. We got very strong customer reviews of how useful the application is from end users. My manager specifically mentioned the efforts and insights that I provided and acknowledged the leadership role I played in delivering the features most valued by our customers.
My leadership experience isn’t limited to the corporate world. I am active in a local Toastmasters club called “Free Spirits”. Toastmasters is a nonprofit organization offering ways for people to practice and hone their communications and leadership skills. I was chosen by the club to become club secretary. As a club officer I am responsible for maintaining the clubs: charter, resolutions, minutes and correspondence. I also continue to set an example for my fellow members by my enthusiastic participation in meetings and other club activities.
As I think back on my life taking leadership roles is nothing new to me. My first leadership opportunity came during the sixth grade. At that time I ran as school secretary. I persuaded my schoolmates to elect me. I look back on other leadership roles I had in school including teaching grades lower than I am in various teaching competitions. During my studies in engineering at the National Institute of Technology at Warangal I served as the President of the local student branch of IEEE (Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers). This organization is charged with helping students keep up with the latest changes in technology. I was in charge of organizing and inviting outside speakers from different parts of the country to speak on technological issues.
On a personal level I am proud to say that I am the first woman in my extended family to pursue high education and to compete successfully in the global marketplace. I look forward to continuing make positive contributions as I continue my education to higher levels. I try to encourage other women by how I live my life and by sharing experiences and coaching them to be successful at what they do. As a recent example, my next door neighbor has been a homemaker her whole life and now wants to enter the workforce. I personally coached her in how to use computer technology and helped her get a job. As another example, I helped my daughter’s day care provider build a website to increase her business. In conclusion, I’m very thankful for the opportunities I have had to serve and lead others in the past. I look forward to continuing to make positive changes in the world; for my customers, my employer, my family and friends and for myself in ways large and small.
Professionally I have had numerous opportunities to display leadership skills. One recent occurrence was at my workplace K12 Inc. I saw an opportunity to cut down my team’s production support effort by increasing the efficiency of the processes established by my team. I took the lead in quickly putting together and demonstrating to my manager how we improve internal processes. I then motivated my fellow team members to implement the changes. My team was convinced to try my ideas. I lead a team of five people and my team implemented changes and the production support effort has been cut down by nearly seventy percent. The highlight for me was when one of my team members who had been with us for seven years thanked me personally and said “No one in my time here has brought such changes to our team before”. Now we focus that effort time towards new development and automation of existing manual practices.
As a leader I am never afraid to speak my mind and to stand up for my core values, even when things are heated. When I was a Senior Programmer Analyst at Sprint I was given a free hand to design and implement a software application. I put together a team of two programmers and designed the prototype and showed it to my manager. My manager did not see the value of some of the features and asked to downsize the application, but insisted and clearly explained him how it would be useful for the client and after the application went live. We got very strong customer reviews of how useful the application is from end users. My manager specifically mentioned the efforts and insights that I provided and acknowledged the leadership role I played in delivering the features most valued by our customers.
My leadership experience isn’t limited to the corporate world. I am active in a local Toastmasters club called “Free Spirits”. Toastmasters is a nonprofit organization offering ways for people to practice and hone their communications and leadership skills. I was chosen by the club to become club secretary. As a club officer I am responsible for maintaining the clubs: charter, resolutions, minutes and correspondence. I also continue to set an example for my fellow members by my enthusiastic participation in meetings and other club activities.
As I think back on my life taking leadership roles is nothing new to me. My first leadership opportunity came during the sixth grade. At that time I ran as school secretary. I persuaded my schoolmates to elect me. I look back on other leadership roles I had in school including teaching grades lower than I am in various teaching competitions. During my studies in engineering at the National Institute of Technology at Warangal I served as the President of the local student branch of IEEE (Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers). This organization is charged with helping students keep up with the latest changes in technology. I was in charge of organizing and inviting outside speakers from different parts of the country to speak on technological issues.
On a personal level I am proud to say that I am the first woman in my extended family to pursue high education and to compete successfully in the global marketplace. I look forward to continuing make positive contributions as I continue my education to higher levels. I try to encourage other women by how I live my life and by sharing experiences and coaching them to be successful at what they do. As a recent example, my next door neighbor has been a homemaker her whole life and now wants to enter the workforce. I personally coached her in how to use computer technology and helped her get a job. As another example, I helped my daughter’s day care provider build a website to increase her business. In conclusion, I’m very thankful for the opportunities I have had to serve and lead others in the past. I look forward to continuing to make positive changes in the world; for my customers, my employer, my family and friends and for myself in ways large and small.
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