Failure or Disappointment in Life, Essay Example

Most of us probably wish they never have to see any failure or disappointment in life but success without struggles is rarely satisfying. Our true strength is not reflected in our social backgrounds, wealth, or formal positions within the organizational hierarchy but instead in our ability to rise again after failures and come out of adverse conditions even stronger. I still remember my first job which was a year-long assignment in Munich. I had never lived without a family before that time and I had almost no idea of the harsh realities of the real world.

I went through a four-month intensive management training program which introduced me to the company’s culture, management theories, and leadership philosophies. Upon completing the training, I was put in charge of a 60-people sale group. I tried to put the lessons from the training program into use but it became clear that the world is a little more complex than what could be learnt in a formal education environment. Soft skills are as important as technical skills and knowledge to lead people and inspire them to be their best. I still vividly remember the fear I would go through at the prospect of facing my manager on the 1^st and 15^th of every month when he would spare no effort to embarrass me before my subordinates. But it was not without reason since I had been part of the least productive of the company’s twelve branch offices and my goal was to turn around the situation.

I have always been inquisitive by nature and am constantly striving to improve myself. I am not afraid to ask questions and I am not afraid to discover the answers no matter how difficult or long the process maybe. As I analyzed all the relevant facts, I discovered that I was working hard but not working smart. I had taken leadership as a formal role which comes with authoritarian powers but leadership is more a process of inspiring people to work towards common objectives and motivating them to become the best they are capable of. It took three months to discover the answers and another three months to turn the branch into the second most productive unit among twelve branches. During this time, my leadership philosophy had changed from ‘I’ and ‘Me’ to ‘We’ and ‘Us’.

The experience inspired me to seek self-improvement with even greater passion. Over the last three years, I have realized that global competitive landscape has significantly changed since the internet bubble bust due to both internet technologies and globalization. This has inspired me to pursue MBA in order to learn about the latest academic research as well as interact with smart individuals from diverse ethnic, cultural, and professional backgrounds. MBA will not only help me advance my academic credentials and enhance professional competitiveness but will also enable me to further develop leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.

I will be a valuable contribution to the program due to diverse cultural experiences in my native country Canada and several European countries. In addition, I also have had exposure to business practices in different countries which will enable me to provide unique global perspectives during classroom discussions. I have no doubt I will be an exemplary Ambassador of the university in the real world and help bridge the gap between academia and Corporate America.