MBA Program Concordia University Overview, Essay Example

During the two years of my MBA training, I have not only gained knowledge about setting up and managing a business, but also learned about working with different types of people. I think that my greatest achievement related to leadership development is that I managed to understand the dynamics of diverse teams. I was lucky to work in a team where all members added their own talent to the project, collaboration was effective, and ever-improving.

I am grateful to my tutors, as well as the project manager, Lucinda, and all my team-mates, who have provided supportive feedback on my projects, evaluated my performance, and provided a different perspective of the same business issue.

I believe that I have developed both as a person and a leader during these two years. I learned not only from school books, but several recent case studies, as well. I understand that leadership and change management are essential skills in the globalized economy, and that utilizing diverse team members’ strengths can create a competitive advantage for teams and organizations. I have looked into different business models, non-profit organizations, and became more determined to set up a charitable business on my own later in life. For me, the greatest discovery was that corporate social responsibility has benefits not only for the communities the projects serve, but also the organization. Creating community projects can engage team members in collaboration, create commitment and employee engagement, and make organizations more effective.

During my studies, I managed to advance my career, as my managers realized how committed I was to learning about leadership. I am very happy that I was given the opportunity to put the skills I learned in the MBA program into practice and benefit my current employer.

I managed to overcome obstacles and create common goals that empowered collaboration within my business unit. I am now more ready to face challenging leadership tasks, such as dealing with workplace conflicts, and become a person who holds diverse teams together. I have also managed to improve my listening skills and increase my cultural awareness, so I can create harmony within teams, resolve conflicts of interest, and find common grounds for negotiation.

Project management studies, in particular the recently completed team project related to San Michael Thrift Store have made me see business processes in context. In my line of work, I need to negotiate with different departments, external companies, and working with the project has made me realize that the interest of all stakeholders needs to be assessed in order to make the venture successful. As a person in managerial position, I am now asking myself questions before making important decisions: how would this decision impact other team members, other business units, customers, and shareholders?

As a conclusion, I believe that the MBA program helped me improve in every leadership area, and I am now a more focused leader, a more effective communicator and negotiator. I also learned to utilize advanced communication technology, and during the San Michael Thrift Store project, I could collaborate with team members effectively. I also understand that all business decisions should be in line with the mission and vision of the company, and a democratic leadership model benefits both the individuals within the organization, and the business as a whole.