My ability to excel in business rests firmly upon two of my major talents: creative adaptability and leadership. These qualities are essential to any endeavor, but are most useful in solving the problems that must rise in any business setting. Success relies upon the ability to turn potential failures into accomplishments. Two years ago, I took a Commerce course that required group presentations. Many teams were competing, and mine was determined to stand out among them. We decided to use PowerPoint, animation, and sound to enhance our project, and held endless meetings to discuss strategy and design. All was proceeding smoothly until the morning of the presentation, when a group member discovered that our disk had a virus and could not be used. We were in shock, for losing the disk limited us to the most simple presentation methods. Our grade would surely suffer. I decided to take bold measures, and suggested we change our presentation to the style of a skit. Although no one agreed with me, we had no real alternative. I spent the rest of the day preparing the skit, drawing upon my high school drama experience for creative flair. When we met for a last-minute rehearsal, my team members were wary of the project, but I encouraged them to put aside their doubts and focus on the task. My efforts were rewarded; we received a respectable grade, and the professor commended us for our inventiveness. This experience taught me that creativity and flexibility are essential to any endeavor; and that one should always have a back-up plan.
I have also worked to develop firm leadership skills. While enrolled in an ESL program in Canada, I joined the Culture Club as Special Event Director. I managed a group of six in organizing various functions. As I was the most advanced ESL student among the group, I assumed myself to be the most capable. I quickly learned my mistake. In preparing our first function, I was strict with my team members and often rejected their ideas in favor of my own. I performed most of their tasks myself, allowing them to assist me only in minor details. As a result, the function was not successful. Few people attended, and we had problems with decorations and presentation. The setback disheartened me, and I spoke of it to the Club's supervisor. She responded that she had trust in my ability to succeed in the future. That comment filled me with surprise, for I realized I had never trusted my own team members. Although they were weak English speakers, they had many valuable talents. I immediately changed my policy, allowing team members to choose the tasks they desired and complete them on their own. Meetings evolved into group brainstrorming sessions, which yielded many good ideas. Most importantly, the atmosphere among us improved dramatically. We were happier and eager to devote time to the program. I learned what true leadership is, and this experience will undoubtedly be of use to me in any business situation.
