leadership essay questions

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620 Leadership Essay Topics & Research Questions

Are you searching for the best leadership essay topics? StudyCorgi has collected a list of good essay ideas and research questions about leadership. Read on to find titles for your paper or presentation about challenges organizational leaders face, global leadership issues, ethical problems, and many more!

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• Nelson Mandela: Researching of Leadership
• The Samsung Leadership and Strategy
• Ford Motor Company Leadership Style & Management
• Trait vs. Great Man Theory of Leadership
• Leadership and Influence Process
• Apple: Organizational Culture, Structure, and Leadership
• Woolworths’ Integrated Cost Leadership/Differentiation Strategy
• Leadership Styles Advantages and Disadvantages The work provides a description of different leadership styles, the main concepts, advantages and disadvantages of each style.
• Leadership and Management in Early Childhood Education The paper examines why leadership and management are confused among early childhood education professionals. One can easily understand both terms.
• Leadership Styles Used by the Church There are many different styles of stewardship that a leader can adopt in controlling church activities: autocratic, despotic, democratic, Laissez-Faire rules, etc.
• Trust and Transparency in Management and Leadership of Health Care Organizations The concept of transparency has gained prominence over the last decade, especially within the healthcare industry because creates trust in the whole healthcare system.
• The Impact of Apostle Paul Leadership Style Apostle Paul is the most important figure after the death of Jesus. He employed a transformational leadership approach to motivate his followers to change.
• The Concepts of Leadership and Management This report will examine the link between leadership and management, introduce theoretical behavioural approaches to leadership development.
• Steve Jobs’ Leadership Style: Essay Example The paper studies the leadership style and traits of Steve Jobs and presents evidence that characterizes the leadership as transformational and charismatic.
• Leadership and Change Management in Apple Company The paper aims to analyze the data concerning the business performance of Apple Company, its change management practices, the charismatic leadership pattern of Steve Jobs.
• Company Leadership: Walmart vs. Target Walmart uses transformational, participative, and democratic leadership styles, a combination of which ensures the company’s success.
• Nursing Leadership and Management This essay explores the similarities and differences between leadership and management in nursing. It focuses on how nurse leaders and managers perceive quality improvement.
• Proposal for New Leadership Training Before implementing change within an organization, it is important for management team to acquire effective leadership training.
• A Difference Between Leadership and Management It needs to be understood that leadership and management are different. Most performing managers possess leadership traits, but not all leaders can manage effectively.
• Steve Jobs’ Leadership Style and Emotional Intelligence This paper will focus on Steve Jobs’s style of leadership, change management leadership, motivating approaches, and emotional intelligence.
• The Role of Leader and Leadership in the Organization In an organization, success and failure are dependent on the manager, and the manager’s success and failure are based on his leadership qualities.
• The Case of Nokia: A Lesson in Leadership and Motivation In the 1990s and 2000s, the Finnish company Nokia was a global phenomenon. It grew to be a technology giant, leading the change in how people used mobile phones.
• Team Effectiveness Leadership Model Various issues could be addressed by the team effectiveness leadership model in which the leader should dedicate his efforts.
• Mark Zuckerberg’s Leadership Strategies Mark Zuckerberg is one of the most successful leaders despite the criticisms presented by many stakeholders against him.
• Lego Group: Leadership and Change Management The focus of this research paper is to explore leadership and change management using Lego Group as an example.
• Sony Corporation’s Leadership and Effectiveness One of the world’s leading manufacturers for the consumer and business industries in audio, video, communications, and information technology is Sony Corporation.
• Change Management at Zoom: Leadership in Organizational Change The ongoing coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has forced entrepreneurs and leaders of giant corporations to transform their business models.
• Effective Leadership: The Biblical Perspective Effective leadership from a biblical perspective is a God manifested character to influence and serve others through Christ’s interests to accomplish God’s purposes.
• Followership Leadership vs. Servant Leadership Followership leadership focuses on followers and servant leadership focuses on leaders, but they are similar since the core element is service, empathy, and proactiveness.
• Leadership and Management in Criminal Justice Understanding why leadership and management are helpful in the judiciary and law enforcement will go a long way to streamlining the criminal offices.
• The Followership and Servant Leadership Comparison Followership and servant leadership have a wide range of similarities and differences based on interaction principles and appealing to certain elements.
• Trends and Issues in Nursing: Leadership and Management The health sector is one of the most important sectors in any society. Through proper management and leadership of nurses, reliable services will be delivered.
• Servant Leadership in Early Childhood Education The purpose of this report revolves around reviewing servant leadership as it pertains to early childhood education.
• Robert Kiyosaki’s Leadership Style The research explores the components of leadership such as transformational leadership and organizational realities in the management style of Robert Kiyosaki.
• Leadership and Self Empowerment Life of people is full of mutual relationships which then define the roles of the people in the community and the further implementations of their talents and abilities.
• Leadership in Church and Its Theological Aspects ​In theology, leadership has various meanings, but all have their foundation in Christ. All leaders aspire to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and lead others to redemption.
• Elon Musk’s Leadership Style and Related Theories There are three main models used in this essay to explore the leadership of Elon Musk, namely behavioral theories, Transformational theory, and path-goal theory.
• Leadership Styles and Macbeth’s Leadership Shakespeare’s Macbeth showed that he was a capable leader at the beginning of the play, but later on, he became overly authoritative.
• Great Man Theory of Leadership An evaluation of the great man will help explain how it reflects the leadership components of the RN’s role and enhances inter-professional practice.
• Trait Approach and Skills Approach to Leadership Leaders play critical roles that set new directions and visionary performance ideals within institutions. Leaders improve effectiveness and competence during service delivery.
• Personal Leadership Development Plan Managerial leaders drive an organization with the kind of decision they make; the quality of decision creates a competitive advantage to a firm.
• Norman Schwarzkopf’s Leadership Styles The uncanny personal magnetism possessed by General Norman Schwarzkopf enabled him to work with a diverse group of people.
• Leadership Approaches During the COVID-19 Pandemic As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, leaders need to act in an environment of unpredictability and incomplete information.
• Marissa Mayer’s Leadership Style at Yahoo! Successful leadership entails identifying the specific demands of an organization and actions to address issues. The paper highlights Marissa Mayer’s leadership style.
• Humility’s Impact in Leadership In the leadership, humility refers to the ability of an individual to act modestly by learning and accepting the truth people management.
• Entrepreneurial Leadership: Personal Reflection An organization’s success relies on its leadership approach’s effectiveness. A leader’s style, and decision-making processes significantly impact the organization’s culture.
• Importance of Leadership in Business In an organization that leadership is accepted as part of management principle, workers show a positive mind-set hence increasing the level of performance.
• Emirates Airline: Leadership Styles and Performance The study investigated the influence of four leadership styles on the organizational performance of Emirates Airline from the perspective of communication.
• Jeff Immelt’s and Jack Welch’s Leadership at General Electric This paper will analyze the core competencies and capabilities of General Electric, and outline the differences in management styles of Jeff Immelt and Jack Welch.
• God’s and Elijah’s Formal and Informal Leadership This paper will discuss formal and informal leadership represented by God and Elijah the Prophet, respectively.
• Leadership in the Context of Globalization This paper aims to outline the issue of leadership in the context of globalization, conduct a GAP analysis, offer recommendations for developing necessary leadership competencies.
• Social Sciences: A World Without Leadership This paper will analyze a world that is, in fact, void of leadership and affirm that leaders are the driving force behind every prosperous civilization.
• Strategic Leadership Course Reflection One can improve their leadership capabilities through training and development, which is how I plan on contributing to the well-being of my organisation.
• Howard Schultz’s Servant Leadership at Starbucks Howard Schultz’s managerial style at Starbucks is admired and analyzed by many scholars. As the C.E.O., he applied servant leadership efficiently in order to empower his followers.
• Critical Reflection Report (Leadership) Many people mix-up the concepts of Leadership and Management with each other. Leadership and Management are not the same thing.
• David: The Legacy of Leadership This paper analyzes King David’s life and personality in depth based on the books of Samuel, Chronicles, and Kings as well as defines David’s leadership model and makes a case for its relevance today.
• Leadership Styles in “Moneyball” by Bennett Miller The “Moneyball” movie shows successful and unsuccessful uses of transformational leadership and introduces a character whose choice to employ a new approach leads to a change.
• Participative Leadership Style and Its Benefits Different people use different approaches to manifest their leadership styles depending on a variety of situations under which they operate.
• Military Leadership. The NCO 1700: Valley Forge The NCO 1700: Valley Forge case study provides invaluable insight into the history of leadership in the military.
• Leadership in Health Care: Situational Leadership Theory The paper discusses the leadership issues in health care. It demonstrates that the particularities of emergency care units necessitate a flexible approach to leadership.
• Leadership Style and Change Advocacy Statement The paper aims to examine the problem of nursing staff stress and present thoughts and research on how this issue can be overcome with the help of nursing leadership.
• Leadership and Organizational Behavior: U.S. and India In this paper, we will discuss the communication differences between U.S. and India, analyze the cultural and workforce differences, and would devise a strategy to deal with HRM issues.
• Leadership Styles: The Example of Bill Gates and Steve Jobs Through a specific pattern the leader can achieve job satisfaction among workers and increase their productivity.
• A Case Study on Educational Leadership The paper analyzes the case and identifies the problems within the school, with poor leadership being the priority issue and looks for subsequent improvement.
• Leadership Challenges and How to Overcome Them This paper focuses upon the most difficult challenges which the leaders have to face to be called successful leaders and how successful leaders face those challenges.
• Leadership and Team Management Leadership and team management are complex tasks that often go hand in hand. One of those hardships is motivating the team in unfortunate circumstances.
• Management and Leadership in the Hospitality Industry This paper aims to evaluate the validity of leveraging competencies of leadership and management in an attempt to achieve competitive advantage.
• Remember the Titans: Leadership Examples Boone did not want to accept the leadership because of racial prejudices and because he felt like he was doing the same thing that was once done to him.
• Leadership at the Workplace This paper will focus upon the different leadership behaviors and the best leadership behavior which should be adopted to meet the company’s goals.
• Mary Teresa Barra’s Transformational Leadership The case of Mary Teresa Barra, CEO of General Motors, is an interesting example of how transformational leadership can result in improved organisational performance.
• Servant Leadership in the Church and Its Purpose This research paper analyzes three main components: the Pastor’s relationship with Leadership, the purpose of Servant Leadership, and the personal qualities of the minister.
• Educational Leadership: Literature Review This paper reviews literature on key issues that are necessary for educational leaders such as the provision of vision driven by values to school fraternity and others.
• Organizational Behavior. Leadership and Self-Assessment The internal character of a leader can be measured through testing, and this can pave way for self-development.
• The Idea of Leadership: “Servants of the Servant” by Don N. Howell, Jr. This essay is a critique of the book “Servants of the Servant” by Don N. Howell, Jr. that will review its contents and offer the author’s opinion of its various aspects.
• Jack Welch’s Leadership at General Electric The paper gives detailed answers to several questions related to “GE’s Two Decades Transformation: Jack Welch’s Leadership” journal.
• Leadership Styles in “Apollo 13” by Ron Howard In Apollo 13 directed by Ron Howard, it is possible to observe several types of leadership that are mostly represented by such characters as Jim Lovell and Gene Kranz.
• President Putin’s Leadership Style and Decisions The paper evaluates President Putin’s background, rise to power, leadership style, and significant decisions that defined his presidency.
• Dr. Rosser-Mims’ Diversity Model and Leadership Style The diversity model described by Dr. Rosser-Mims refers to the variety of differences in people’s characteristics and behaviors that are combined in a single environment.
• Leadership Development Plan Based on the Bible Principles Developed leadership skills can inspire further engagement from the staff, and Biblical principles of Leadership are intertwined to bring out one perfect guide.
• Personal Leadership Portrait: Leadership Reflections The public health field is challenging to manage and navigate, but a collaborative and supportive team environment can help immensely.
• Contemporary Leadership Challenges Leadership is one of the most researched topics in social sciences because of its relevance in different fields.
• Foundations of Army Leadership Leaders influence people not just through the instructions they give, but also through their words and actions.
• Leadership Theories and Examples Leadership theories are schools of thought brought forward to explain how and why certain individuals become leaders.
• Skills Approach: Personal Leadership Reflection Leadership is not a singular term as it contains within itself a variety of approaches and types of leadership. Each of them holds its own strengths and weaknesses.
• Examples of Ethical and Unethical Leadership in History One of the most relevant areas in modern social sciences has become theoretical and practical research into the phenomenon of leadership.
• Leadership and Change Portfolio: Ooredoo Ooredoo, a Qatari multinational telecommunication company, was founded in 1987 as a telephone exchange company and is today one of the largest communication operators.
• Dominant and Backup Leadership Styles The paper states that the main aim of a leader is to emphasize all essential factors that are in charge of abundant and affluent company development.
• Analysis of Leadership in the Intensive Care Unit According to van Schijndel and Burchardi, scholars have not paid much attention to practical management in the intensive care medicine.
• Transformational Leadership and Management The paper compares leadership and management and analysis the theory of transformational leadership applying it to healthcare and business contexts.
• Leadership in Project Management and Team-Building The paper discusses leadership in team-building and project management, compares leadership and management, classifies leaders and styles of leadership.
• Leadership-Followership in the “Hotel Rwanda” Film The film “Hotel Rwanda” by Terry George elaborates on the story of Paul Rusesabagina, who protected the lives of 1,200 Tutsi refugees during the 1994 Rwandan massacre.
• A Leadership Development Plan for a Nurse Manager The most critical strategy for the leadership development plan is to focus on the transformation of the employees.
• Steve Jobs’ Leadership Style and Apple’s Success The paper states that Steve Jobs’ general approach to leadership can be summarized as authoritarian. As an effective leader, he was meticulous in detail.
• Application of Leadership Theories Three commonly used leadership styles of situational leadership and transformational leadership offer leadership direction in an organization.
• Importance of the Effective Leadership A leader must exhibit traits of accepting and solving wide varieties of business problems and issues, of different hues and have varying levels of impacts on business environment.
• Women Leadership Within the Church The research project looks into details the place of women in the church which is women leadership in the church.
• Servant Leaders in “Jesus on Leadership: Developing Servant Leaders” by Gene Wilkes Gene Wilkes, in his book “Jesus on Leadership: Developing Servant Leaders,” takes his readers back to reflect on how to manage people the way Jesus did.
• Leadership Trait Questionnaire and Reflection The trait approach to leadership suggests that a good leader has traits that help them to influence the team as well as provide effective results.
• Human Relations: Values, Leadership and Power Human relations is the management process that involves bringing workers’ actions to match those of the company. This work explores topics of HR: values, leadership, and power.
• Leadership in the 21st Century Leaders must have professional skills in scheduling, time management, allocation of resources, and delegating responsibilities among their auxiliaries.
• Leadership Styles Comparison: Authoritarian, Democratic, and Laissez-Faire Leadership Leadership style is an essential managerial characteristic. According to Lewin’s model, there are three types of leadership: authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire.
• Psychology of Leadership Theories The paper encompasses and discusses the psychology of three leadership theories: relational, transactional, and behavioral.
• The Everyday Leadership TED Talk by Drew Dudley Leadership is an exceptionally crucial ability in all areas of life. Leaders influence others and can shape the direction of the development of their organization.
• Jack Welch’s Transformational Leadership Analysis Jack Welch is an example of a transformational leader. As a leader, he is known as an inspiring motivator and intellectual stimulator.
• Leadership and Army Profession This essay aims to examine the impacts of the Armed Forces leadership principles on military expertise, knowledge, and service competence.
• True Leadership in the Invictus Film This paper discusses the role of true leadership as depicted in the film Invictus by focusing on the two main characters – Mandela and Pienaar.
• Leadership in “Erin Brockovich” Film In the “Erin Brockovich” movie, the main protagonist, Erin, is a transformational leader, he shows passion and determination until the desired outcome is achieved.
• Military Mindset: Leadership, Discipline, Resilience, and Teamwork This literature review will focus on the four themes identified in the context of the military mindset, which are leadership, discipline, resilience, and teamwork.
• Psychodynamic Approach to Leadership Development The psychodynamic approach to leadership is a philosophy of human behavior that focuses on reasons or forces that drive individualistic societal attributes.
• Leadership and Conflict Management The primary goal of the following paper is to present a practical way to employ conflict management skills within a team.
• Path-Goal Theory of Leadership The theory has an assumption that the leader supports the followers and reinforces their deficiencies as they work towards fulfilling the organizational objectives.
• Leadership Styles and Their Effect on Employees This study determines the leadership styles employed by managers and the relationship that exists between these leadership styles and their impact on the employees.
• Leadership Style and Performance in UK Restaurants This research paper explores leadership behavior orientations within the restaurant sector in the UK in terms of their relationship to employee motivation.
• Authentic Leadership in Early Childhood Teaching The context of early childhood education (ECE) has been challenged by the fact that many leaders within the sphere have been unlikely to engage in formal leadership preparation.
• Amazon Company: Organization and Leadership With electronic performance monitoring, a company like Amazon can supervise and analyze an employee’s activities in real-time.
• Good Leadership and Its Importance in Nursing The theme of leadership resonates throughout nursing and seldom much is achievable without it at the personal and organizational level.
• Adobe Inc.’s Five Forces and Leadership Analysis In this paper, the Adobe organization will be assessed through Porter’s Five Forces model, and the employed leadership model will be analyzed.
• Steward Versus Servant Leadership in Christianity Leadership is critical for any organization to succeed. Steward leadership and servant leadership are similar and different in some aspects.
• Poor Leadership Decision: A Case Study Leadership is a complex position associated with the necessity to make difficult decisions that will directly affect the performance of the unity.
• Professional Platform for Ethics and Leadership Professionals working in the healthcare industry, including clinicians, nurses, and managers, must implement a certain set of personal skills to ensure positive patient outcomes.
• Human Resource Practice, Leadership and Management Human resource management is a multidimensional phenomenon whose role in an organization engulfs boosting social capital value and competence.
• The Leadership Development Plan A leadership development plan gives people the essential leadership skills and attributes they need to succeed. Communication, motivation, and inspiration are among these skills.
• The Differences between Leadership and Management Running a successful, best-performing business implies possessing particular personal aptitudes and characteristics. Company executives might have leadership makings.
• Nursing Leadership and Management: Quantum Leadership The quantum approach is essential in the management of complex situations that are experienced in contemporary work situations.
• Nursing Leadership and the System of Christian Values Effective healthcare is partially built on the notion of leadership and management in nursing as it is one of its most extensive domains.
• Angela Merkel’s Leadership Style – Article Evaluation Angela Merkel is a transformational leader as demonstrated by her role in the Euro Crisis. The German economy still enjoys a strong position in Europe.
• Change-Oriented Leadership: Transformational and Charismatic Leaders Travis Kalanick is a founder and CEO of Uber, which is considered one of the most successful startups in the recent times. Many have criticized his leadership style.
• Situational, Transformational, and Transactional Leadership The purpose of this essay is to examine situational leadership, its fundamental principles, philosophical assumptions, and main elements.
• The Role of Time Management in Leadership Modern leaders pay much attention to time management as it is one of the constant and irreversible things in the work of any organization.
• Jim Mallozzi’s Positive Leadership in Real Estate Jim Mallozzi fosters leadership as a key aspect of organizational success. The kind of leadership has direct effects on its realization of the vision, mission, and business goals.
• Communication and Leadership in Nursing Communication is an essential part of life. No institution can operate without communication between its staff and leaders. In nursing, leaders have to utilize effective communication strategies.
• Critical Evaluation of an Entrepreneurial Leadership: A Case Study Entrepreneurial leadership is a contemporary and innovative method of management that combines leadership abilities with an entrepreneurial mindset.
• Servant Leadership in the Remember the Titans Film In Remember the Titans, servant leadership can be seen in the actions of Trainer Boone, the team captain Julius Campbell, and the white assistant coach Bill Yoast.
• The Transformational Leadership in Nursing By considering the transformational approach to leadership constructively, the team might get a new view from the standpoint of the nursing profession.
• Elon Musk: Evaluating Leadership in the United States Elon Musk was born on 28th June 1871 in Pretoria, South Africa. He has founded and cofounded some of the most renowned corporations globally, including Tesla Motors Corporation.
• Ethical Leadership Virtues Questionnaire The Leadership Virtues Questionnaire promotes ethical leadership by measuring the four virtues to ensure leaders develop the required behavior.
• Servant Leadership: Chinese Culture and Confucianism It is necessary to note that the principles associated with servant leadership are consistent with the values found in Confucianism and Christianity.
• The Leadership Theories: Pros and Cons The situational leadership theory, the path-goal theory, and the five-factor personality models might illustrate a leader’s role as a set of skills that can be acquired.
• Leadership in Different Spheres of Life Leadership is an important personality trait and ensures that all members of the team perform and deliver to the best of their abilities and work towards a common goal.
• Criminal Justice Leadership: Challenges in the Present and Improving for the Future Future research in criminal justice leadership will have to offer suggestions on how it can be nurtured to fulfill the organizational goals of criminal justice organizations.
• Giltinane’s “Leadership Styles and Theories” Article This paper summarizes Giltinane’s study “Leadership Styles and Theories.” The goal entails discussing how the article’s content will influence one’s approach to leadership.
• Project Manager’s Leadership Qualities for Success This essay discusses five main leadership qualities that a project manager should possess for successful completion of the project task.
• Nelson Mandela’s Servant Leadership Principles This paper examines how Nelson Mandela employed servant leadership traits to lead, motivate, and influence others.
• New Leadership Theories: Servant, Spiritual, Authentic and Ethical Leaderships Swanson, Territo, and Taylor are geared towards a more ethics-based approach to leadership and emphasize the importance of moral decision-making.
• Leadership, Management and Change The essay describes the major theories and models that have the potential to change the manner in which the group was managed and led.
• Leadership and Management Importance in Organisations This essay seeks to establish whether managers can be trained to be leaders, especially in organisations that thrive in ever-changing, competitive business environment.
• Starbucks’ Culture and Howard Schultz’s Leadership Success at Starbucks Corporation is directly attributed to the efficient communication and practical leadership.
• Leadership Styles in Business The key to success is to apply the style most suitable to the company, its products, its structure, its people, the organizational environment and natural style of the leader.
• Valley Forge Leadership Case Study Analysis The paper examines the Valley Forge analysis to claim that the use of transformational leadership techniques focused on empowerment might help improve discipline.
• Chapter 4 of Dugan’s Leadership Theory Chapter 4 of Dugan’s Leadership Theory primarily focuses on the person-centered theories of leadership: strength-based leadership, emotionally intelligent leadership, etc.
• Elon Musk’s and Jeff Bezos’ Leadership Styles One should initially note the fundamental difference in the dynamics of development of the two space companies chosen by its leaders, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.
• 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team Leadership Inadequate leadership in the 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team has compromised the safety of service members and created conditions that do not allow them to recuperate properly.
• Spiritual Leadership Book Reflection A reflection of chapters three and four of Spiritual Leadership by Henry and Richard Blackaby provides deep insights into leadership and the role of divinity.
• Churchill’s Leadership as a British Prime Minister During World War II The objective of this paper is to analyze Churchill’s leadership qualities, characteristics, and leadership traits that contributed to his success during the Battle of Britain.
• Communication Skills in Leadership The purpose of the paper is to describe communication skills in additional detail and explain how one may acquire and use them in practice.
• Statesmanship Model and Organizational Leadership Statesmanship remains relevant in modern organizational leadership and communication, perhaps even more relevant than ever before.
• Air Force Organizational Culture: Leadership Cultivation The initiative’s success intended to support a healthy Air Force organizational culture is significantly dependent on principal management practices’ effectiveness.
• Followership and Servant Leadership This essay compares and contrasts servant leadership and followership in an attempt to highlight their importance.
• Delegation of Leadership Skills This paper deals with the topic of delegation of leadership skills and its effectiveness in improving the organizational performance.
• Apple Inc.’s Strategic Leadership and Innovation Heracleous and Papachroni explore strategic leadership and innovation at Apple, Inc., performed by Steve Jobs, a founder of the organization.
• FedEx Corporation’s Leadership Experience Interview Being among the largest shipping services in the US, FedEx Corporation presents a public company that values initiative and well-developed leadership qualities.
• Todd McFarlane’s Leadership Approach The main trait of McFarlane as a leader is the passion for the things he does. He has a solid vision of what must be achieved and inspires others to attain these objectives.
• Leadership Concepts: Theory and Critical Discussion Leadership is a concept that is different from management in its approach to changes in operations and strategy.
• Leadership Theories in the Healthcare Industry There has been extensive research on the effectiveness of leadership style and of theories in different areas of work such as business, nursing, education, military, and politics.
• Leadership Styles in Government Institutions This research paper digs deeper in order to understand the issues and leadership styles implemented in government institutions.
• Leadership Styles: Then and Now This paper compares and contrasts leaderships styles of the 90’s, early 2000’s, and today. It also compares the leadership styles of President Barrack Obama, George W Bush, and Donald Trump.
• Google Company: Leadership and Motivation This paper uses the case of Google to explain why business and leadership models are usually supported by admirable organizational cultures.
• Alan Mulally’s Personality and Leadership at Ford Company
• Democratic Leadership and Management Style
• Leadership Roles and Management Functions in Nursing
• Leadership and Management in the Banking Sector
• Instructional Leadership and Teaching Practices
• Microsoft and Apple, Inc.: Leadership Styles
• Martin Luther King’s Leadership
• General Motors Firm’s Leadership Approaches
• A Self-Assessment of Leadership
• Leadership Theory and Practice
• Advocacy in Nursing Leadership
• Bolman and Deal’s Four Frames of Leadership
• Leadership in Healthcare Overview
• Philosophy of Nursing Leadership: Transformational Leadership Philosophy
• Nelson Mandela’s Leadership
• Six Leadership Traits: Overview and Definition
• Leadership Strategies for Conflict Management in Nursing
• Nursing Informatics in Leadership
• Personal Development and Leadership Program in Education
• Leadership and Management: Case Study Analysis
• Transformational Leadership of Jesus Christ
• Leadership Development in Government Sector
• Leadership Styles Analysis and Comparison
• Team Management and Leadership
• The Situational Leadership Model
• Transformational Leadership and School Change Innovation
• Principal Instructional Leadership and Its Benefits
• The Christian Leadership, Stewardship, and Ethics
• Apple’s vs. Walmart’s Organizational Leadership Strategy
• Exploring the Effects of the Leadership Style on the Performance of an Organization
• Foundation of Army Leadership Elements
• The Concept of Sustainable Leadership
• Religious Study: Spiritual Leadership
• Leadership Analysis of St. John the Compassionate Mission
• Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Adaptable Mixed Leadership
• Followership and Servant Leadership in Army Officers
• Leadership Styles and Examples Throughout History
• Leadership and Change in Healthcare Management
• Wise Men’s Leadership in the Old Testament
• Self-Leadership and Management
• Leadership Style and Nursing
• Strategic Leadership in Examples from Personal Experience
• How to Improve Leadership in Schools Management
• Gender Issues in the Leadership of the Organization
• Delegation in Leadership Process
• Contingency and Situational Theory in Leadership
• Berkshire Hathaway: Management and Leadership
• Leadership Example for Exxon Mobil Top Management
• Margaret Whitman’s Leadership: EBay Company’s Case
• Application of Leadership Theory
• Crucibles of Leadership: Professional and Personal Growth
• Transformational Leadership and Theory Y in Nursing
• Richard Branson’s Leadership and Philosophy
• Richard Branson’s Leadership Style
• Leadership in Cross-Cultural Context
• Perspective in Women Leadership in United Arab Emirates
• Leadership in Nursing and Midwifery
• Wal-Mart’s Leadership in Crafting and Executing Strategy
• Organizational Culture, Structure, and Leadership in the 21st century
• A Reflection on Leadership Skills in Nursing
• Army Leadership and Military Profession
• Transformational Leadership: The Case Study
• Leadership Styles in the Forrest Gump Film
• The Importance of Effective Leadership in Public Safety
• A Plan to Improve the Way I Lead: The Path-Goal Theory of Leadership
• The Samsung Firm’s Leadership Failure
• Leadership Issues in the Department of Homeland Security
• Leadership Development in the US Army
• Covid-19 Effects and Leadership Challenges
• Transactional and Transformational Leadership: Advantages and Disadvantages
• Servant Leadership in Healthcare
• Diversity and Inclusion in Educational Leadership
• Effects of TransFormational Leadership on Subordinates
• Ineffective Leadership in Business
• Kamala Harris Leadership in Politics
• Army vs. Civilian Leadership Similarities
• Servant Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, and Leadership Performance
• Nursing Leadership and Management: Interview Analysis
• Leadership and Motivation Impact on Repsol Organisational Culture
• Leadership Followership Relationship
• The Definition of Public Health Leadership
• The Visionary Leadership
• The Link Between Corporate Culture and Ethical Leadership
• The Democratic and Participative Leadership Styles
• Leadership and Management in the Patient-Centred Care
• Reaching Migrant Workers in the Malaysian Church: Establishing a Leadership Model
• Leadership and Organizational Change: Diversity and Globalization
• Leadership in Organizational Behavior
• Nelson Mandela: Icon of Influential Leadership
• Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior
• Business Management and Leadership Qualities
• 29 Leadership Secrets from Jack Welch
• Leadership Concepts: Seven Habits Profile
• Leadership, Management Style and Organizational Performance
• Warren Buffet’s and Al Gore’s Leadership Styles
• IBM Company’s Leadership and Innovation Management
• Leader-Member Exchange Theory and Transformational Leadership
• Transformational Leadership and Patient-Centered Care
• Facebook Inc.’s Leadership Practices
• Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan Leadership Styles
• Lego’s Change Under Jorgen Knudstorp’s Leadership
• Autocratic, Consultative, Group-Based Leadership
• Leadership: Challenges, Change and Responsibility
• Leadership Role in Shaping Organizational Culture
• Corporate Fraud as an Ethical and Leadership Dilemma
• Taxonomy of Leadership Theories
• Leadership and Intelligence: Are All Good Leaders Smart?
• Amazon: Jeff Bezos’ Leadership
• Leadership Philosophies: Development in Education
• Power, Leadership, and Machiavellian Theory
• Leadership in Health Administration
• Leadership Approaches: Similarities and Differences
• An Effective Leadership Style in Military Units
• The Future Leader: The Role of Leadership in a Digitalized World
• Philosophy of Leadership Statement
• Communication, Leadership, and Organizational Skills in Emergency Response
• The Role of the Leadership in Nursing
• Integrated Leadership Development Program
• Leadership’s Role in Organizational Growth: Analysis of Max Kouene
• Coaching and Leadership Development in an Organization
• Researching of Responsible Leadership
• Leadership for Strategy Execution
• Leadership Competencies in Nursing
• Army Leadership Values and Characteristics
• Contingency Leadership Theory Analysis
• Personal Leadership Philosophy Statement
• Leadership Theories, Principles, and Values
• The Leadership Gold Book by John Maxwell
• Leadership Management: Employee Involvement Strategy
• Classic and New Leadership and Management Theories
• Assessing Past Leadership Experiences
• Nurture and Nature in Leadership
• Servant-Leadership Decision-Making Rubric
• The Interplay Between Leadership Styles and Organizational Change Management
• Is Leadership in the Eye of the Beholder?
• Benedict Arnold’s Leadership Traits
• Leadership Styles Definition and Analysis
• Reflection on Leadership and Professionalism
• Comparison of Leadership Models and Styles
• Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Style
• Leadership Within a Global Context
• Servant Leadership: Management Style in Nursing
• Metric Systems for Measuring Leadership
• Leadership Effectiveness and Communication Styles
• Design the Perfect Leadership Development Experience for Yourself
• Leadership, Team Building and Communication
• Communication Effects on Leadership
• Leadership and its Role in the Organizational Behavior
• Effective Leadership Skills in Practice
• The Importance Role of Leadership in Nursing
• Authority and Leadership: Rising From the Ranks
• Leadership Problems: Organizational Change
• Individual Leadership Development Plan and Report
• Nursing Leadership Experience in the Development of an Educational Program for Patients
• Transformational Leadership in a Home Care
• Integrity in Relationships and Leadership
• Country-Club Leadership Style in Teaching Profession
• Different Leadership Styles Comparison
• Knowledge-Oriented Leadership and Open Innovation
• Leadership Styles of Benazir Bhutto and Shirin Ebadi
• Toyota Company’s Lean Leadership Principles
• Leadership Development Strategy for Human Capital
• Alan Mulally’s Leadership in Ford Motor Company
• Leadership Theory and Adaptability in Nursing
• Skrill Limited Company: Leadership and Management
• SilkQueen Company Leadership Styles and Cultural Differences
• Leadership within Non-Profits Organizations
• Leadership Style and Motivation in Health Care
• GLOBE Study of Leadership for Multinationals
• Gary C. Kelly’s Leadership at Southwest Airlines
• Leadership in Organizations: Concepts and Approaches
• Paul Polman’s Leadership at the Unilever Firm
• Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethical Leadership
• Leadership Competencies in Nurse Educators
• Importance of the Teacher Leadership
• Personality Traits vs. Leadership Styles
• Leadership Style and Its Impact on Employees: Case Study Analysis
• Leadership in Drug Abuse Program Development
• Transformational and Abusive Leadership of Employees
• The Impact of Remote Leadership on the Global Business Organization
• Leadership in Sports: Sport Psychology
• Ethical Leadership and Social Learning Theory
• Responsible Leadership and Followership in Africa
• Servant Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, and Performance
• Satya Nadella’s and Ken Lay’s Leadership Styles
• Business Strategies: Cost Leadership and Differentiation
• The Leadership Styles Analysis
• Contemporary Leadership Practices at Apple
• Role of Leadership in Managing Patagonia’s Change
• Strategic Planning and Leadership in Healthcare
• Ethical Issues in Hitler’s Leadership
• Confusion of Leadership With Management
• Instrumental Values as a Tool in the Leadership Approach
• Leadership in the Hospitality Sector
• Followership and Leadership in Healthcare
• Transformational and Inspirational Leadership
• Leadership and Management Differences
• Napoleon Bonaparte: Autocratic and Charismatic Leadership
• The Bastard’s Best Qualities for Effective Leadership
• Sonia Sotomayor: Character and Leadership
• Transformational Leadership and Empowerment by Ismail
• Leadership in Healthcare Management & Administration
• Aspects of Leadership and Its Practical Implications
• Transformational Versus Servant Leadership
• Leadership Theories in Nursing Practice
• Management and Leadership
• Strategic Leadership Failure Scenario
• Change Leadership in the Baptist Health South Florida Hospital
• Emotional Intelligence and Leadership
• Change-Oriented Leadership: The Effectiveness of Transformational and Charismatic Leaders
• Leadership Coaching Program in Healthcare
• Leadership and Management During COVID-19 Pandemic
• Leadership in Motivating Healthcare Staff to Increase Performance
• Leadership and Followership in Nursing
• Shared Leadership in a Surgical Setting
• Core Values and Leadership
• Transformational Leadership Impact on the Team’s Performance
• Healthcare Management and Leadership
• Effective Leadership: Leadership Requirements Model
• Investigation of Power and Leadership in Nursing Practice
• Trait and Behavioral Theories of Leadership
• Transformational Leadership Approach to Conflict Management in Emergency Care
• Women’s Role and Leadership in the Church
• Leadership vs. Management: The Difference and Similarities in Function, Responsibilities, and Traits
• Nursing Leadership Regarding Holiday Coverage
• Leadership and Management: Differences and Similarities
• The Nature of Leadership
• Alexander The Great’s and Wellington’s Leadership Styles
• Reflection Upon the Leadership Situation
• Contemporary Leadership: Transactional and Transformational
• A Lot of Impact by Leadership Style on Early Childhood
• Barack Obama’s Leadership Qualities
• Leadership Theory: Human Relations Approach
• Strategic Management: Importance of Leadership
• Creating a Positive School Culture: The Servant Leadership Style and Facilitative Leadership
• Project Leadership, Teams and Behaviours
• Giltinane’s “Leadership Styles and Theories” in Healthcare
• Change Management in Healthcare: Using the Principles of Transformational Leadership
• Cultural Competence as a Nursing Leadership Issue
• Positive Psychology for Military Leadership
• Leadership Selection and Development Programme at General Electric
• Leadership Psychology and Behaviors
• Personal Leadership Development, Goals and Actions
• Leadership and Personality Traits of Donald Trump
• Situational Leadership Model: Strengths and Weaknesses
• Leadership and Professional Development
• Leadership Simulation Using ExperienceChange Model
• Nursing Leadership and Management Principles
• Axel Springer Company’s Strategic Leadership
• Staffing, Scheduling, Leadership Skills in Nursing
• Leadership and the Graduate Nurse Role
• The Leadership of Richard Branson
• Richard Branson’s Organic Leadership
• Marriott Hotels: Organisational Leadership and Strategy
• Nursing Leadership and Management: Isaac’s Case
• Women in International Business and Leadership
• The Nike Brand Success and Phil Night’s Leadership
• Can Effective Business Leadership Be Learned?
• A Social Identity Theory of Leadership by Michael Hogg
• Embracing Servant Leadership in Organizations
• FTX by Bankman-Fried: Leadership Challenges
• Discussion: Self-Care and Self-Leadership
• The Military Leadership: Key Points
• General Motors: Transformational and Inclusive Leadership
• Quality Management and Leadership Principles
• Management Plan Proposal: Manifesting Leadership Skills Infused with Ethos
• Followership as Critical Part of Leadership
• The Role of Leadership in Fostering Innovation and Employee Development
• The Emphasis of Leadership: A Corporate Culture
• Leadership and Correctional Reform in Healthcare
• Leadership Competencies: Tailoring Success Across Professions
• Ethical Leadership and Employee Satisfaction
• Achieving Educational Leadership
• Leadership and Ethical Behaviors in the Workplace
• The Best Tips to Improve Your Leadership Skills
• Transformational Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations
• Spiritual Leadership on Proactive Workplace Behavior
• Leadership Foundations in Current Work Environment
• Leadership: Reform and Innovation
• Ethical Leadership and Employee Job Satisfaction
• Leadership Development and Team Building
• Leadership: Improved Leadership Skills and Aptitudes
• Boris Johnson’s Leadership Discussion
• Leadership Models in Healthcare
• Amtrak’s Struggles and Role of Leadership in Solving Them
• Listening Competency and Its Role in Leadership
• The Role of Leadership: Crisis Management
• Foundation of Army Leadership: Military Culture and Its Impact on Mental Health
• The Nature of Leadership as an Organizational Relationship
• Ontario Pension Board: Insights From our Leadership Team
• Pillars of Trust in Leadership Ethics and Governance
• Johnson and Johnson: Best Practices in Leadership Development Case
• Most Important Traits for Successful Leadership
• Leadership Assessment Paper: Preferred Leadership Style
• Leadership and Management: Reliability, Validity, and Approaches
• Personal Leadership Assessment in Nursing
• Leadership Roles Crucial to Strategic Planning
• Problem Solving Using Leadership Approaches
• Transformational Leadership and Student Achievement
• Organizational Change Leadership and Innovation
• The Role of Leadership Traits and Situational Factors in Achieving Success
• Servant Leadership in a Police Organization
• Decoding Leadership: Navigating the 21st Century Workplace
• Leadership Interview Practice on a District Director Nurse
• Greenhill Community Center: Transformational Leadership
• President Biden: Executive Leadership Style
• Promoting Leadership Skills in Nursing
• Topic Selection for Leadership Research
• Leadership Qualities: Nurture vs. Nature
• Effect of Constant Changing of Leadership on Organization
• Workplace Culture and Leadership in Nursing
• Leadership and Managerial Styles
• Transformational and Transactional Leadership
• The Role of Responsible Leadership in NGOs in Frames of Sustainable Development
• Leadership Behavior and Healthy Work Environments
• Nature of Leadership on the Example of Coaching
• Effective Leadership: The Main Features
• Service Project Experience and Leadership Skills
• The Influence of Leadership and Management Styles on Team’s Progress
• Discussion: Win-Win Habit of Leadership
• Walmart’s Leadership and Business During COVID-19
• Counseling: The Role of Leadership and Advocacy
• Emotional Intelligence Strategies and Strategic Leadership
• Accountability, Leadership, Professionalism, Good Communication, and Safety in Prescribing
• Leadership Challenges as an Educator
• Christian Leadership: Personal Results of the Audits
• Applying Leadership to Enable Staff Achievement
• Values-Driven Leadership by Ashimolowo
• The Need for Leadership in Nursing Practice
• The Desire of Power and Leadership Over Followers
• Central Pillars of “Level 5 Leadership” by Collins
• Rokeach Values: The Leadership Styles
• A New Model for Ethical Leadership by Bazerman
• A Leadership & Organization Development Interview
• Women’s Leadership and Communication Theories
• Leadership Approaches in Management
• Transformational Leadership in Business
• Strategic Leadership and Knowledge at Amazon
• Aspects of Servant Leadership
• Good Leadership and Communication Components
• Bill George’s Authentic Leadership Ideas
• Leadership and Associated Ethical Challenges
• Leadership Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak
• Leadership Transition Challenges in the Intersex Society
• Leadership Challenge and Quantitative Evidence
• Evaluation of a Proposed Leadership Development Intervention in Google
• Integrated Theory of Leadership from Theological Perspective
• Application of Normative Power in Global Health Leadership
• Adolph Hitler’s Moral Conscience and Leadership
• Team Management and Leadership Articles Review
• Servant Leadership and Personal Leadership Philosophies
• John Gardner: Contributions to Community Leadership
• Sources of Power Used in Leadership Positions
• Leadership Responsibilities of an Instructional Technologist
• Role of Delayed Gratification in Leadership
• Leadership Styles for Leading Teams
• Leadership Skills vs. Management Skills
• Aspects of Leadership and Diversity in Company
• Leadership Versus Management: Healthcare Leadership
• Emotional Leadership: The Role of Emotional Intelligence
• Fundamental Principles of Army Leadership
• Warren Buffet as a Leader and the Leadership Style That He Embodies
• Servant Leadership, Cooperative Groups, and Productive Conflict
• Good Leadership in Organizations
• The Leadership Experience and Personal Approach
• German Leadership in the European Union
• The Foundation of Leadership in the Army
• Managing Project Teams: Leadership and Information Systems Development
• Apple Inc.’s Market Position and Leadership
• Leadership at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
• Organizational Typologies: Transformational Leadership
• Comparing Leadership Styles in the USA and Qatar
• Maimonides’ Definition of Prophecy and Political Leadership
• President Joe Biden’s Effective Leadership
• Five Leadership Levels in the Army
• The Foundation of Leadership in the US Army
• Leadership Styles’ Impact on Innovation Performance
• Co-Leadership Using Humanistic Approach
• Servant Leader Vs Follower
• Remote Leadership at Global Business Organization
• The Cathedral Church of St. Paul: Servant Leadership
• Foundation of Army Leadership Discussion
• Women of Color in Leadership: Obstacles
• Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
• Leadership in Church: Uncharted Territory
• The Healthcare Administrator: Leadership Abilities
• Essential Skills for Effective Leadership and Management
• Social Entrepreneurship and Leadership Styles
• Personal Philosophy of Entrepreneurial Leadership
• Rebranding to Address Racism: Aunt Jemima’s Case
• Leadership of a Priest: Interview Experience
• The Impact of Leadership Styles in Enhancing Quality Culture
• Leadership and Problem Situations
• Conflict Resolution for Hospital Leadership
• Authentic Leadership in Business
• Leadership Action Research Case Study: Hospital
• General Electric Company Leadership Analysis
• Leadership in Hospitality Industry and Nursing
• Servant Leadership and Personal Values
• Authentic and Servant Leadership
• Strategic Leadership at the National Organization for Human Services
• The Battle of Iwo Jima: Leadership, Losses, and Operation Detachment
• The Foundations of Army Leadership
• Effective Leadership: From Competency to Conversation
• Personal Leadership Style, Traits, and Approaches
• Leadership Concept in Business Environment
• Autoethnographic Method in Responsible Leadership Study
• Leadership Behaviors, Honesty and Ambition
• The American College of Healthcare Executives: Leadership Reflection
• Strategic Leadership, Leadership Positions, Roles
• Leadership Behaviors, Wisdom and Social Recognition
• Leadership Interview on Job Satisfaction
• Leadership Styles and Employee Performance
• Leadership: Definitions and Perspectives
• Servant Leadership and Communication: Islam Religion and Indian Culture
• Multicultural and Sensitive Leadership in Organizations
• Servant Leadership from a Personal Perspective
• Leadership: Forms and Theories
• Leadership: Transcript Discussion
• The Challenges Facing Church and Denominational Leadership
• Leadership Behavior Recommended by Admiral McRaven
• Personal Experience: Developing Leadership
• Leadership During the Los Angeles Riot of 1992
• Leadership: The Case of Hillary Clinton
• Organizational Learning and Leadership
• Leadership Roles and Management in Nursing
• Creon’s Ideas of Leadership and Power
• Nelson Mandela’s and Francois Pienaar’s Leadership
• Personal Leadership Experience: Position and Leadership Style
• Work Ethics and Productivity: Leadership Theory
• Good Management Versus Leadership
• Leadership, Management, and Communication in Nursing
• How Many Leadership Theories Are There?
• What Are the Five Theories of Leadership?
• How Do Different Approaches and Power of Leadership Manage Organizational Stress?
• What Are the Causes of Poor Leadership?
• What Are the Challenges of Leadership?
• Does Leadership Do More Good Than Harm?
• Was Lenin’s Leadership the Main Reason for Bolshevik Success?
• What Are Ethics in Leadership?
• What Is Modern Leadership Theory?
• Was Allied Leadership Effective?
• How Are Culture and Leadership Linked?
• What Defines and Differentiates Leadership in Quality Management?
• What Is 21st Century Leadership Style?
• Who State the Seven Principles of Effective Leadership?
• How Would You Characterize the Leadership of Walmart Founder Sam Walton?
• What Are the Types of Leadership Styles?
• What Is the Best Leadership Theory?
• What Are the Seven Leadership Traits?
• How Did Lenin’s and Robespierre’s Views on Revolutionary Leadership Differ?
• How Have You Demonstrated Leadership Outside of the Classroom?
• What Is Charismatic Leadership?

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StudyCorgi . "620 Leadership Essay Topics & Research Questions." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/leadership-essay-topics/.

StudyCorgi . 2021. "620 Leadership Essay Topics & Research Questions." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/leadership-essay-topics/.

These essay examples and topics on Leadership were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 24, 2024 .

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Essay Samples on Leadership

What type of leader i am: examining my leadership.

What type of leader are you? This question delves into the unique qualities, values, and approaches that define my leadership style. As a leader, I recognize that my actions and decisions influence others, and understanding my leadership style is crucial for effective collaboration and impact....

• Leadership Styles

How to Be an Effective Leader: Guiding with Excellence

Becoming an effective leader requires more than just holding a position of authority; it entails embodying qualities that inspire and guide individuals toward shared goals. Whether leading a team, an organization, or a community, effective leadership is marked by the ability to foster collaboration, motivate...

• Effective Leadership

How to Be a Good Leader: The Path to Effective Leadership

Leadership is a multifaceted skill that involves guiding and inspiring individuals or groups toward a common goal. While leadership styles may vary, there are essential qualities and practices that define effective leadership. In this essay, we will explore how to be a good leader, discuss...

Are Leaders Born or Made: the Nature vs Nurture Debate

Are leaders born or made? This age-old question has ignited debates, discussions, and exploration into the realms of leadership. The inquiry into whether leadership is an innate trait or a cultivated skill has intrigued scholars, practitioners, and curious minds. This essay delves into the heart...

• Leadership Development

Analysis of President Barack Obama as a Leader

Successful leaders possess distinct traits and qualities that set them apart. One such leader is Barack Obama, who exemplifies several key leadership characteristics. Inspirational communication, unwavering conviction, and a willingness to take risks are among the qualities that have contributed to Obama's success. Furthermore, Obama's...

• Barack Obama
• President of The United States

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Leadership and Management: My Personal Philosophy of Leadership

Everybody can be a leader. Nevertheless, I feel that not every individual can lead effectively. I also believe that it is not a position but a process. Leadership is an action to influence other people to move and accomplish the same goal. Leaders are ineffective...

• Leadership and Management

Leadership Development: Analysis of My Leadership Experience

This reflective essay is an analytical look into my leadership experience not only as a leader but also as a member of a group. I specifically adopted the situational approach and the path-goal theory when presented with different leadership challenges hence the adoption of changing...

My Chevening Leadership: Leadership Skills that I Developed

I acquired leadership skills from early adulthood based on my experiences in church and my family. I developed organisational, resilience and other leadership skills which have been honed over the years. My leadership skills continued in secondary school when I started volunteering and campaigning against...

What Is Leadership For You

It is a general term that can have very different meanings with broader possibilities and scales associated with it, and it goes through some evolution with constant permutations and combinations that go on forever. It starts from ancient times and then into the Middle Ages...

Important Role of Leadership Quality and Professionalism

Dedication, strength, honor, and integrity, are just a few of the descriptive words that can be used to define a leadership role. Accountability, knowledge, as well as integrity are words used to help describe professionalism. Notice how the words used to describe these roles are...

The Meaning Of Leadership To Me: Qualities That Create A Leader

For countless millennia, we had witnessed the birth of several societies and organizations that had flourished from successful leadership. Today, in modern businesses you could immediately tell how the leadership it had evolved into at present and the leadership it had decades earlier. Take for...

• Personal Qualities

The Definition Of Leadership: What Does Leadership Mean To Me

My leadership philosophy is established about the need for a leader to encourage and inspire to do what motivates them. It can be accomplished by a leader and at the same time attaining the goals and the task of the team, department, institution, or corporation...

• Personal Beliefs

Chelladurai's Model Of The Leadership

The model that is used for leadership in sports would be the Chelladurai's model of leadership. Chelladurai's model is a framework which builds on research from non-sporting settings in order to analyze effective leadership in sport. The fundamental target of the leader is to achieve...

Example Of Effective Leadership In Jeff Bezos Life Path

Since the beginning of people’s lives, everyone makes choices and decisions which gradually define a person itself. It is often difficult to identify whether the decision was good or bad because each person has a different level of awareness of the importance. Some things which...

Leadership Style Of Jeff Bezos

Jeffrey Preston Bezos is an American technology entrepreneur and the founder, CEO, and president of Amazon.com. Since high school, he has had an interest in computer science which led to him pursuing a degree in electrical engineering and computer science from Princeton University in 1986....

Management Vs Leadership: The Good And The Bad Of Being A Manager

Being a manager is a job. Being a leader is a role. Increasingly companies are seeing that you need both skills for an effective work environment. In the article, “What Leaders Really Do” by John Kotter, John highlights the differences between a leaders and managers,...

Ender's Game Character Analysis Essay

A mission that decides the destiny of humanity, its survival or obliteration, is a challenge many will succumb to. Failure is not an option. Ender’s Game, a science fiction novel written by Orson Scott Card, tells the story of Andrew “Ender” Wiggin who fights in...

• Ender's Game

The Rule of Charlemagne: The Development of Europe Under Successful Leadership

“Right action is better than knowledge; but in order to do what is right, we must know what is right.”- Charlemagne Charlemagne, also known as Charles I, Charles the Great and the Father of Europe was an important Germanic figure in medieval times and has...

• Charlemagne

The Benefits and Disadvantages of Transformational Leadership Style

Transformational Leadership deals with the motivation, inspiration, and encouragement of the personnel in order to carry out the innovative and creative change. This change directly helps the company in the growth and allows the scope for development. This leadership style is based on improving the...

• Charismatic Leadership

What Makes a Leader Charismatic

Leadership is a dense genre that had remained under debate regarding the difference in opinions of the definition and components of leadership, and either it is intrinsic quality or learned behavior. Despite all the debate, Leadership can be contributed as a personal impact that is...

The Influence of Mansa Musa's Leadership

The most important aspects of this topic would be the importance of Mansa rebuilding the Mali empire. After he helped rebuild the empire they were more powerful and had a more important standing within society. The emperor who came to make a difference within their...

My Motivation to Obtain the Darwin T. Turner Scholarship

The Darwin T. Turner Scholarship is a program of diversity and leadership initiatives. Hello, my name is Simratdeep Kaur and I believe I should be a Turner Scholar because I show great potential in the future. I have maintained great academics, participated in many school...

• Scholarship

What Does Being Inducted into National Honor Society Mean to Me

From the time I was inducted into National Junior Honor Society in seventh grade, I had always dreamed of the day when I would walk across the stage to become a part of National Honor Society. I have been continuously determined to do my very...

• National Honor Society

The Four Tenets of National Honor Society I Exemplify in My Everyday Life

Induction into the National Honor Society validates academic goals that I have worked extremely hard towards thus far. Membership would not only help maintain my academic performance, but assist me in accomplishing further goals of my school career. Getting accepted into NHS has been a...

A Brave Leader: The Success of Rosa Parks Leadership

Refusing to give up your seat on the bus; a seemingly trivial decision in the goings-on of everyday life. Maybe one would be considered rude, or irritate others – but beyond that, the effects of the refusal would seem relatively insignificant. How is it then,...

• Racial Segregation

Implementation of Leadership and Personal Development Planning in South Africa

Introduction Post-1994, the dream of the masses (previously disadvantaged groups), was a vision of self-governance, prosperity, equality, liberation and a sense of belonging and patriotism. Most of all, the yoke of Apartheid was demolished, it was a new future that held promise, a better life...

• Personal Development Planning

The History of Syrian Leadership and Its Impact on the State of a Country

Syria became one of the most discussed and controversial countries in the world in recent years due to its ongoing armed conflict. Millions of Syrians escaped from their homeland looking for a shelter and a better future abroad causing internal conflicts in highly developed countries...

The Concept of Leadership and Mother Teresa as Its Vivid Illustration

Leaders have the power and the intellect behind the organization, and they have the capability to influence the ones working for the company to accomplish and reach the company’s goal. According to Patel (2017), a strong manager or leader must reach and develop eleven traits...

• Mother Teresa

Investigating the Losses and Leadership Positions in Starbucks

The Starbucks brand started in 1971 by opening its to begin with store area in Seattle, Washington. Within the 1970s and 1980s, Starbucks Corporation experienced victory within the U.S. market. By 1987, Howard Schultz purchased Starbucks after serving for 5 years within the operation division...

The Humor Style Suitable for Leadership Positions

Throughout this report, the main topic in focus will be the Leader Humor Style. The definition of humor is not straightforward, “Over the years, researchers have been trying to arrive at one definition of humour which is both comprehensive and universal. All their efforts have...

The Results Of My S.M.A.R.T. Leadership Experience

Leadership, S.M.A.R.T. goals, and the Seven Habits profile are all interconnected in many ways. Throughout the course of this paper I will address the results of my Seven Habits profile, servant leadership, and make S.M.A.R.T. goals. They will assist me in becoming a better leader...

• Emotional Intelligence

The Definition of Leadership: Barack Obama's Presidency

Leadership can mean various things a success, power, efficiency, andintelligence. Among other qualities. However, leadership is taken into accountwhen the leader or the person who is the heads of a movement has the abilityto influence others and make a positive impact on the world around...

Leadership Is My Strong Side

Mustering the courage, penetrating the challenge, and engendering the creativity are the abilities to define myself as a visionary leader. After the head of Corporate Social Responsibility of PT Pertamina Region VII awarded me as the best presenter in Pertamina Technology Challenge, an opportunity as...

• About Myself

The Importance of Good Ethics and Leadership in Society

One of the most important, yet least understood phenomena on earth is leadership. The research was done to investigate leadership traits, activities, behaviour, and processes; yet, until Burns (1978), a few researchers were able to distinguish between leadership that is "transactional" and leadership that is...

• Human Behavior

Change Management in Organizations Dependency on Leadership

This paper seeks to establish how change can be effectively introduced to the challenging global business environment of today. However, to establish this, one has to first understand what a change management strategy is and to critically analyze the key composition of an ideal change...

• Change Management

Analysis Of Individual Aspects Of Leadership

The first factor for business success is empowering leadership. Leadership has taken companies to its peak of success. This report will look into the leadership style of Sandberg in the different companies she had worked. How her leadership skills influenced and impacted the people she...

Application Of Engineering Leadership To Improve Group's Performance

This case occurred during a practical lab session where my group and I were tasked with a graded lab report based on that session’s experiment. That week’s experimental procedure was knowledge-intensive and rigorous, requiring a good understanding of that week’s lecture content while involving many...

• Engineering

Best Way For Society To Prepare It's Youth For Leadership

The provided memo brings a lot of questions to mind. These need to properly addressed before jumping to the conclusion that increasing the advertising budget will help increase the attendance of people in movies produced by Super Screen Movie Production Company. Firstly, the memo talks...

• Modern Society

Classic Leadership And Organization Dilemmas

The main challenge of any organization is to perform tasks in the right time. If they cannot perform it within the prescribed time, their ongoing work can be interrupted. Therefore, if the job is to be executed at a given time, it is necessary to...

• Organizational Behavior

Jim Davis Case Study Analysis: The Problem Of Leadership And Power

Leadership and power have a fine line in which they were most effectively together. In that relationship it is important that a good sense of credibility is established in order to achieve and maintain a status. The problem at hand is how Jim is going...

Leadership – The Art Of Managing People

The capacity to sort out a gathering of individuals or an organization is called leadership. The individual who directs the gathering is characterized as a Leader. Despite the fact that the bigger fault and less credit come to them, a pioneer is the foundation of...

Leadership And Management In International Hospitality Business

Introduction Leadership includes giving the data, information, and techniques to understand that vision, and organizing and adjusting the clashing interests of all individuals and partners. Be that as it may, the initiative has changed after some time and has made numerous difficulties for the individuals...

• Hospitality
• Marketing Management

Leadership In Different Aspects Of Life

Introduction Leadership is defined to be the action of leading a group of people or an organization. In the coaching profession, coaches lead their teams. If you were to ask me what my personal definition and general philosophy of leadership is, I would say, “Leadership...

• Personal Life

The Challenges in the Leadership School: Stepping out of the Comfort Zone

I applied to leadership school and I was told it was going to easy but boy was I wrong. As soon we got on the bus things turned for worse. First, all phones were confiscated as we got on the bus then we to be...

Leadership Style And Influence Of Two Historical Figure

This is an extensive study of leadership styles and scope of influence of 2 historical figures of Nepal. “Siddhartha Gautama (Gautama Buddha) and Prithivi Narayan Shah. They can be seen as an effective and influential leader known to whole world. I found difference in their...

Leadership Theories And Personal Evaluation

Trait Theory Of the eight trait theories presented in the textbook I feel that I possess predominantly the desire to lead, honesty, integrity and emotional intelligence. In most jobs that I have been employed, I often find myself thinking of ways that the manager could...

Psychology Of Work: Organizational Leadership Theories

In lieu of the changing business environments globally, companies strive to be competent enough to be able to respond to customer expectations, have sound and healthy relationships with all the stakeholders, have operations that are transparent and accountable and increase their bottom line fulfilling their...

• Social Psychology

Revitalization Through New Leadership For Success In Any Field

The topic presented here makes a very valid argument that revitalization through new leadership is crucial for success in any field, be it politics, education or government. I am in concord with the claim that those in power should graciously make way at regular intervals...

An Overview of the Five Levels of Leadership

Nowadays the word ¨leadership¨ is used in all spheres of society, from the political field to the business and religious fields. One of the modern precursors of the study of leadership is John C. Maxwell, who for years has used and taught an instrument of...

The Social Influence Of Leadership On Human

For many years, many people (scholars) have had lot of interest in leadership, there have been many debates and some occasional confusion explaining the concept of leadership or what it really means. (Bass 1981) (Northouse, P 2016) Even now, defining it is not as easy...

Value Proposition Of Investing In It Leadership

Companies that invests in IT leadership perform much better than the companies that don’t. IT Leadership development is very important for creating competition and having an upper hand over other companies. A standout amongst the most important internal features to implement change is IT Leadership...

Essay About What Leadership Means To Me

For me, leadership means not only pursue success for myself but also to motivate and empower others to do the same by setting the perfect example to follow. For me, leadership means knowing where to go, leading the right path, taking new challenges and not...

Best topics on Leadership

1. What Type of Leader I Am: Examining My Leadership

2. How to Be an Effective Leader: Guiding with Excellence

3. How to Be a Good Leader: The Path to Effective Leadership

4. Are Leaders Born or Made: the Nature vs Nurture Debate

5. Analysis of President Barack Obama as a Leader

6. Leadership and Management: My Personal Philosophy of Leadership

7. Leadership Development: Analysis of My Leadership Experience

8. My Chevening Leadership: Leadership Skills that I Developed

9. What Is Leadership For You

10. Important Role of Leadership Quality and Professionalism

11. The Meaning Of Leadership To Me: Qualities That Create A Leader

12. The Definition Of Leadership: What Does Leadership Mean To Me

13. Chelladurai’s Model Of The Leadership

14. Example Of Effective Leadership In Jeff Bezos Life Path

15. Leadership Style Of Jeff Bezos

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Feb 15, 2023

Essays on Leadership for Students | 200 - 500 Word Essays

Are you writing an essay about leadership? Check out these examples!

Leadership is often defined as "the action of inspiring others to act in concert to achieve a particular goal." It signifies the harmony in actions that lead to a common objective. A genuine leader not only exudes confidence but also paves the way for their followers towards triumph. Over the years, various leadership styles have been identified and discussed by psychologists.

 Qualities such as intelligence, adaptability, extroversion, innate self-awareness, and social competence often emerge as the hallmarks of impactful leaders. There's a consensus that these traits mold an individual into an effective leader. Interestingly, some theories suggest that extraordinary situations can thrust an ordinary individual into the spotlight, bestowing upon them the mantle of leadership. It's also believed that leadership isn't a static trait but an evolving journey. It underscores the belief that with dedication and the right resources, anyone can hone their leadership abilities.

 True leadership goes beyond merely advocating for a cause. It involves taking responsibility, igniting motivation in others, and differentiating oneself from just being a 'boss'. A leader's essence lies in their ability to inspire and propel people towards grand visions, whereas a manager typically focuses on oversight and operational aspects.

What Is a Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay falls under the category of student application essays and serves to provide student admissions officers with insight into your past leadership experiences. Despite appearing to be very specific, this type of essay acknowledges that the nature and perception of leadership can vary significantly depending on the individual and the context.

 If you find yourself in need of further insights or a unique angle for your leadership essay, consider exploring an expert essay-writing tool designed to assist students in crafting compelling narratives by analyzing vast data and generating fresh ideas within minutes. In this article, we'll also delve into various leadership essay examples to offer a clearer understanding of the genre and inspire your writing journey.

4 Examples of Leadership Essays

Qualities of a good leader, introduction.

Confidence is the most important attribute first of all. One of the most important qualities in a leader is confidence in one's own abilities. A lack of self-assurance is fatal to a person's leadership potential. If you want others to follow you, you need to exude self-assurance. It's imperative for a leader to have faith in his own judgment and actions. How can people want to follow him if he doesn't even know what he's doing?

Every effective leader knows that they need to be an inspiration to their followers. A leader needs to set an example for his team. In addition, he ought to inspire them whenever feasible. A leader must also maintain optimism in trying times.

What qualities a good leader must have?

Leadership is the ability to influence and guide individuals or groups toward a common goal. A leader must possess several qualities to be effective, including:

Communication skills: A leader must be able to communicate their vision and goals clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. This requires excellent listening skills, empathy, and the ability to adapt to different communication styles.

Emotional intelligence: A leader must be able to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as those of their team members. This includes being able to understand and respond to the emotions of others, and handling conflicts in a constructive manner.

Visionary: A leader must have a clear and inspiring vision of the future, and be able to articulate this vision in a way that motivates others to work towards it.

Strategic thinking: A leader must be able to think critically and creatively to identify and solve problems, make decisions, and develop plans and strategies to achieve their goals.

Flexibility: A leader must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and be open to new ideas and perspectives. This requires the ability to embrace change, be innovative, and continuously learn and grow.

Integrity: A leader must have strong ethics and values, and be willing to make difficult decisions that are consistent with their beliefs. This requires honesty, transparency, and accountability.

Decisiveness: A leader must be able to make tough decisions quickly, without undue hesitation or procrastination. This requires courage and the ability to take calculated risks.

Empowerment: A leader must be able to delegate responsibilities, give team members the resources they need to succeed, and foster a sense of ownership and accountability among their team.

Conclusion 

These qualities are essential for effective leadership, and when combined with hard work, determination, and a commitment to excellence, can help leaders to achieve great things.

How one can be a Great Leader?

Leadership is the act of performing the duties of a leader. In the business world, for instance, it is essential to have someone in charge of a team to ensure everything runs well. Effective leadership is essential for any group that wants to maximize its prospects of success.

Leadership Comes from Experience

As we've shown, leadership can be innate in some cases but is more often learned through practice and exposure. Sometimes the best traits of a leader must be learned over a lengthy period of time, so that one can become a notable one, proving that leadership is not always about a person's innate qualities. Leaders should continuously be on the lookout for opportunities to grow their leadership skills.

Nobody can disagree that experience is a key component of leadership. Numerous examples exist to back up this claim, such as:

Instance 1:

Our school's head boy or girl has traditionally been an older student who has been around for a while and thus has a better grasp of the ins and outs of school politics.

Instance 2:

When there is a vacancy for a team leader, it is common practice for the employee who has consistently put in the most effort and attention to the office job to receive a higher number of votes than their coworkers. 

“The best teacher for a leader is evaluated experience.” - John C. Maxwell

How one can be a Great Leader/Skills to be a Great Leader?

Effective leadership is a skill that develops through time. Developing into a leader with all the qualities that are needed takes a lot of hard work and potential. Being a prominent leader calls for a wide variety of traits. Some of these characteristics are addressed in further detail below:

One should be a Good Communicator

To be an effective leader, one must be able to convey his thoughts clearly to his/her/its subordinates.

Should have Confidence

The individual should have faith in what he says and does.

Give Credit to other Team Members too

A leader not only needs to impose his viewpoints and opinions instead he must also hear to the suggestions of other members of the team and offer them credit if their concept is appropriate.

Good Bond with the Team

A leader's ability to command respect from his team members depends on his ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with them.

Leads with Responsibility

A leader needs to be completely committed to his position. It's important that he takes on responsibility so that he can effectively deal with the various challenges he will inevitably face.

Any group or organization needs a leader above all else. Leadership development takes time and effort. One needs to have lived through a lot to be an effective leader. It's not enough to simply have years of experience in the field; one must also have the traits that make one an effective leader. You can't be a great leader unless you possess certain traits.

What makes a Good Leader?

Trying one's hand as a leader appears easy when viewed through this lens. Is that so tough? Of course not; leading is difficult, and not everyone aspires to be a leader. The vast majority of us have settled into well-established careers where we report to superiors and make a living. Still, not everyone is content to go along with the crowd. They become leaders in whatever field they pursue. A leader is an example to followers and will prioritize the needs of those around them.

Some Unique Qualities of a Leader

Many individuals resort to their leaders to vent their frustrations, therefore it's important for them to be good listeners.

A leader ought to be completely forthright; they can't play favorites or give anyone preferential treatment. One of the most essential qualities of a strong leader is the ability to make decisions with integrity.

They need to be aware of the bigger picture and understand what makes an individual stand out or become a leader. It's their expertise in addition to other distinguishing traits. Their awareness of current events and the results of recent studies is essential. In many ways, this is helpful, and it's the leader's responsibility to stay current.

Since some might not understand them, they should utilize straightforward, easily comprehended language. Leaders need to be able to communicate effectively at all times. In reality, what sets them apart is their exceptional communication skills. Adolf Hitler was such a gifted orator that his followers believed every word he said.

No matter how you're feeling or what's going on in the world, if you listen to a leader, they may make you feel energized. Since leaders are in charge of inspiring confidence in their followers, they can't afford to be wary or unsure of themselves. People tend to blindly follow their leaders.

Whether you're a leader or a doctor, you should devote yourself completely to your chosen field. Everything we do is for the benefit of others; engineers, for example, spend much of their time designing and constructing buildings for other people. So, take pride in what you do, and if you possess the aforementioned traits, you are also a leader who doesn't have to rely on others to succeed. No matter what you do, aspiring to leadership positions will always benefit others.

What is Leadership in Management and what are the weaknesses and strengths of a Leader?

Simply said, leadership is acting as a supervisor or manager of a group. Different mental pictures pop up when we hear the word "leadership" used in conversation. One might think of a political leader, team leader, corporate leader, school leader, etc. Leaders facilitate order and efficiency in the workplace. Teamwork and success are fundamental to effective leadership. Leaders utilize their managerial abilities to establish courses and guide their teams to success.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Leadership

Able to express oneself more clearly

Growth of character.

Self-awareness.

Possession of teamwork skills.

Gain assurance in yourself.

Weaknesses:

Acting favorably toward one's teammates.

Having no faith in the leader.

Thinks they're better than everyone else, but act hypocritically.

Not living up to the promised standard.

Insufficient morals.

Leadership and Management

Management and leadership are inextricably linked to one another. Leadership and management are both vital to the efficient operation of an organization; but, they accomplish very different things in the process. Leadership is a necessary skill for anyone aspiring to be an effective manager. The terms management and leadership are synonymous with one another. In this manner, we are able to draw the conclusion that a manager who demonstrates the traits of a successful leader is, in fact, a manager who is effective.

Leadership in School

Leadership is essential in nearly every group, as we've seen above. That group includes one's educational institution. Every school needs an outstanding figure to serve as its head of school. Class monitor, assembly captain, cultural leader, etc. are all examples of leadership roles that can be taken on at school, but this raises the question of what makes a person a successful school leader.

Any student hoping to be chosen as a student body leader will need to demonstrate a wide range of competencies. He or she needs to be a consistent student who pays attention in class and does well in extracurricular activities. For the simple reason that no intelligent and hardworking kid would ever be considered for leadership. Student leaders are most often selected from among those who participate fully in all activities.

Leadership in Organization

Leadership in an organization, also known as organizational leadership, is the process of establishing long-term objectives that further the company's mission and help it reach its ultimate destination. This is a classic illustration of how Bill Gates often works with his team: they agree on a strategy, and Gates implements it. To the same extent, it is the responsibility of the leader in each given organization to determine what it is that the group is trying to accomplish.

Leadership in Politics

Leadership in politics, also known as political leadership, is the process of becoming actively involved in a political party in the role of a party leader. Knowledge of political processes, their outcomes, and the political agenda is central to the idea of political leadership.

An effective leader can be developed in anyone who has the determination and drives to do so. Both the strengths and the areas for improvement should be nurtured. Whether in the classroom, the workplace, or the political arena, leadership is always necessary. Therefore, one can exercise leadership anywhere they like inside their own organization.

What are the types of Leadership?

The ability to lead is a rare trait that not everyone possesses. The ability to do so is a gift, so count your blessings if you possess it. It's recommended that you hone it even more so that you can propel your career forward and serve as an example to people around you. However, it is crucial to grasp the various leadership styles before you go ahead and polish your skills.

Types of Leadership Styles

Democratic Leadership

In this style of management, subordinates are given a voice in decision-making. Although the subordinates' efforts are highlighted, the leader is ultimately held responsible for the group's actions. Many people find this type of leadership to be effective.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders motivate and inspire others to adopt new behaviors and ways of thinking in order to improve their own performance and that of their teams and organizations. A transformational leader is someone who encourages their team to strive for greater things and works to boost morale and output.

Team Leadership

A good leader fully incorporates his team into the task at hand. Members of the team are motivated to reach their goals and advance in their careers thanks to the leadership of the group.

Strategic Leadership

It requires a chief executive who doesn't restrict himself to brainstorming sessions with his superiors. He contributes on every level of the team. He is well-liked for his ability to unite the need for fresh ideas with the necessity of grounding them in reality.

Autocratic Leadership

The leader in a command and control structure is the center of attention. The chief executive has absolute power in this setting. He decides things on his own, without polling his staff. He relays this information to his staff and stresses the importance of swift action. The buck stops with him, and he alone must answer for his actions. Not much room for negotiation exists. It's no secret that this method of leading has its detractors.

Visionary Leadership

This kind of leader appreciates the abilities and requirements of his team members. He describes his ideal outcome and the teamwork that will be necessary to attain it.

Coaching Leadership

Leaders who coach their teams do so regularly in an effort to raise output. He inspires his employees to do better and works to keep them motivated. This approach to leadership has been much praised.

Facilitative Leadership

With occasional guidance, a facilitative leader ensures that the process runs smoothly for his team. As a precaution in case his team is ineffective. If the team is highly effective, the leader will take a hands-off approach.

Cross-Cultural Leadership

The leadership of this type is necessary when interacting with people from various cultural backgrounds. Because of the wide variety of cultures represented in the workforce across the United States, many managers and executives hold cross-cultural positions.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

The members of the team are given responsibility in this style of management. They are free to choose how they spend their time at work, with minimal oversight from the boss. It's not a good way to lead, according to experts.

Transactional Leadership

An interactive approach is integral to this kind of leadership. When team members successfully implement their leader's ideas and choices, they are rewarded with immediate, material benefits.

Charismatic Leadership

In order to bring out the best in his followers, this kind of leader makes the effort to change their attitudes, values, and actions.

This article should dispel the notion that leadership qualities can't be further subdivided. It should also assist you in pinpointing your own personal brand of leadership so you can perfect it over time.

Final Words

In conclusion, leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept that involves various qualities and skills. Effective leaders possess traits such as integrity, vision, empathy, decisiveness, and the ability to inspire and motivate others. They are able to navigate challenges, make difficult decisions, and lead their team toward success. Leadership also involves continuous learning and self-improvement, as leaders must adapt to changing circumstances and remain relevant. Effective leadership can have a positive impact on both individuals and organizations, fostering growth and creating a culture of success.

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Leadership — The Importance Of Leadership

The Importance of Leadership

• Categories: Empowerment Leadership Vision

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Words: 777 |

Published: Mar 19, 2024

Words: 777 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Leadership as a set of skills and qualities, the ability to create a vision and set goals, empowering and developing others, driving innovation and change, leadership in everyday life, in conclusion.

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Leadership Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on leadership.

First of all, Leadership refers to the quality of leading people. Probably, it is one of the most important aspects of life. Above all, Leadership has led to the progress of human civilization . Without good Leadership, no organization or group can succeed. Furthermore, not everyone has this quality. This is because effective Leadership requires certain important characteristics.

Qualities of a Good Leader

First of all, confidence is the most quality. A leader must have strong self-confidence. A person lacking in confidence can never be a good leader. A person must be confident enough to ensure others follow him. The leader must have confidence in his decisions and actions. If he is unsure, then how can people have the desire to follow him.

A good leader must certainly inspire others. A leader must be a role model for his followers. Furthermore, he must motivate them whenever possible. Also, in difficult situations, a leader must not lose hope. How can a leader inspire people if he himself is hopeless?

Honesty is another notable quality of a leader. Honesty and Integrity are important to earn the love of followers. Above all, honesty is essential to win the trust of the people. Probably, every Leadership which loses trust is bound to fail. People will not work with full effort due to an immoral leader.

Good communication is a must for a good leader. This is because poor communication means the wrong message to followers. Furthermore, good communication will increase the rate of work. Also, the chances of mistakes by followers will reduce.

Another important quality is decision making. Above all, if a leader makes poor decisions then other qualities will not matter. Furthermore, good decision making ensures the success of the entire group. If the leader makes poor decisions, then the efforts of followers won’t matter.

A good leader must be an excellent innovator. He must display a creative attitude in his work. Most noteworthy, innovation is a guarantee of survival of a group or innovation. Without creative thinking, progress is not possible.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Real-Life Examples of Good Leadership

Mahatma Gandhi was an excellent example of a good leader. He was a staunch believer in non-violence. With his brilliant Leadership skills, he made the British leave India. Probably, this was the most unique independence struggle. This is because Gandhi got freedom without any violence.

Abraham Lincoln was another notable leader. Most noteworthy, he ended the slavery system in the United States. Consequently, he made many enemies. However, he was a man of massive self-confidence. His struggle against slavery certainly became an inspiration.

Sir Winston Churchill was a great patriotic Englishman. Most noteworthy, he led Britain in the 2nd World War. Furthermore, he was extremely inspirational. He inspired Britain to fight against Nazi Germany. His great communication motivated the entire country at a time of hopelessness.

To conclude, Leadership is required in probably every sphere of life. Good leadership is the door to success. In contrast, bad leadership is a guarantee of failure. Consequently, good leaders are what make the world go round.

FAQs on Leadership

Q.1 Which is the most important quality for being a good leader? A.1 The most important quality for being a good leader is self-confidence.

Q.2 Why Sir Winston Churchill is a good leader? A.2 Sir Winston Churchill is a good leader because he inspired Britain to fight in 2nd World War. Furthermore, his excellent communication also raised the motivation of his people.

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Answering a leadership essay question without leadership experience?

I’m having trouble answering the leadership essay question for Virginia Tech. The closest thing I could think of is having a cashier job cause everyone says having a job is leadership, but I don’t know how I would make it fit the prompt, especially since a sub-question asks about how others relied on me for guidance while being a leader. That’s basically all there is to my leadership roles so I’m kinda stuck. I wrote something for everything else at least, but still if anyone has last minute suggestions please help.

The prompt in question is:

"Share a time when you were most proud of yourself either as a role model or when you displayed your leadership. What specific skills did you contribute to the experience? How did others rely on you for guidance? What did you learn about yourself during this time?"

Update: Ok I came up with something and submitted it. All there is to do now is wait.

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Blog > Essay Examples , UC Essays > 9 Outstanding UC Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)

9 Outstanding UC Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)

Admissions officer reviewed by Ben Bousquet, M.Ed Former Vanderbilt University

Written by Kylie Kistner, MA Former Willamette University Admissions

Key Takeaway

We talk a lot about essays in the college application process. And for good reason. Essays are one of the most critical parts of your application, and the University of California Personal Insight Questions are no different. Even though they’re quite different from personal statements or supplemental essays , UC essays serve a similar purpose: to help admissions officers get to know you and envision you on their campus.

But the tricky thing about UC essays is that they have a very particular style and form. If you don’t write your UC essays in the right way, you risk tanking your application.

Writing them the right way, however, can land you in the admit pile.

Let's start by looking at an example essay. Then we'll dive into the prompts themselves, go over some strategy, and and look at even more examples. Ready?

UC Example Essay - Prompt #7

We’ve got an extra example for Prompt #7: . This one comes from the Essay Academy , our digital college essay course. It’s about a student’s initiative to bring literacy to their community. Take a look:

This writer makes it very clear what community they’re talking about. They state the problem (libraries closing down), their solution (filling the library gap through book club), and the action steps they took to make their community a better place.

Along the way, we clearly see their strengths: they are willing to take initiative and to think critically about what the community needs. The essay also answers the entire prompt and meets the style and tone requirements of UC essays. It’s clear, action-oriented, and to-the-point. Excellent!

Now, let's actually take a look at the prompts.

The UC Personal Insight Question Prompts

The University of California system, which consists of nine campuses across the state, requires students to apply directly via their institutional application portal. That means that you won’t be submitting your Common Application to them or writing school-specific supplemental essays. Instead, you’ll choose four of the following eight prompts to respond to.

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

Once you have your prompts chosen, the essays themselves should be no greater than 350 words each.

Together, your essays should be different but cohesive enough to tell a fairly complete story of who you are.

Before we get to the examples, we have a few tips to keep you on track.

How to Write the UC Personal Insight Questions

Okay, so we actually have a whole other comprehensive guide to the UC essays that breaks down the process in extreme detail.

So for now, we’ll just go over the essentials.

What’s helpful about the UC PIQs is that we don’t have to guess what admissions officers are looking for—the UCs tell us directly in the Points of Comprehensive Review . Read through all thirteen points, but pay special attention to #10. That’s where your essays will be doing the heaviest lifting.

With that in mind, there are four rules for writing UC essays that you should stick to like glue:

Answer the prompt.

We’ll say it again for the people in the back: answer the prompt! The UC essay prompts ask very specific questions and contain multiple parts. If you misinterpret the prompt, you may end up writing the completely wrong essay.

You might find that diagramming or annotating the prompts helps you pull out the important pieces. Break down what each of your chosen prompts asks you to do, and list out all the questions in order. That way, you’ll make sure you’re not missing anything.

Skip the fluff.

Your personal statement likely has some creative descriptions or metaphors. You may have even incorporated figurative or poetic language into your supplementals. And that’s great. In fact, that’s encouraged (within reason, of course).

But UC essays are different. They’re all business.

Whereas your personal statement might open with an attention-catching hook that describes a scene in vivid detail, your UC essays should jump straight in. In general, your essay should be organized in a clear way that tells a straightforward story.

Focus on action steps.

As we saw in the Points of Comprehensive Review, admissions officers want to learn about how your concrete experiences have shaped you. That means that your essays should revolve around action steps rather than, say, 350 words of intense personal reflection. What those action steps should look like will depend on the prompts you’ve chosen. But by the end of your essay, your admissions officers should know what you’ve done and why.

Show a strength.

In the UC essays, it’s easy to get caught up in the details of the prompt and style of the essay. But don’t lose sight of the purpose of any college essay in the process: to showcase a strength to your admissions officers.

Every UC essay you write should correspond with a specific strength. That might be wisdom, artistry, good judgement, entrepreneurship, leadership—you get the idea.

Let’s say you want one of your essays to demonstrate leadership. The idea isn’t that you come out and say, “This shows that I am a leader.” Instead, by the end of the essay, after reading about everything you’ve done and reflected on, your admissions officers should sit back in their chair and say, “Wow, that student is a leader.” You’ll see what we mean in the examples.

Because of all these golden rules, your UC essays will look quite different than your Common Application essay or supplementals. They’ll probably look quite different from any essay you’ve written.

That’s where examples come in handy. Ready to dive in?

UC Prompt 1: Leadership

1. Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

Prompt 1 Example Essay

When we moved to a new neighborhood, my dad always complained about the house next to us. Full of weeds and random objects, it had clearly been neglected(( Notice how, at least compared with common application personal essays, the tone of this essay is much more staid?)) .

I didn’t pay much attention to his complaints until one day when I saw that our neighbor was an elderly man. He was struggling to bring his trash to the bins outside. Suddenly, it all clicked. If taking out the garbage was a challenge, then surely he wasn’t able to do yard work. That’s why it looked neglected.

My dad always taught me that leadership isn’t about giving orders. It’s about doing what needs to be done(( A direct, succinct definition of leadership.)) . With this advice in mind, I decided that I would help our neighbor.

After my realization, I went and knocked on our neighbor’s door. I introduced myself and learned that his name was Hank. When the time was right, I informed him that I’d be cutting our grass the following weekend and would love to cut his as well. Hank initially refused.

Speaking with Hank, I learned that leadership is also about listening to people’s needs(( Showing a lesson from the experience.)) . In that moment, Hank needed to be reassured that I wanted to help. I told him it would be easy for me to cross over to his yard while I had the equipment out. He finally agreed.

The next Saturday, I got to work. The job would be bigger than I expected. All the objects needed to be picked up before I could mow. I decided to enlist the help of my two younger siblings. At first, they said no. But a good leader knows how to inspire, so I told them about Hank and explained why it was important to help. Together, we cleaned up the yard. Now, each time I mow our lawn, I mow Hank’s afterward.

Through this experience, I learned that leadership is about seeing problems and finding solutions. Most importantly, it’s about attitude and kindness(( The author of this essay does a good job staying focused on a clear definition.)) . The neighborhood is grateful that the eyesore is gone, Hank is grateful for the help, and I am grateful for my new friend.

Word Count: 343

UC Essay Checklist

Does the writer convey a strength?

Yes. The writer shows initiative in seeking out the neighbor and willingness to help in all the hard work they did.

Is every part of the prompt answered?

Yes. Since this prompt has an “or,” we know that the writer doesn’t have to meet every single criterion listed. They respond to the “positively influenced others” part of the prompt, which we can see through their interactions with their neighbor.

Does the writer adhere to UC conventions?

Yes. The essay is straightforward and clearly organized. The writer lists action steps in chronological order.

UC Prompt 2: Creativity

2. Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

Prompt 2 Example Essay

As a cellist, I express my creativity through music(( Directly answering the prompt up front. )) . Whether I’m playing in a symphony, chamber orchestra, quartet, or solo performance, I bring my art to the world with my instrument. My creativity has transformed me from a small child playing out of tune to a solo artist featured in my state’s youth symphony.

I’ve loved music from a young age, and I began playing the cello when I was six years old. What began as a hobby to keep an energetic child engaged has become my life’s purpose.

At first, I only played along with my private lesson teacher, Ms. Smith. I loved dancing my fingers across the fingerboard, plucking the strings, and making screeching noises with my bow. Ms. Smith told my parents that I had promise but needed to develop discipline. Despite my young age, I listened. By the time I reached middle school, I had made principal cellist in my school’s orchestra. Leading a section of fellow cellists brought my creativity to a whole new level. Not only was I expressing myself through my own music, but I also expressed myself through my leadership. With a subtle nod or an expressive sway, I learned to shape the music those behind me played. I felt most comfortable and free when I was playing my cello.

That feeling only grew as I moved into high school. In ninth grade, I landed my first solo. With it came a new creative sensation: stage fright(( This part of the essay distracts a bit from the main theme.)) . Until then, I’d only experienced positive emotions while playing. I needed to make solo performance more positive. With endless practice and exercises like playing for the public on the sidewalk, I learned that solo performance is simply a way to share my love of music with those around me.

Now, as principal cellist of my state’s youth orchestra, I jump at the chance to perform any solo I can get. Getting to this point has taken me countless late nights practicing in my bedroom and weekends spent in rehearsals. But without my cello to express my creative side, I wouldn’t be me.

Word Count: 347

Yes. The writer is an artist—a musician specifically. Their creativity shines through.

Yes. This prompt is pretty straightforward: “Describe how you express your creative side,” which the writer does by describing their love of the cello. Notice how the writer doesn’t just say they’re creative because they play the cello. They describe that creativity in detail.

Mostly. The short paragraph about stage fright takes us on a slight detour from the prompt. To make this essay even better, the writer could have eliminated that anecdote or reframed it to be more about creative expression.

UC Prompt 3: Talent or Skill

3. What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

Prompt 3 Example Essay

How many toes does an armadillo have? What were the main causes of the Crimean War? Who discovered atoms? When my friends or family have questions, they come to me for answers. I am an expert researcher. Although my passion for research began as a fun hobby, it has evolved into one of my greatest skills(( The writer opens with an interesting but not too out-there hook and then gets straight to answering the prompt.)) .

My first real mystery came when I was in ninth grade. My mom wanted to track down an old friend from high school but hadn’t had any luck searching on her own. Having grown up with the internet, I was my mom’s best chance. Not sure where to begin, I took to YouTube tutorials. Using the few family details my mom remembered, I tracked down the friend’s brother then found the friend’s married name(( Here’s a great example of what the skill looks like.)) . Alas–we found her on social media. I felt triumphant as I saw the happiness wash over my mom’s face.

Since then, my skill has grown exponentially(( And here the writer gets at the “developed and demonstrated the talent over time” part of the prompt.)) . Combining my natural curiosity with my love of history, I’ve advanced my research skills by volunteering with my local library for the past two years. I have learned about how keywords and search engines work, practiced cataloging and archiving, and waded my way through the intricacies of the library’s database technology. Suddenly, researching wasn’t just about finding people’s Facebook profiles. It was about having any information I wanted to find at my fingertips.

Access to information is more important now than ever. That’s why I decided to put my research knowledge to work. Part of being a good researcher is teaching others how to access information too, so I founded the SOHS Research Club. We begin each meeting by raising the hardest question we can think of, and I use the projector in the library to walk club members through my research process. Members have all gone on to share their knowledge with their friends and family. The SOHS Research Club has spread information literacy to my whole community(( Gesturing to the greater significance of the skill)) .

Looking ahead to all the ways my research skills will improve in college, I know that I’ll be ready to find an answer for anything.

Word Count: 350

Yes. We see that they’re not only skilled at research but also that they want to support their community.

Yes—but. The prompt asks about your greatest talent or skill . It also asks how you have developed and demonstrated that talent over time. The writer does answer these questions, but I’d like to see more about when the SOHS Research Club took place as part of this development.

Yes. The essay is clear, organized, and to-the-point.

UC Prompt 4: Educational Opportunity or Barrier

4. Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

Prompt 4 Example Essay

I jump at any chance to get my hands dirty. I am an aspiring ecologist. I’m lucky enough to live in a college town, so I was elated last semester when a postdoctoral fellow invited me to join her research team(( Okay, looks like this writer is addressing the “how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity” part of the prompt.)) .

Although at first(( Good signposting and transitions. UC essays should be clear and straightforward. This writer easily walks us through the step-by-step of what happened.)) I was intimidated by the prospect of working alongside college students and faculty, I decided to embrace the opportunity to learn what being an ecologist is really like.

The project involved studying Asclepias syriaca populations in my local park. More commonly known as Milkweed, this flower species has a long and important history in North America, particularly for Indigenous people. After learning about its history as a food source, medicine, and critical part of ecological function, I couldn’t wait to be part of the research.

As a research assistant, I helped with data collection. We began by using twine to section off population groups in the park. Then, every week I returned to the populations to collect information about population growth. I counted the number of flowers in the population, and, with a clear ruler, I measured and recorded the height of every individual flower.

The work was tedious. On my hands and knees, I squinted at the millimeter markings, trying to obtain the most accurate measurements possible. Each week, I’d return home with muddy jeans and a smile on my face.

Participating in this research project taught me that being an ecologist is about much more than looking at plants(( Going beyond the research to reflect on lessons learned—nice!)) . It’s also about learning from mentors and engaging with and having respect for the historical context of the plants we study. Being a scientist is also not as glamorous as movies like Jurassic Park lead on. Instead, science requires careful planning, patience, and hard work.

But what I learned the most from this educational opportunity is that science doesn’t exist in some nebulous place. It exists right here in front of me. I look forward to continuing to use science to serve my community.

Word count: 328

Yes. We see their intellectual curiosity and willingness to learn through their research journey.

Yes. We have another “or” prompt! This time they’ve chosen to focus on an “educational opportunity,” which is the research project. They certainly explain how they “took advantage” of it.

Yes. There’s no fluff, just a coherent narrative focused on actions the writer took.

UC Prompt 5: Challenge

5. Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

Prompt 5 Example Essay

While most kids fear monsters, my greatest fear has always been tests. Since elementary school, I’ve dealt with incapacitating test anxiety. I’d sit down for a spelling test and faint from anxiety(( Straight into answering the prompt)) . Math tests in middle school would make me run to the bathroom ill. By the time I reached high school, where the testing stakes became even higher, my test anxiety increased exponentially.

More than normal feelings of nervousness or anxiousness, it is a diagnosis I wrestle with daily. Test anxiety caused me to miss a number of tests that I had no option to re-take. It’s caused me to receive abysmal scores on standardized and state tests, which has had repercussions in the classes I’m allowed to take(( Strategically, this was a good prompt for this student to answer because it gives them a way to contextualize any poor grades they earned early in high school. It also gets at the “academic achievement” part of the prompt.)) . My test anxiety has been the greatest challenge of my life. In a school system so reliant on testing, it has completely affected my ability to achieve academically.

By the time I took the PSATs, I couldn’t even move my hand to write my name. I knew something had to change. I reached out for help. My mom knew I had been struggling but didn’t understand the extent of my illness. Together, we contacted my school counselor, who told us how to find a therapist.

With my doctors, I worked to mitigate the effects of my test anxiety on a medical and psychological level(( Action steps! This prompt requires you to talk about the specific steps you took to overcome the challenge. The writer does exactly that in this paragraph.)) . I began taking beta-blockers that helped slow my heart rate, thus tricking my body into being less anxious. Alongside that, I spent months working through the reasons my brain interpreted testing as such a threat. I learned to appreciate my intrinsic value instead of relying on external factors like test scores. And rather than viewing tests as chances to fail, I began to understand them as opportunities to showcase my growth.

Now, after two long years of effort, I can take any test with ease. Since learning how to manage my disorder, I’ve successfully taken my driver’s test, SATs and ACTs, and all seven of my AP exams. I’m looking forward to all the tests I’ll take in college(( And we end on a very positive note that shows lots of growth)) .

Yes—which is difficult with this prompt. The writer doesn’t get bogged down in the challenge of having test anxiety. Instead, they use this prompt as an opportunity to show a strength: resilience to overcome such a difficult problem.

Yes. And this prompt has multiple parts, too. It wants you to describe 1) a challenge, 2) the steps you’ve taken to overcome the challenge, and 3) how the challenge affected your academic achievement. This writer does all three.

Yes. The writer doesn’t provide any poetic descriptions or metaphors. They say what they mean.

UC Prompt 6: Academic Interest

6.  Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

Prompt 6 Example Essay

Sitting in front of my baby cousin, I held my hands in front of my face. I quickly snapped them down and exclaimed, “Peek-a-boo!” Delighted, he erupted into laughter. From the perspective of my more developed brain, this game is quite boring. It’s overly repetitive, and the outcome—my face reveal—is basic and consistent. But to a brain that hasn’t yet gone through the sensorimotor phase of development, the game is a downright hoot. What I perceive as boring is actually magic to a baby’s mind. Without the concept of object permanence, my cousin thinks that I disappear completely behind my hands. When my face returns, he marvels as I inexplicably materialize in front of him. It’s no wonder he can play peek-a-boo for hours.

Since I took IB Psychology my sophomore year, I have been fascinated with child psychology(( It takes a paragraph before we get to the prompt (which is too long), but I like the nerdiness the writer shows in the intro)) . No matter when or where we are born, we all undergo similar stages of development that help us understand the world around us. Imagine Albert Einstein chewing on a rock or Genghis Khan taking his first steps. Researching child development unlocks something universal and equalizing about the human experience.

Because of my interest in child psychology, I decided to get more involved with my community. I began by volunteering in a psychology lab at my local university. While there, I get our child participants settled before sessions. Occasionally I get to help with data collection. I also landed a job as a teacher’s aide at a nearby Head Start, where I feed lunches, play, and read. In both of these activities, I’ve learned so much about how to interact with toddlers, to think like they think, and to help them grow into kind and happy children(( This paragraph shows exactly how they’ve furthered their interest.)) .

My school doesn’t offer any additional psychology courses, so I took a community college class this summer. I’m looking forward to taking more advanced psychology classes as a psychology major, and I’m eager to bring the research skills I’ve been developing to one of the UC’s many child development labs. One day, I hope to use all these skills as a child therapist.

Word Count: 348

Yes. The student is very intellectually curious about child development—a perfect strength for this prompt.

Yes. The writer talks about an academic subject, child development, and describes how they advanced that interest through a research lab, classes, and a job at Head Start.

Yes—but. Overall, the essay does a great job adhering to UC essay conventions. But the first paragraph almost doesn’t. As it is, the writer stays focused on telling the story. However, it takes up quite a bit of space in the essay without really conveying much about the writer’s journey. If there were a metaphor or any poetic language in there, it would have been too far. Same goes for the snippet about Einstein and Genghis Khan—it adds personality but is close to overdoing it.

UC Prompt 7: School or Community

7. What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

Prompt 7 Example Essay

Nourishing loved ones by cooking for them is one of my biggest passions. But my hobby has become more difficult since moving to a food desert. Food deserts are areas without easy access to grocery stores or healthy foods. These disparities are clear in the school cafeteria, with the majority of students eating processed school lunches or packaged foods brought from home. I decided to do something about it.

The idea came to me one day as I made my way from AP Biology to my cooking elective. We needed a school community garden(( The writer sets up the stakes in the introduction so we truly understand the situation here)) . If we couldn’t access fresh foods in our neighborhood, then we would grow our own. We just needed a space to grow them and money to buy supplies.

I began by finding a spot to plant our garden. My friends and I walked around the entire school and decided that the courtyard would be the perfect place. After explaining my idea to the Assistant Principal, I got permission to proceed.

Next(( This paragraph is full of good action steps)) I raised money for the supplies. With $20 in seed money from my parents, which I promptly paid back, I drew and printed stickers to sell at lunch. The stickers were anthropomorphized vegetables. They cost $0.10 per sticker to make, and I sold them for $1.00 each. Soon enough, I had not only raised enough money to set up the garden, but I had rallied the whole school around my cause. Thirty of my classmates showed up, vegetable stickers on their water bottles, to help me plant the garden.

For the last year, we’ve maintained a spread of seasonal vegetables in the garden. We bring a basket to the cooking elective teacher each week so students can practice cooking with fresh vegetables, and we hold a daily farm stand at lunch(( And we see that they are legitimately improving their community)) . At the stand, students can grab whatever fresh produce they want to add to their lunch.

My school’s garden nourishes my community, and I am nourished every day by the fact that my efforts have made a true difference to those around me.

Word Count: 341

Yes. The writer shows really great initiative and community understanding in their willingness to start a community garden from scratch.

Yes. With only one question, this prompt is pretty straightforward. And the writer’s answer is simple: to make their school community a better place, they made a community garden.

Yes. The writer goes into detail about every step they took to make the community garden come to life. I especially like how the writer goes beyond these details to emphasize how much the community garden impacted the school community.

UC Prompt 8: Additional Information

8. Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

Prompt 8 Example Essay

When I posted a TikTok video of myself studying, I didn’t expect anyone but my friends to see it. But within hours, my video had gone viral— tens of thousands of people(( That’s a lot of people. This shows the magnitude and impact of the video.)) saw the carefully-crafted shots I’d taken of my desk setup and homework timelapse. The comment section flooded. People appreciated the work I’d put into curating the perfect desk. They thanked me for inspiring them to get started on their own homework. I was overwhelmed by the response.

At first I felt really shy. What if people from school saw it and made fun of me? I kept questioning myself so much that I completely froze. Finally, one comment caught my attention. It read, “I’ve been having a hard semester and can barely get myself out of bed, let alone to do my homework. But this is so calming! Maybe I’ll try.” That comment made me realize that it didn’t matter what people at my school thought. What mattered was that I loved making that video and it had made an actual difference in the lives of the people who saw it.

And that’s when I decided to make my mark on #StudyTok(( This is a pretty unique topic that wouldn’t have necessarily fit into the other prompt categories, which makes it a good candidate for prompt #8.)) . Since that first video, I’ve posted 318 others and accumulated over 35,000 followers(( More numbers to show impact)) . I’ve had more videos go viral and reach hundreds of thousands of people looking for work inspiration. Even the videos that some would see as “fails” still reach a couple hundred people. That may not be a big deal in the Internet world, but those same people would fill up my high school’s auditorium. My goal for every video is to make my viewers feel relaxed and able to take on whatever work they have to do. It helps me and my viewers complete our work.

These videos have made me more confident and organized, and I can’t wait to continue them in college. When I get an extra assignment or have to stay up late to finish a paper, I become excited instead of frustrated because I know that the little StudyTok community I’ve created will be there right alongside me.(( This conclusion drives home the what “makes you a strong candidate for admissions to the UC” part of the prompt.))

Yes. They show creativity through their video production and leadership through their huge community impact.

Mostly. This prompt is a tricky one to answer because its components aren’t as straightforward as the others. Through such a huge impact, the writer makes it implicitly clear why this story demonstrates that they are a good candidate for admissions to the UC, but the message could be more explicit.

Yes. The writer conveys the sequence of events in a clear and organized way, and they use good metrics to show the impact of their videos.

Key Takeaways

Did you catch our golden rules throughout? Yep. That’s what makes these essays stand out, and that’s what’ll make your essays stand out, too.

And even though these essays come from different students, hopefully you also got a sense of how an admissions officer reads a portfolio of essays for a single student.

Remember: just like your other applications, your overall goal for your UC application is to create a cohesive application narrative that shows your core strengths.

Having read all these essays, you’re now well on your way to writing your own. Try jumping into the Essay Academy or our UC essay writing guide  for help getting started.

Liked that? Try this next.

21 College Essay Examples (Graded by Former Admissions Officers)

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"the only actually useful chance calculator i’ve seen—plus a crash course on the application review process.".

Irena Smith, Former Stanford Admissions Officer

We built the best admissions chancer in the world . How is it the best? It draws from our experience in top-10 admissions offices to show you how selective admissions actually works.

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Thoughts Left Unspoken

Writing Chevening Essay: Breakdown Those 4 Questions

Writing an essay for Chevening scholarship was not an easy task. But surely, we need to invest our time to write, revise and polish it. The whole writing process took me 1.5 months, but let’s not use this as a standard as anyone can have different situations.

In this post, I’m going to breakdown each question and share how I answered my Chevening essay. It is surely not the perfect one, but I’d like to share what I think essential when answering those four questions. I also did a mentoring program for Chevening applicants 19/20 and some of my mentees were accepted! Having said that, I’m sure there are some of my tips that you can use.

Disclaimer. This post does not reflect on the Chevening Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and its partner organisations. This story is just my experience and personal thoughts working on Chevening’s essay.

Without further ado, let’s go through each question.

Leadership and Influence 

One of the common thoughts that most applicants have about leadership is the position; the title. I would say, no. The title is a legitimation that you have the power to lead, but beyond that, I think the most important thing that Chevening really look is the impact of your leadership. They are also looking for a potential leader. So, it does not matter if you don’t have a Manager, Head, Leader, etc in your resume as long as you can showcase your influencing and leadership skills by giving examples.

Before start writing, think about what leadership accomplishments that you had. List all down and select two to three examples that gave great impact and made you learn the most. Each question only allows 500 words hence we really need to be careful to choose which experience to be put in the essay. If you can, try to put examples in different cases and environment to show that you have a range of leadership experiences.

As I already mentioned in the previous post about general tips for writing Chevening  essay, it is important to give an introduction. Although this is just a suggestion, if you’re unsure where to start, you can try with what you believe about leadership or a brief about what kind of leader you think you are. After that, you can link to your leadership experiences, supporting your statement about the leadership that you write in the introduction. Build an engaging introduction is also crucial to make the panel stay reading your story. Remember, they read thousands of essays, at least you want to keep them engaged with your essay.

In my case, my first sentence in the intro was: I believe that the leaders are not born, but made through a process of hard work.  I then supported this statement by briefly telling several experiences during high schools and how it has been forming me primary wisdom about leadership. However, this is not my highlight of the leadership experience that I want to tell the panel. Hence, I used a linking sentence such as  I apply this wisdom to excel my role in current employment, but my training is never complete. The linking sentence could also serve as a bridge to the next thing I have on my plate and build the story’s flow.

Then, I wrote two examples of my leadership experiences which are happened in my office using Situation, Task, Actions, Result (STAR) structure. Read about this here . I would say give more portion for “action” because the more specific and detail you give, the more panellist know you hence more room to asses you.

I wrote one success story about my experiences in leading an early-stage start-up company. When you write a success story, make sure that you’re really specific about what you did, what steps that you did differently to achieve the goal? Did you face challenges? How did you overcome the challenge? Did people doubt you? How did you convince them to finally follow your leadership? I wrote about making an unpopular decision which I deemed a huge challenge; I should do it otherwise it won’t do any good for the company. From this story, I took an angle on the lesson learned and how it contributed to mature my emotions.

When you write about result, if you can, give a quantifiable result to justify the impact. However, the bottom line is to justify your impact. Tell them that there are people who benefited from the projects that you led — it could be personal or organisational.

Another thing is to mention your lesson learned. What you learned from each experience that contributes to your personal development. I personally think this is critical to show that you’re a human and a growing person. We all know that leadership is not a one-day skill, it takes years to sharpen it hence mistakes are okay to be mentioned as long as you can turn the “angle” into supporting your story.

Finish the essay with a closing paragraph which amplifies Chevening’s role in developing your leadership skill. What is your aspiration, in regards to leadership skill, if you were accepted as Chevening scholar? State this briefly and do the same for the next 4 questions.

I would say that the networking question was a bit difficult for me to elaborate. Why? Because again, Chevening is looking for someone whose networking skills could create an impact. So, in my opinion, it’s not about showing off how big your network is or how often you attend networking events, instead of how you use your network to create a greater impact.

Using the same approach as in question 1, answer the question by STAR structure. Started by an introduction, get into the main body and finish with closing.

In my case, I was using my exchange program to South Korea during undergraduate study as a chance to meet new friends — where one of that friend was playing a great role of me working at an early-stage startup company, a place where I highlighted my  leadership skills in the first question. The company is obviously has been a place for me to create an impact on the team and communities. For instance, a collaboration opportunity with external media to provide cross-content and it would give us huge traffic for the website.

Emphasise the impact you’ve created because of the networking you did. Give two to three networking skills and experiences that you have and again, be detail. Highlight that the impact is not only beneficial for you, but also for another side that you network with.

In the closing, you should elaborate Chevening’s role in your networking skills, you can try to relate how Chevening would expand your networking and how will you use Chevening networking if you were accepted as Chevening scholar.

Studying in the UK

While questions about leadership and networking are more to dig your skills and capability in becoming a potential future leader, in my opinion, questions about studying in the UK and career plan are crucial to showing your cause, passion and how do you stay true with that. This can be a very critical part that would differentiate you from other applicants I guess, as I would say that Chevening is looking for people who would serve and build their community. So, it is important to answer the last 2 questions coherently.

To make your essay coherent, try to answer these questions as a base for you to answer questions number 3 and 4.

• What is my passion/concern?
• What problems do I want to solve?
• How will I solve the problems?

My ultimate advise for this part is don’t write more than 50% for the courses and campus rank. Write more about you: your passion, area of expertise, problems found in your field and what is your vision — which supposed to be related with your expertise area. Think about why taking a master study in those three sp ecific courses and universities is going to help you to achieve your vision. This information is really helpful to link and congruent your story in the question no.4 (career plan). 

In my case, I used a fact that the growth of digital start-up in Indonesia has been astonishing recently but it is not followed by the success rate of a startup. If you want to use a fact, don’t forget to put the source. I outlined that the major problem was startup founders mostly great in building products yet tend to ignore other managerial skills such as people development, sales and finance (again, I put source). I then linked this statement to my personal experience working in an early stage start-up company where I had limited experiences or skills which happens to be a similar situation like startup founders. Hence, a degree in innovation and entrepreneurship would give me a balanced set of technical skills and knowledge in building early ventures.

From previous paragraph, I answered three basic questions to outline my background. Who am I? — A start-up early employee, what is my passion? — early venture development, what problems do I want to solve? — the high rate of startup failure rate and how will you solve it? — a degree in innovation and entrepreneurship by Chevening scholarship as one of stepping stones and followed by action plans that I will write in the question no.4

After outlining the “background” story about you, you can write the three courses. Highlight the reason why you choose them, it can be the campus ranking, curriculum, or professors/projects. I chose Warwick University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship because of the curriculum, the final project worth 50% of the final grade in which devoted to developing the business innovation carefully.  The school also placed the second rank of best Entrepreneurship master degree in the UK, after Oxford. My second choice was Imperial College and the third was the City University of London.

By the way, another advise choosing the school, besides research the course and its curriculum, do find out about the whole campus. Think about the facilities, clubs/societies, opportunities, the lifestyle (or living cost), nearby attractions, the city it’s located, etc. Ask current students about living in your designated campus, how do they like the campus and its surroundings? How about life after campus? I’m saying this not because I dislike Warwick University, instead, the campus has its own art centre and biggest sports centre in Coventry — which is realllly cool, but I would say Coventry itself doesn’t have many attractions to offer. But for the bright side, that really helps me to focus on my study and save money (it’s true!); it forces me to travel to other places more often hehe.  I would share my travel stories in other posts. Coventry also not too far from London and Birmingham, the two biggest cities in the UK. It’s easier for me to jump on opportunities in UK startups scene.

Career Plans

One thing I always shared to Chevening applicants who asked me to proofread their essay is: make a clear plan and breakdown into short term, mid-term and long term goal. Ensure each breakdown is contributing to your long-term goals if that makes sense? This way, it shows that you know how to get there. In my case, I wrote for immediate plans (2 years after study), the next 5 years and beyond 5 years. Make sure that your career goals are answering your concern and supporting your passion (stated in question no.3) which forms a more congruent essay.

As you need to relate your career goals to what the UK Government do in your country, you need to research. This might be different in every country and it might change year by years. You can start the search from the official UK’s government website ( http://gov.uk/world/name of country/news). Research thoroughly and try to link what you can contribute through your career goal.

Another thing to highlight is state how Chevening is one of the paths you would greatly benefit to take you to your future goals. How would you apply things you got from Chevening (the scholarship, the network, the education, the international friends) in your future career path? In my case, I outlined that I would use network from Chevening alumni to open access for mentors who can guide and share expertise to founders in establishing a new business.

As this is the last question, end the whole essay with a strong “punchline”. Keep elaborate Chevening, you can try to summarise outlined your aspiration by being a Chevening scholar. In my case, I mentioned that I still have to acquire deeper knowledge in innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as expanding my network to collaborate together in solving the problem. I acknowledged that from previous experiences, I gained valuable lessons in networking and leadership, however, I believe it’s still not enough. I then closed with thus, by being a Chevening scholar, I believe I would be (fill in the blank). 

I hope this article helps you! I also want to highlight that this is just my personal experience and thoughts, it might be not relevant for different courses; many of my Chevening friends pursue a course that I don’t know it exists 😀 (but that’s what I like about Chevening: they acknowledge that future leaders can contribute in any field). Lastly, write the essay with all your heart, write what you feel right and true. Good luck, keep fighting and believe in yourself!

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Published by laurensiairma

ESTJ; my stories are on my own perspective. View all posts by laurensiairma

61 thoughts on “Writing Chevening Essay: Breakdown Those 4 Questions”

[…] breakdown of each question is posted here. However, there are some important points I want to point out when you work for Chevening […]

Thank you! That’s really inspiring!

what a magnificent breakdown kak, terima kasih 🙂 *udah pinter cantik pula idamaannnnn huaa

Haha thank you! Goodluck!!

Thank you so much! My leadership essay exceeds the word count of 500, will the reading committee consider my application? this is my biggest concern, please leave me a reply if you know about the issue.

HI Mohammad, I think it will be best to stay at 500. Panellists read thousands of essays, they probably do skimming reading and you don’t want to leave them uninterested if your story is too long. It’s our challenge to make our essay is engaging and effective within 500 words. It’s hard indeed, but just be direct and straight to the answers asked in the questions. Hope it helps.

Thanks a lot for your all your tips! I’m glad I bumped into your blog. I have a tiny question related to essays 3 and 4: when I write about the efforts of the UK being made in my country, do I need to cite/quote the, let’s say, the FCDO and put their reference somewhere? I’m wondering since I think the link itself would take away many words out of my 500 word count. Or is there a specific format I should stick to? Thanks once again!!

Hi Mitch. When I cited the source, I just write “according to xxx research in 2015 (for example)..” and then put the whole link in the footnote. Actually there’s no specific format about citing (As this is not academic essay) and I guess this format worked well. Hope it helps!

Amazing guidance, many thanks for sharing this with us confused youths. I am working for an educational Facebook page in Vietnam (which works to aid scholarship applicants in their process and is currently having over 41 000 followers). May I translate this entry into Vietnamese and share it on my page? I will credit you with this link and send you the draft before publishing Thank you in advance,

Hi Anne, thanks for reaching me out. Yes, sure you can 🙂 Please head to my Instagram @laurensiaimce and dm me. Thank youu!

Thank you so much for such an amazing and detailed information.

Dear Linos, Thanks for the kind word!

Thank you. Your insights shed bright lights on what panel really look for and what they expect. It is my first year applying for Chevening. The process itself offers so much excitement. I am a language teacher and want to develop myself as leader and influencer in education. Could I contact you directly to get help for my essays? thank you.

Hi Bekzod, yes you can head to my Instagram and leave me a dm. Thank you!

Thank you for this! Its a wonderful detailed and helpful article!

Thank youuuu!

Thank you so much Lauren, your posts has been really helpful. Please do you know if Chevening also supports for non partner universities

Hi Isaiah, they support non-partners too. If Im not mistaken, what makes different between partner and non-partner is the scholarship ratio between chevening and the sponsors (partner). For awardee, there wont be any impact.

priceless informaion!!!

Thank you 🙂

Thank you for this article Lauren, please can I send you a mail

Hello ! I am a student applying for Chevening . This is my first time. I have no IG or FB. May i have your mail ID? I request you to proofread my essays and offer feedback. Many thanks, M

Hi, please contact me via linkedin: Laurensia Irma Saraswati. Thank youu!

A very thoughtful article! I am also applying for Chevening scholarship this year. This article gives me a lot of insights into my essay

May I ask you to proofread my essays kak? Thanks a lot!

Regards, FM

Hi Faisal, thank you so much for reading my blog! I’m currently unavailable for proof read, so sorry! Good luck for your application!

Hi Abdibasid, thank you for reading my blog too! Good luck for your application!

Hi Laurensia, thanks for sharing this insightful article. Just curious in your opinion, is it better to write all three courses or can I just focus to one course only?

Hi Dee, so sorry for late reply. I wrote all three courses but I explained the first choice slightly more than other two. It’s because I really like my first choice and highlight what I need to study there. Hope this helps.

Hello Laurensia, I am beyond grateful to you for this detailed article!. I tried to reach out to you on LinkedIn but it seems that it’s not possible to contact you via instant messaging. I hope you get to see my request.

Hi Assia, yeah we connected through Linkedin right? 🙂

This is a beautiful guide, if followed carefully with a mother luck, one can get the scholarship I believe. Thanks a bunch

Hi James, thank you so much for reading my blog. Good luck!!

Wow ! Just perfect post. One of the best posts I have ever read about Chevening. Heartfelt thanks ♡♡

Hi Marwa, thank youuuu!!

Thank you so much for this, your guidance was invaluable!

Dear Akeyo, thank youuu so much for the kind words. Good luck on your application!

Dear Laurensia, This is the most flexible article i have ever read for Chevening application. I have a question regarding experience as i have more than 6 years of experience which is totaling 11,000 hours (35 hours / week). The minimum requirement is 2,800 hours but i want to know is there any upper limit. if i show the full 11,000 into my application. Would it impact or not? Waiting for your reply. Thanks

Hi Sagheer,

Thanks for reading my blog! As far as I know there is an upper limit, but I forgot what the number is. Btw, if the system already recorded that you have min. 2000 hrs of working experience, you’ll be okay!

Thank you Laurensia for your reply. Yes i checked Chevening website they said a range of minimum 35 to maximum 60 hours per week. So what i understand is that i can add maximum employers as far as the time spend per week at each employer does not exceed 60 hours per week.

Halo, Kak Lauren! What an inspiring article :)) Kak Lauren, would you please be my mentee for Chevening 🙂 I do really need someone to review my essay. Hopefully you can be my mentee. Thankyou in advance :))

Hi Ratri, Apologies for late reply. I’m soo sorry I’m currently unavailable for becoming a mentor neither proofread assistance 😦 Good luck in your application!

HeyLaurensia, Loved the the detailed article. I used the contents in your blog to edit my essays. Thank you so much.

Hi Maryam, thanks for your kind word! Good luck for your application!

Dear Laurensia, I am so excited to read your blog which has a completed information for potential applicants. I have question that i have worked more than 11,000 hours and if i want to show them in full does it have a negative impact on my application? Is there any Upper limit for working hours?

Thanks the insights

hello Laurensia, Thank you for this help! I want to ask if it’s okay to write UK in essay or we have to in full (united kingdom)? another qn is that, is there a problem when one chooses one course at all three universities or we have to choose three courses as well?

That was very usefull I think if this essey included some bullet piont can be more ataractive. Tank you .

Halo kak,… Ketika kita copas essay ke sistem chevening,sebaiknya antar paragraf diberi spasi (di-enter) atau tidak ya? Apakah hal ini mempengaruhi? Terima kasih

Apologise for very late reply. Aku dikasih paragraf dulu, supaya bacanya enak. Jujur gak tau mempengaruhi atau nggaknya, cuma at least buat akunya sendiri, aku jadi bisa baca lebih jelas. Hope this helps!

Hi Laurensia, thank you for such great tips on writing the chevening essay. I have been applying for chevening scholarship for the past 3 years and I am not shortlisted for interviews. I was wondering if you would be able to give me points on my essays? It would be great help for me. Thank you!

great explanation, really help me to start my essay! i’ll just bookmarked this, then

Thank you! Goodluck!

Hello, I am really glad i came across your blog. My questions are, I was given admission in only one University and that is the course i really wanted, can i just focus on that one course? I also want to know, what to know the most challenging stage for you. How long can the process of writing the essay take? Do i need someone to guide and coach me physically?

Hi Simon, thanks for reading my blog. I think, based on Chevening requirement, we still need to provide 3 courses. Perhaps you want to include similar courses in 3 different campus? Because as far as I know, if applicants can’t obtain the unconditional acceptance letter from the first choice, then they can submit LOA from the second choice.

The most challenging stage while writing essay was connecting the dots. I had several leadership & networking experiences, but struggled to showcase which one to put in the essay(since I only have 500 words). I know what to study, but difficult how to link it with future career and past experiences. I got helped by a friend and together we dig down what should be included in the essay, what is not. The process itself was more like a journey to know more of what I’m good at and my aspiration is.

For guide and coach, it depends on you. If you think you really know what your passion is and have clear aspiration, then maybe no need. Sometimes coach/mentor helps to connect your dots, it is you who should discover the dot itself.

Hope it helps, good luck!

thanks a lot forthis great article Laurencia, I wanted to know how we can get the university admission ? in the website part where you can search the available courses , they don’t show them you have to write the name or the university or course ? thnks for your help

Hi Hamza, you can find the course & campus list here: https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/find-a-course/ the list has a direct link to the campus website.

thank you so much be blessed

Thank youu!

Hello Dear Laurencia,

I hope that you are doing well and that Eid passed in a good way for you and your family , how can I contact you please it’s urgent , thanks a lot I made comments in the past but you don’t respond

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20 Important Leadership Questions and Answers [With PDF]

The 6 th   chapter of our Management learning course is “Leadership”. In this article, we’ll learn the 20 most important leadership questions and their answers.

By reading this post, you may quickly prepare for management courses and for any competitive tests such as school and college exams, vivas, job interviews, and so on.

Leadership Questions and Answers   

Question 01: What is Leadership?

Answer: The following are some of the reasons why leadership is important:

Question 03: Why is Leadership is Important in Management?

This strategy encompasses planning, organizing, staffing, leadership, and control. The first three words in this case are preparatory.

Question 04: Why is Leadership Important in Achieving Goals?

As a result, competent leadership aids in the achievement of the goal by properly managing manpower.

Answer: The different types of leadership are as follows:

Question 06: What is Formal Leadership?

Question 08: What is Autocratic Leadership?

Answer: Autocratic leadership is a style of leadership in which the leader exercises control complete power and makes all decisions.

Question 10: What is Paternalistic Leadership?

Answer: Democratic or participative leadership is a style of leadership in which the leader delegates the necessary authority to subordinates rather than concentrating all power on himself and ensuring the subordinates’ consultation and participation in decision making. This type of leadership is diametrically opposed to autocratic leadership.

Answer: The four most important characteristics of democratic leadership are as follows:

Answer: Function-oriented leadership is a leadership style in which the leader prioritizes getting more work from employees.

Question 15: What is Employee Oriented Leadership?

Answer: The important functions of a leader are as follows:

Question 18: Why Is It Important for a Leader to Be Foresighted?

When a leader is able to make accurate predictions and succeed in the workplace by making the right decisions, subordinates respect the leader more. The leader must be foresighted in order to accomplish this.

Institutional Problems:

Question 20: What are the Methods for Removing Obstacles to Leadership Development?

You will gain a better understanding of the “leadership” chapter if you read these 20 important leadership questions and answers on a regular basis.

You can also read:

4 thoughts on “20 Important Leadership Questions and Answers [With PDF]”

It was inspiring. Keep on posting!

I loved this course

It is interesting and I love to teach this course with practical exercise

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay: Leadership Essay 2 (Real Past IELTS Tests/Exams)

by Dave | Real Past Tests | 0 Comment

This is an IELTS Writing Task 2 sample answer on the topic of leadership from the real IELTS test/exam.

It’s really interesting because when I started this blog years ago – this was the very first question that I wrote a sample answer for!

The questions can repeat themselves on IELTS, but only years later.

I thought it would be interesting to write about it again to see if my sample essays have changed a lot or not.

You can find the one that I wrote on the same topic years ago here .

Read my new one below!

Be sure to check out my Patreon exclusive essays as well.

Before reading, listen to the audio and take notes, then check with the sample answer:

Some believe that people are naturally born as leaders while others feel that leadership skills can develop. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Many are of the view that leadership is innate, rather than cultivated through time and experience. In my opinion, leadership is largely developed rather than gifted.

Those who believe that there are naturally born leaders point out the character of a person as a fixed quantity. There are certain individuals who display a natural charisma and inimitable capacity for command. A recent example of this would be Barack Obama. He is a naturally eloquent, stately, physically imposing presence and perfectly walks a fine line between warmth and firmness. Researchers have long identitified common natural characteristics of leadership such as height, a deep voice, a strong chin and natural grace of movement. These cannot be developed to a significant degree and therefore support the claim that leadership is intrinsic.

However, great leadership is more deliberate than spontaneous. There are countless examples of individuals possessing all the physical characteristics of leaders who fall well short of inspiring people. An instructive example of this is Steve Jobs. Early in his career he inspired people with his exceptional talent but that had its limits as he pushed and demeaned employees ultimately leading to his ouster from Apple. This humbling experience led him to soften the sharper edges of his personality in the ensuing decade by considering other viewpoints and giving up more control to competent employees. These learned traits served him well when he become CEO of Apple again and reached what many regard as the pinnacle of leadership.

In conclusion, though the endpoint may obscure the origins, all leaders must cultivate their hubris to become great leaders. The long-standing assumptions about leadership must be challenged in order to put in place better institutional practices to mold future pioneers of industry and politics.

Word Count: 289

1. Many are of the view that leadership is innate, rather than cultivated through time and experience. 2. In my opinion, leadership is largely developed rather than gifted.

• Paraphrase the overall topic in your first sentence.
• Give your opinion – make it clear!

1. Those who believe that there are naturally born leaders point out the character of a person as a fixed quantity. 2. There are certain individuals who display a natural charisma and inimitable capacity for command. 3. A recent example of this would be Barack Obama. 4. He is a naturally eloquent, stately, physically imposing presence and perfectly walks a fine line between warmth and firmness. 5. Researchers have long identitified common natural characteristics of leadership such as height, a deep voice, a strong chin and natural grace of movement. 6. These cannot be developed to a significant degree and therefore support the claim that leadership is intrinsic.

• Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
• Begin to develop/explain your main idea.
• Give a specific example.
• Develop the example with specific details.
• Here I quote (fake) research to further support my main idea.
• Tie it back to your main idea for the paragraph/the overall essay question.

1. However, great leadership is more deliberate than spontaneous. 2. There are countless examples of individuals possessing all the physical characteristics of leaders who fall well short of inspiring people. 3. An instructive example of this is Steve Jobs. 4. Early in his career he inspired people with his exceptional talent but that had its limits as he pushed and demeaned employees ultimately leading to his ouster from Apple. 5. This humbling experience led him to soften the sharper edges of his personality in the ensuing decade by considering other viewpoints and giving up more control to competent employees. 6. These learned traits served him well when he become CEO of Apple again and reached what many regard as the pinnacle of leadership.

• Write a new main idea.
• Begin to develop that main idea by explaining it first.
• Start another specific example of a person that you know a lot about.
• Go into great detail in your example.
• Continue developing the example.
• Finish developing your example to fully support your main idea.

1. In conclusion, though the endpoint may obscure the origins, all leaders must cultivate their hubris to become great leaders. 2. The long-standing assumptions about leadership must be challenged in order to put in place better institutional practices to mold future pioneers of industry and politics.

• Repeat your opinion.
• Add in a final thought/extra detail for full points from the IELTS examiner.

What do the words in below in bold mean?

Many are of the view that leadership is innate , rather than cultivated through time and experience. In my opinion, leadership is largely developed rather than gifted .

Those who believe that there are naturally born leaders point out the character of a person as a fixed quantity . There are certain individuals who display a natural charisma and inimitable capacity for command . A recent example of this would be Barack Obama. He is a naturally eloquent , stately , physically imposing presence and perfectly walks a fine line between warmth and firmness . Researchers have long identitified common natural characteristics of leadership such as height, a deep voice , a strong chin and natural grace of movement . These cannot be developed to a significant degree and therefore support the claim that leadership is intrinsic .

However, great leadership is more deliberate than spontaneous . There are countless examples of individuals possessing all the physical characteristics of leaders who fall well short of inspiring people . An instructive example of this is Steve Jobs. Early in his career he inspired people with his exceptional talent but that had its limits as he pushed and demeaned employees ultimately leading to his ouster from Apple. This humbling experience led him to soften the sharper edges of his personality in the ensuing decade by considering other viewpoints and giving up more control to competent employees . These learned traits served him well when he become CEO of Apple again and reached what many regard as the pinnacle of leadership .

In conclusion, though the endpoint may obscure the origins , all leaders must cultivate their hubris to become great leaders. The long-standing assumptions about leadership must be challenged in order to put in place better institutional practices to mold future pioneers of industry and politics.

innate intrinsic

cultivated developed

largely mostly

rather than gifted instead of given

naturally born leaders innate leaders

point out argue

character temperament

fixed quantity unchangeable

display show

natural charisma personality

inimitable capacity for command can’t be repeated ability to lead

naturally eloquent speaks well

stately presidential

physically imposing presence looks like a leader

perfectly walks a fine line balances well

between warmth and firmness being friendly and strong

natural characteristics your character

deep voice manly voice

natural grace of movement refined manners

to a significant degree much

support the claim give evidence for

intrinsic innate

deliberate intentional

spontaneous without intent

countless examples many instances

fall well short nowhere near

inspiring people leading

instructive example instance that shows well

inspired visionary

exceptional talent standout ability

limits boundaries

pushed forced

demeaned condescended to

ultimately leading to in the end resulting in

ouster kicked out

humbling experience brough him down to Earth

soften the sharper edges of his personality mature

ensuing decade over the next 10 years

considering other viewpoints listening to others

giving up more control empowering others

competent employees able staff

learned traits served him well experiences benefited him later

what many regard as lots of people think

pinnacle of leadership height of leadership

endpoint final destination

obscure hide

origins where it started

cultivate develop

hubris ego/pride

long-standing assumptions unquestioned

challenged rethink

put in place implement

institutional practices schools, companies, etc. how they operate

pioneers trailblazers

Pronunciation

ɪˈneɪt ˈkʌltɪveɪtɪd   ˈlɑːʤli   ˈrɑːðə ðæn ˈgɪftɪd ˈnæʧrəli bɔːn ˈliːdəz   pɔɪnt aʊt   ˈkærɪktə   fɪkst ˈkwɒntɪti dɪsˈpleɪ   ˈnæʧrəl ˈkærɪzmə   ɪˈnɪmɪtəbl kəˈpæsɪti fɔː kəˈmɑːnd ˈnæʧrəli ˈɛləʊkwənt ˈsteɪtli ˈfɪzɪkəli ɪmˈpəʊzɪŋ ˈprɛzns   ˈpɜːfɪktli wɔːks ə faɪn laɪn   bɪˈtwiːn wɔːmθ ænd ˈfɜːmnəs ˈnæʧrəl ˌkærɪktəˈrɪstɪks   diːp vɔɪs ˈnæʧrəl greɪs ɒv ˈmuːvmənt tuː ə sɪgˈnɪfɪkənt dɪˈgriː   səˈpɔːt ðə kleɪm   ɪnˈtrɪnsɪk dɪˈlɪbərɪt   spɒnˈteɪniəs ˈkaʊntlɪs ɪgˈzɑːmplz   fɔːl wɛl ʃɔːt   ɪnˈspaɪərɪŋ ˈpiːpl ɪnˈstrʌktɪv ɪgˈzɑːmpl   ɪnˈspaɪəd   ɪkˈsɛpʃənl ˈtælənt   ˈlɪmɪts   pʊʃt   dɪˈmiːnd   ˈʌltɪmɪtli ˈliːdɪŋ tuː   ˈaʊstə   ˈhʌmblɪŋ ɪksˈpɪərɪəns   ˈsɒfn ðə ˈʃɑːpər ˈɛʤɪz ɒv hɪz ˌpɜːsəˈnælɪti   ɪnˈsjuːɪŋ ˈdɛkeɪd   kənˈsɪdərɪŋ ˈʌðə ˈvjuːpɔɪnts   ˈgɪvɪŋ ʌp mɔː kənˈtrəʊl   ˈkɒmpɪtənt ˌɛmplɔɪˈiːz lɜːnttreɪts sɜːvd hɪm wɛl   wɒt ˈmɛni rɪˈgɑːd æz   ˈpɪnəkl ɒv ˈliːdəʃɪp ˈɛndˌpɔɪnt   əbˈskjʊə   ˈɒrɪʤɪnz ˈkʌltɪveɪt   ˈhjuːbrɪs   ˈlɒŋˈstændɪŋ əˈsʌmpʃ(ə)nz   ˈʧælɪnʤd   pʊt ɪn pleɪs   ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃən(ə)l ˈpræktɪsɪz   məʊld   ˌpaɪəˈnɪəz  

Listen and repeat:

Vocabulary Practice

Many are of the view that leadership is i____________ , rather than c____________ through time and experience. In my opinion, leadership is l____________ developed r____________ .

Those who believe that there are n____________ p____________ the c____________ of a person as a f____________ . There are certain individuals who d____________ a n____________ and i____________ . A recent example of this would be Barack Obama. He is a n____________ , s____________ , p____________ and w____________ b____________ . Researchers have long i____________ common n____________ of leadership such as height, a d____________ , a strong chin and n____________ . These cannot be developed t____________ and therefore s____________ that leadership is i____________ .

However, great leadership is more d____________ than s____________ . There are c____________ of individuals possessing all the physical characteristics of leaders who f____________ of i____________ . An i____________ of this is Steve Jobs. Early in his career he i____________ people with his e____________ but that had its l____________ as he p____________ and d____________ employees u____________ his o____________ from Apple. This h____________ led him to s____________ in the e____________ by c____________ and g____________ to c ____________ . These l____________ when he become CEO of Apple again and reached ____________ the p ____________ .

In conclusion, though the e____________ may o____________ the o____________ , all leaders must c____________ their h____________ to become great leaders. The l____________ about leadership must be c____________ in order to p____________ better i____________ to m____________ future p____________ of industry and politics.

Listen and check:

Listening Practice

Listen to Tony Robbins below on leadership:

Reading Practice

Here is a fascinating article on leadership from research that Google conducted:

https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/google-spent-years-studying-effective-teams-this-single-quality-contributed-most-to-their-success.html

Speaking Practice

Answer the question below about leadership from real IELTS speaking test :

Discuss a group project that you worked on. Include:

What the project was about

Who you worked with on it

The result of the project

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UC Essay Examples – Personal Insight Questions 1-8

December 29, 2023

When applying to any of the University of California schools , you’ll face a series of supplemental essays in which you are asked to quickly and, with sufficient detail, provide personal insight into who you are as a person. These essays can be confusing to students, who might be used to writing the Common App essay , which asks for a well-written story in 650 words. The UC essays (see UC essay examples below), by contrast, ask you to provide as much concrete detail as possible while showcasing your positive traits. This means your writing will need to be as efficient as possible. To be clear, that means cutting down on flowery descriptions and pulling out the clear details about your achievements while leaving enough space for mature reflection and forward thinking. 

(For help with writing efficiency, check out our tips in our Why This College Essay blog post . For tips on how to get started, check out our Overcoming Challenges Essay blog post .)

In the following examples, we’ll show you some example responses to the first four UC prompts while talking you through what works and what doesn’t. 

UC Essay Prompt #1: 

Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

UC Example Essay: 

It was the third night in a row that we couldn’t get it together. My school’s mock trial team was finally going to the state championship after years of working together, but we couldn’t agree on how to build our prosecution. The “case” was that several people had died during a rock concert when the crowd became violent. We needed to decide if we should “sue” the event space or the artist, and the group was split around two natural leaders. 

Mark, our lead attorney for the last two years, wanted to build a logical argument that the event space intentionally oversold the show, creating danger. Emma, our star witness, said that we needed to build the case around sympathy for the families and sue the artist, who had inspired the violence.

UC Essay Examples (Continued)

I had watched Mark and Emma disagree over the last two years. They were two very different people who loved arguing, and the rest of us often had to wait through it. I typically hang back and observe, but we were down to the wire, and I realized someone needed to speak up. I came up with an idea and pulled aside some of my friends to explain my thoughts. They agreed, and encouraged me to step up. 

I surprised myself when, in a moment of silence, I opened my mouth. I calmly explained that we didn’t have to abandon either strategy and that we could, in fact, combine them to greater effect. Because I had taken time to convince the rest of the team before speaking, they rallied around me, and Mark and Emma had no choice but to agree. I realized at that moment that groups need people who are willing to listen, strategize, and then put a plan into motion, and that I have a strength for this style of leadership. Since then, I’ve started speaking up more, specifically in my robotics club, where I recently led us to second place at the 24-Hour Code-athon. I look forward to bringing those skills to my classes and volunteer work at UC. 

Analysis: 

The first thing we should note about UC’s essays is that they are asking about important parts of your life, but they want brief responses. Because UC is sorting through so many applications, we want to be sure that you are providing as much concrete detail as possible and showcasing as many positive traits about yourself as possible in these quick responses.

What I’ve written here attempts to combine a single story with positive traits that a more introverted student might possess. So, it’s a story about the development of someone’s leadership style in a single moment in time. But, there’s another way to write this essay. 

Another Option for UC1: 

A more extroverted student who has been prone to leadership activities all throughout their high school experience could write an incredibly successful essay that simply focused, paragraph by paragraph on quick snippets that showcased their leadership throughout time. For example: 

• Paragraph 1: I learned I was a natural leader the first time I successfully rallied my rhythm gymnastics team after our star tumbler got injured during a competition.
• Paragraph 2: I then became our team captain, working to institute a new bonding retreat at the start of each year to bring the team together.
• Paragraph 3: I took that same sense of leadership to my volunteer work at the local food bank, where I have worked with my colleagues to create a conversation hour. Every Wednesday, we invite volunteers and clients to a collective meal where we share stories, tough spots, and triumphs.
• Paragraph 4: While I won’t be dancing competitively in college, I plan to continue my volunteer work with the Meals on Wheels chapter at UC, bringing food and friendly conversation to people in the community, rooted in my practice and experience with community building and bonding in high school. 

No matter what your experience is, you really want to focus on direct, deliverable moments in time that showcase what you’ve done. If you have a ton of leadership experience, try to showcase as much as you can while meeting the word count. If you have less experience but a really compelling story, focus on quickly laying out the basics of the story and then building power in the essay by reflecting on your leadership style.

In the end, make sure you comment on how you will bring your leadership style to campus, being as specific as possible. 

If I edited the above essay even more, I would further condense the story and elaborate more on how I’ve applied what I’ve learned. I mention the robotics club and winning second place at the 24-Hour Code-athon, but I could have saved some space above and expanded on it to show that I have the capacity to build my skill set over time. I could have also talked about the deliverables from the mock trial experience. Did we win our case? How does the story end? If I gave this essay another pass, I would focus a bit less on the story and balance things out more with what happened as a result of my leadership revelation.  

UC Essay Prompt #2: 

Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.

When I was just two-years-old, my mom enrolled me in ballet classes—and I hated them. Because I was young and she wanted me to do it, I danced for another nine years, until I finally gave up ballet for the soccer field. What I hadn’t realized was that everything I learned in ballet would quickly translate to make me a star player on the field. I knew how to turn on a dime, I could jump over a slide tackle faster than anyone else, and I never took it that seriously when we lost (the show must go on, after all). This led me to being named captain of my varsity team, where my team has nicknamed me The Swann—a combination of the football player who used ballet to train, Lynn Swann, and the famous ballet, Swan Lake. 

UC Personal Insight Questions Examples (Continued)

I realized quickly that my creativity could have this extracurricular quality no matter where I went. In my high school’s annual Physics-in-the-Raw Competition, I used famous chase scenes from my favorite black and white movies (I’m a big fan of Vertigo and Chinatown ) and pulled all the data I could from the movies themselves to crunch the numbers and show whether or not the actual chase would have played out like that in real life. I even filmed shot-for-shot remakes on my phone using Matchbox cars—in black and white, of course. My AP Physics teacher never stopped laughing, even as they noted that my calculations were correct. I was the first 11th grader to win the competition in the school’s history, and I have my creativity to thank for it. 

I’ve expressed interest in both English and Physics as a double major, but I’m excited to talk to my future advisers about what might be possible for me in Interdisciplinary Studies. When I let myself think creatively, I wonder about the possibility of bringing ballet back into my life—and what it might look like to combine my love of physics with the beauty of dance and literature, all on the UC campus.  

Here’s a cheeky example from a dream student whose only obstacle in life is that they didn’t really like ballet. I wrote this essay as a way to show you how you can quickly combine story with concrete elements. Look at how we jump into the essay. The first sentence I actually typed was “Creativity is one of my favorite things about me,” and then deleted it after I wrote the rest of the paragraph. I realized quickly that it was a placeholder for what I was attempting to show throughout the rest of the essay. If you find yourself writing bland or empty sentences like that in your UC essays, you should delete them, too. 

Then, look at what happens along the way. I try to list vivid-yet-concrete examples of my creativity ( I knew how to turn on a dime, I could jump over a slide tackle faster than anyone else, and I never took it that seriously when we lost ), and then I take what I learned about myself (that I have an “extracurricular sense” of creativity) and show the achievement that best showcases that sensibility on display: I was the first 11th grader to win the school physics competition because I’m so creative. I don’t need to over-explain the connection: it’s there for my readers and they can easily see how the experience in the first paragraph leads to the second experience. 

Finally, I take the chance to project myself onto the UC Campus by talking earnestly about an interest I have in the Interdisciplinary B.A. This moment is effective because I’m not promising anything or using overextended language to build a fake version of myself on campus, but because it makes sense that this type of student would be interested in this type of major. I demonstrate that I’ve done some research and that I’m thinking critically about how I would fit in on campus. 

If I edited this essay into another version, and I had another set of accomplishments to showcase, I would skip talking about the Interdisciplinary major and talk instead about that third accomplishment.  

UC Essay Prompt #3: 

What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?

I stepped onto the pad and looked over at my coach. She gave me the sign: breathe in, breathe out, pull. One kick to the right to loosen my tight hip, and I lowered my hands to the bar. In the 2022 USA Powerlifting High School Nationals, I set a personal deadlift record of 242.5 pounds, putting me in fifth place. When the rankings shook out, my coach screamed and hugged me: she knew what it had taken me to get here. 

Something about powerlifting always compelled me. I was tiny at the start of my journey in ninth grade, but I decided to just keep with it. My coach laid out a progressive plan for me, and I followed it to a T. I was making steady progress all through fall of sophomore year, and I even won a regional title.  I broke my right leg in a skiing accident that winter and was devastated. But I remembered all the progress I had made and didn’t want to stop. I watched practice with my cast on, doing seated, upper-body lifts when my coach said it was safe. 

In the meantime, I focused on my academics. I turned around my AP Chemistry grade by showing up to afterschool tutoring and finally making flashcards the way my teacher had recommended, dedicating an extra 30 minutes to chem every day.  I realized I could apply my same sense of persistence and tenacity to the classroom, too, and it paid off: I got a 5 on the AP Chemistry exam. 

My coach wasn’t surprised when she saw me back at the barbell a week after my cast was off. Over the next year, I dedicated myself to rebuilding the muscle I had lost by following an increased- calorie diet and working accessory lifts to challenge myself. I realized I could see precisely what my ability to perform sustained, focused effort got me: a comeback fifth place ranking at a national competition in the sport that I love. I can’t wait to apply my focus to my major at UC. 

Many students think about “skill” or “talent” as a discrete thing. For example, this student could have simply written about being really good at powerlifting. However, if we take one step back, we can see that the student’s true talent (and the more interesting thing to say) is that they are really good at persistence, tenacity, and sustained, focused attention on a goal. This is a tremendous thing to talk about when it comes to applying to college, because going to university is a project in your sustained focus over the course of four years. 

That meant that it was important to also bring in an academic component to the essay to showcase how this student was skilled in persistence in another realm. In this context, obviously, the academic realm is incredibly important. Drawing the parallel with the AP Chem course shows the reader that the student also understands how their skillset works in an abstract way. 

I’ll repeat the same editing principle here that I’ve said above: if the student had other stellar examples of exhibiting persistence and focus, I would cut down on the storytelling elements, and I would include those pieces, instead. If you’re working on an essay for which you have a lot of solid examples, you can think of your response to the prompt like a vividly conceptualized list. You can showcase your personality through your language choices, and you can tell the story of your achievements, but again, worry less about setting the scene and more about highlighting your successes. 

UC Essay Prompt #4: 

Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

As a gifted student, I was shocked when my favorite teacher asked me if I had ever considered getting examined for ADHD. My grades had been slipping that semester, but it was just because I wasn’t working hard enough to stay organized, right? My teacher indicated that he knew I was working really hard already, and that maybe, I would benefit from a little help. 

When my diagnosis came back as primarily inattentive ADHD, I felt both surprise and grief. My psychologist talked to me about how my hyperfocus had been likely sparked when I was a little kid in elementary school, but that, as time went on, it was easier and easier for me to become bored in school. Even if the classes were more challenging, the repetition of the structure wasn’t. I had enough coping mechanisms to do “well enough,” but if I wasn’t being challenged, my inattention could be taking over and making me lose out on reaching my goals. 

Working closely with my parents, my psychologist, and my teachers, I was able to build a plan for myself to get back on track. I chose for myself that I wanted to start treatment without medication, so I did counseling to put my time in high school in perspective, and I started practicing mindfulness meditation, which has been a revelation. When I focus on the fact that every day is a new opportunity to learn something new, I can really savor those opportunities. The semester that I received my diagnosis, I stabilized my grades and my 4.0 GPA before anything started to slip, thanks to my careful teacher. 

When I come to UC, I know I may be faced with challenges to my inattentive ADHD as time goes on, however, I now know what warning signs and how to rely on my support networks. I look forward to volunteering as a peer mentor to share my tips, tricks, and to help other students identify when they need help, as well. 

Writing about mental health and learning disabilities can be tricky. In every case, you need to be sure that you’re demonstrating a clear arc of overcoming something. There is no shame in actively dealing with a mental health problem or diagnosis, but when it comes to writing your college admissions essays, you want to be sure that you have a demonstrable positive outcome that you can discuss if you choose to go down this path. 

So, I wanted to show an example of someone who had that clarity of overcoming their diagnosis with a demonstrable stabilization of their GPA. Pay attention to the way in which the essay departs from the identification of the problem, the diagnosis, and then focuses mainly on the solutions that the student finds. Leaving the essay in a place of generosity where the student wants to extend what they’ve learned to others around them solidifies their success and showcases that they truly have overcome this educational barrier. 

Of course, there are other significant educational barriers that someone could talk about. They could include structural barriers within a school system or unfortunate events, like surviving a wildfire or a flood, that can demonstrate a student’s perseverance. To write this essay in the opposite direction, about a significant educational opportunity, might entail writing about an invitation to speak at an important event, an opportunity to travel to a foreign country, or the chance to participate in an extracurricular activity that led to a particular success. Were you asked to help start your school’s award-winning field hockey team? That would be an excellent thing to write about. 

To view all of the full list of prompts and other helpful tips, check out our other UC Essay blog post, here . And when you need help crafting and editing your UC essays, reach out to College Transitions for a free consultation and to get started. 

Now let’s dive into the next series of supplemental prompts, UC Personal Insight Questions 5 through 8. 

UC Essay Prompt #5: 

Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

When I was five years old, my mother decided to separate from my father because of his addiction. I have learned to understand the details based on what my mother does not say. My mother tried to help him overcome his illness. She had hoped that doctors, rehab, and twelve-step programs would have stopped him from becoming violent. She was wrong. I grew up without him. 

Last year, out of the blue, my father started showing up outside of my high school, telling me he wanted to see my mom again. It became severe enough that the police issued a restraining order. I haven’t seen him since. 

But I suffered. The idea that he could appear outside of my school at any moment made me paranoid. I was scared for my mother, and I wanted to believe that the restraining order would be sufficient, but then I stopped trusting myself. What if something happened and no one believed me? I had never experienced anxiety before, but all of the sudden, I was having tunnel vision and couldn’t be alone. 

My physics teacher, Mr. Bevelacqua, noticed first. He saw that my grade had slid from an A to a C- in five weeks, and he rightly assumed that, if it was happening in his class, it was happening in others. I loved his class and sense of humor, so I felt comfortable enough confiding in my teacher about my fears. He helped me talk with the school psychologist, who suggested a course in mindfulness and a series of conversations with the police. I created healthy boundaries for myself and developed a mindfulness routine with my mother that has benefited both of us.

Now, my grades are back up, and I’m helping Mr. Bevelacqua tutor other students for the AP Physics exam. I’ve even started attending Alateen meetings, where I’ve made close friends who have experienced similar things. Sharing our experiences has almost helped them dissolve. I’ve learned that, even though I’ve thought I should be ashamed of my father, I can talk openly about my experiences—and maybe even help myself and others.  

This essay is a completely fictional one in which I’m imagining a rather difficult experience that triggers a mental health episode in a student. You’ll see that I spend the first three, quick paragraphs detailing the challenge and the final paragraph outlining the steps the student has taken to overcome the problem. The student shows self-awareness by confiding in a favorite teacher about what’s happening, then the student doesn’t hesitate to take the teacher’s advice, then the advice pays off and we see the positive effects of the student’s willingness to address their fears and work with the people they trust around them.  

I want to point out that both sections are fairly concrete. I take some creative liberties in the first paragraph in order to artfully describe a situation of domestic violence, but for the most part, I’m stating directly what happened. This doesn’t mean excluding difficult details, like the anxiety attacks and fear, but it does mean that I’ve avoided overly flowery language. 

Writing about heavy things doesn’t mean that your prose has to be particularly heavy. In fact, writing about particularly difficult things in plain, straightforward ways —without the use of too many colorful adjectives—can help communicate the painfulness even more. You don’t want to smother your reader in emotion; you want to lead them to their own emotional reaction through the things that happened. Restraint in prose can help to achieve this goal. Let the painful things be painful. They will do the work for you. 

That is all to say: when you’re tackling this essay, you don’t want to bleed on the page. Oftentimes, students who have suffered traumatic, difficult things believe that they need to convey the full weight of their distress to admissions officers. To be clear, your trauma and your suffering matters, but admissions officers are reading the full breadth of painful experiences from across the spectrum of human existence. Adversity and suffering visit us all, and the unfortunate pain of these events is highly relative.

Admissions officers are interested in seeing what you do with your pain. You want to focus on the tangible, provable things that you have done to overcome your challenges. Those things could be big or small. It would have been enough for this student, for example, to have simply found a productive mindfulness meditation routine that they practiced with their mother, and then described their newfound perspectives that came from that practice. You don’t have to do twenty things to prove that you’re emotionally mature enough to attend college; but you do want to prove that you’re doing well despite adversity. 

UC Essay Prompt #6: 

Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

Standing in front of the seven-foot-tall, room-length canvas for the first time, I was overwhelmed. Then, slowly, I realized what Warhol was doing. Here was Elvis, the iconic American figure of rock ‘n’ roll, stamped out eleven times, his pistol pointed at us, his larger-than-life body repeating like a film strip left on the cutting room floor and then splayed out before us, so that we could see each instance of his fame, however fleeting, now indelible. 

Going to the Andy Warhol Museum in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania opened my eyes to the world of Art History, and as soon as I realized I could study it, I ran full speed ahead. To compete in National History Day, I underwent a six-month research process in the Warhol Museum archives, reading Warhol’s journals, correspondences, and making analytical reviews of drafts of his earlier, un-exhibited works. I made a thirty-minute documentary about Warhol’s work, including interviews I conducted with experts, museum curators, and with the only living family member who knew Warhol when he was still alive. With my documentary, I progressed to the national competition and placed as an honorable mention in the individual documentary category. 

Growing out of that experience, I worked with my AP History teacher to establish a connection with Duquesne University Art History Professor Laney McGunnigan, with whom I completed a semester-long independent study project on the development of pop art in the twentieth century. This fall, I will be assisting Professor McGunnigan in cataloging the body of Diego Rivera’s work held at Fallingwater, in order to assist with a larger place-based analysis on the intersection of diverse artistic movements hidden across the greater Pittsburgh area. 

I am thrilled by the possibility of studying under UCLA Department Chair Saloni Mathur. The Fallingwater project has opened my eyes to the influence of colonialism and post-colonialism in Art History, and I am deeply interested in the possibility of an interdisciplinary approach that involves anthropological practices like those I engaged during my Warhol documentary production process. 

For this essay, you want to choose that interest toward which you’ve put the most effort during your time in high school. It’s kind of like a “Why This College?” essay, but it’s about a subject, instead. In this fictional example essay, I’m drawing on a personal experience with creating a Warhol documentary in high school (true story!) and how an incredibly diligent and well-resourced student might have expanded that experience into further study (that part is fiction). No matter the level of involvement, you want to pull out all of the details about what you’ve done as a high school student as you’ve pursued a particular interest. 

You can see that I’m naming names throughout the essay, and also that I’m talking about how I’ve used my academic network to further my interest. For example, I say that I worked with my AP History teacher to make a valuable connection with a professor—don’t leave those things out. Seemingly small conversations and connections that lead to bigger things are worth including in this essay because they demonstrate your pursuit. Show the reader the steps you took along the way to get to where you are; every step counts—and you can always pare down the word count later.  

The opening lines are deceptively normal. Yes, they paint a quick scene for the reader. However, they’re also showing how I got interested in art history to begin with. The reader can see the first moment of inspiration outside of the classroom, and how I pull that inspiration into my academic life. 

Finally, I closed the essay by doing some quick research into the Art History department at UCLA. I might not know a ton about anthropology as a high school student, but I do know that I did interviews for my documentary. A good essay coach (like someone from College Transitions) could help you make the elegant connection between the work you’ve already done and the academic interests of the faculty in the department where you’d like to study. 

UC Essay Prompt #7: 

What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?

I can’t begin to tell you how the opioid epidemic has ravaged my community. In the last three years, three graduating seniors and eight recent graduates have died from heroin-related overdoses. The most recent death was my best friend Evan’s older brother; he had been a star soccer player and he went on to study communications at Regional State University. When Evan called to tell me what happened, I did the math silently as I listened to my friend cry: his brother overdosed at the age of 23. 

In the weeks following the funeral, I felt a heaviness I had never felt before. I’m pretty introverted; to say that I’ve never had anyone offer me drugs is an understatement. It’s the same with Evan. Even though his brother had gotten into drugs, we never saw them, which made the whole thing all the more painful, scary, and confusing. We felt hopeless. I watched Evan start to plummet. 

It was then that I heard a news story about a Harm Reduction group out of Chicago. It was the first time I’d ever heard of harm reduction, but Evan and I took the idea and ran. In just four months, we contacted the National Harm Reduction Coalition and set up a voluntary Narcan Network through our school. We built a program where kids and their parents can get trained on how to use free Narcan kits that we receive through donations we organized with NHRC.

We got trained, and we have trained more than two hundred people in our monthly sessions. The community support has been overwhelming. Parents who have had kids die or go to rehab have become integral parts of our project, and we’ve helped them start a monthly support group. If someone takes a kit, they don’t have to report using it to us, but through voluntary reporting, we know that our kits have been used at least twenty times so far. Twenty lives, twenty families, twenty more reasons to keep doing what we do. We like to think that Evan’s brother would be proud. 

In this essay, you can see that I dedicate a fair amount of time to the problem. The first two paragraphs set up what happened to the student and their best friend’s family. If I were editing this essay—and the student had a substantial amount more to say about the Narcan group—I might shorten those two paragraphs and leave space at the end for more reflection and balance, especially if the student had more achievement-oriented information to include. 

Writing about the positive things you brought to the situation is the crucial part here. The admissions officers want to know about the context for the solution, yes, but the more important thing here is your character that has allowed you to improve your community. You need to provide significant, concrete details that demonstrate your contribution to your school or community. In this case, the student is able to provide a time frame, the name of outside organizations with which they organized, the number of people trained, and an approximate number of lives saved . This is a Herculean effort that I invented for the sake of this prompt, however, I’m using it to show you the kinds of information you should provide. 

Maybe you didn’t create a live-saving program at your school, but perhaps you organized a fundraiser that brought in hundreds of dollars for cancer research or even your marching band’s annual competition trip. Tell us that. And tell us how you did it. Maybe you organized the calendars of thirty different students to do tabling during different periods of the school day. Maybe you held a week’s worth of car washes in the parking lot of your local library, and you had to coordinate the efforts between the library staff and fifteen volunteers. Or perhaps you were in charge of keeping the cash box, opening a bank account, and ensuring the safe transfer of funds to the organization.

Those are the kinds of concrete details this essay wants to see. Be sure to gas yourself up and don’t be afraid to sound like you’re “bragging:” UC wants to see your personal achievements.  

Essay Prompt #8: 

Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California? 

Well, why don’t you take a crack at it? 

For this essay, I’ll reiterate those best practices for all of your UC Personal Insight Essays . You want to quickly describe, in concrete language, a situation that distinguishes you from others. Then, you want to use numbers, names, responses, and your personal process to show very clearly how you overcame a situation, created something beneficial, committed yourself to a positive outcome, helped your family, helped your friends, helped your community, and on and on. Don’t take this opportunity to flex your creative writing muscles. Do stick to demonstrative outcomes. Don’t worry about winning the Pulitzer Prize for literature.

Again, UC essays are different from the storytelling you’re expected to do in the Common App essay . Do concern yourself with communicating the clear, discrete benefits of your work on a project, course, or group of people. Don’t worry about “bragging.” Your 350 words will go by fast! Gas yourself up while you can. 

• College Essay

Brittany Borghi

After earning a BA in Journalism and an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from the University of Iowa, Brittany spent five years as a full-time lecturer in the Rhetoric Department at the University of Iowa. Additionally, she’s held previous roles as a researcher, full-time daily journalist, and book editor. Brittany’s work has been featured in The Iowa Review, The Hopkins Review, and the Pittsburgh City Paper, among others, and she was also a 2021 Pushcart Prize nominee.

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6 Common Leadership Styles — and How to Decide Which to Use When

• Rebecca Knight

Being a great leader means recognizing that different circumstances call for different approaches.

Research suggests that the most effective leaders adapt their style to different circumstances — be it a change in setting, a shift in organizational dynamics, or a turn in the business cycle. But what if you feel like you’re not equipped to take on a new and different leadership style — let alone more than one? In this article, the author outlines the six leadership styles Daniel Goleman first introduced in his 2000 HBR article, “Leadership That Gets Results,” and explains when to use each one. The good news is that personality is not destiny. Even if you’re naturally introverted or you tend to be driven by data and analysis rather than emotion, you can still learn how to adapt different leadership styles to organize, motivate, and direct your team.

Much has been written about common leadership styles and how to identify the right style for you, whether it’s transactional or transformational, bureaucratic or laissez-faire. But according to Daniel Goleman, a psychologist best known for his work on emotional intelligence, “Being a great leader means recognizing that different circumstances may call for different approaches.”

• RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

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The 16 Most Popular Scholarship Essay and Application Questions

by Gabrielle McCormick | Nov 17, 2018 | Applying for Scholarships , Finding Scholarships , Scholarship Essays | 0 comments

Believe it or not, scholarship committees generally ask the same types of questions and have similar applications.

That’s right! The scholarships you find are going to fit into specific themes which you must be able to identify in order to save your family time, frustration, stress, and most importantly – money.

The 16 themes below are designed for you to use as a reference until you can spot them on your own. Also, make sure you check out our Scholarship Fast Track videos , specifically the Application Accelerators Module , that outlines these scholarship essay themes and questions even more!

The Top 16 Scholarship Essay Themes

• Committee Composition
• Competition
• Contribution
• Credentials

I’ve provided a definition as well as common scholarship question examples for each theme.

[info-box type=”success”] Real Talk: These questions are not made-up and, in fact, come from actual scholarship applications that are open to students at all levels. I hope that they serve you well in preparing for your upcoming applications. [/info-box]

Common Scholarship Questions and Essay Prompts

Scholarship essay theme: career.

The career theme is pretty self-explanatory. The committee wants to know any and everything relating to you or your student’s career goals.

Common Scholarship Questions:

• What do you want to do after you graduate from college?
• Why did you select this career?
• How will you change the field/industry?
• Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Catch-All

This is a student’s life summary or autobiography which usually includes information about the past, present, and future. Some committees refer to it as a personal statement or brief bio. (Warning: Not all personal statements will be looking for a life summary. Make sure you read the application carefully.)

• Please write a short autobiography including information about your family, work experience, community involvement, hobbies, spare time activities, and what you hope to do in the future.
• Please include a short summary or personal statement describing your accomplishments and goals.
• List any honors and awards you’ve received.
• List your extra-curricular activities.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Challenges

Everyone loves a good underdog story. An essay theme that focuses on Challenges asks the student to identify a time when they were down or faced conflict. The committee wants to hear how instead of giving up, you rose to the occasion or at least learned what was necessary to achieve success.

• Write a short essay that describes areas in your life where you demonstrated leadership and overcame obstacles either through your school, social, or family life.
• What’s the most difficult challenge you’ve ever faced? How did you handle it?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Champion

Why you? Out of all the available applicants, why should you or your student earn the scholarship?

• Why do you need this scholarship?
• Please list any additional comments you believe would be helpful in the committee’s decision.
• In 100 words or less, tell why you would like to receive the XYZ scholarship.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Change

This is one I’m starting to see more and more of in the scholarship world. Committees are interested in the opinions, thoughts, and ideas of applicants. With topics like legislation, population control, and the environment, committees want to see analytical and critical thinking skills.

• What do you think we should do about gun control in this country?
• How would you handle texting and driving?
• Create an innovative solution to reduce waste.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Character

As Defined by Merriam-Webster , “Character is the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves .” Essentially, it’s what makes you who you are.

• Describe a time in your life that has shaped who you are as a person.
• This is what I believe in…
• How do you define success?
• What traits do you possess that will enhance your education or future career?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Classroom

Academics, teaching methods, assignments, and anything that pertains to student learning fall under this category.

• How has technology impacted student learning?
• If you could design a college curriculum, what would it be?
• Do you believe that standardized testing has helped or hindered student learning?

Scholarship Essay Theme: College

This is one of the most common scholarship essay themes. The premise: Why do you want to go to college?

You’ll often see this theme attached to others as an additional question or a required component of the application.

• Why do you want to go to college?
• What do you expect to gain from earning a college degree?
• What are your educational goals?

Is this helping you? Are you beginning to see how this can save you a lot of time? If so, let me know in the comments below, Tweet Me @ScholarshipTalk, or just share the following message and I’ll know you see the benefits of organizing your scholarships based on themes. ?

[clickToTweet tweet=”Organizing my scholarships based on the 16 core essay themes has saved me time! #OwnYourDegree” quote=”Organizing my scholarships based on the 16 core essay themes has saved me time!”]

Scholarship Essay Theme: Committee Composition

I’m sure you’ve seen some of the eccentric scholarships out there that challenge you to write about your favorite ice cream, talk about using their product, or design a logo for their company. These scholarships tend to be unique or inspired by the sponsoring organization.

• Create a greeting card and be featured in our upcoming holiday card collection.
• Design a mascot for our company.
• Write an essay about how lights and fixtures could impact your mood.
• Develop an innovative video to end smoking.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Community

This is also a popular scholarship theme. Instead of looking at a student’s GPA, test scores, or major, the community essay theme focuses on community service, community initiatives, and community improvement.

• Describe a meaningful volunteer experience?
• Make thank-you cards for military service members.
• Share a project you developed to change your community.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Competition

A common theme for athletes, band members, dancers, or those involved in groups/organizations is the Competition scholarship essay. It highlights participation and its associated benefits.

• What does it mean to be a good student on the field, in the classroom, and in the community?
• Define what it means to be a good teammate?
• Describe a moment of sportsmanship.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Contribution

Again, this is another scholarship essay theme that you may see added to another scholarship question or application. The committee wants to know about you or your student’s contribution to society at various levels.

• How will you make a difference in our world?
• How have you made a difference in your community?
• What do you think our country should do to foster unity?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Control

Control , i.e. leadership, oftentimes stands alone as a scholarship theme because of the many questions that can be asked. From being a leader to follower and everything in between, the committee is seeking answers regarding group interaction, the organization of people, or participation within a group setting.

• What does leadership mean to you?
• Explain a family, social or school situation, in which your leadership made the difference. What was accomplished?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Creative

I’m starting to see a rise in Creativ e scholarship essays as well. You may notice some similarities with the Committee Composition theme because these scholarships are usually committee-driven and created.

The committee will provide a question, but give you freedom in depicting or representing the theme or category they’ve selected.

• Write a short story of 2,000 words or less.
• Create a video of 2-minutes or less to encourage young people to stop texting and driving.
• Submit a photograph depicting the word “family”.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Credentials

As defined by Merriam-Webster , “Credentials are a qualification, achievement, personal quality, or aspect of a person’s background, typically when used to indicate that they are suitable for something.”

These scholarships will require specific credentials to apply or may use the credential within application questions.

• To apply for this scholarship, you must be a female student majoring in a male-dominated industry. Please tell us why you selected this career?
• Applicants must be a member of the LGBTQI community. Describe a volunteering activity you conducted for your community.
• Students must be a dependent of an active military member or veteran. Why do you need this scholarship?
• Students applying for this scholarship must be undergraduate students entering their first semester. What study habits do you think are imperative to freshmen student success?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Culture

Cultures can be comprised of many different components. From college communities to hometown traditions, the Culture theme is based on the defining characteristics of a student’s environment.

• Tell the committee why you decided to attend college out-of-state?
• What does your university’s tradition and pride represent?
• Submit a piece of artwork that captures your town.

[info-box type=”alert”]Do you want a downloadable version of these themes and questions for your notes? Click here for a FREE copy . [/info-box]

Save a Ton of Time by Using These Themes

Scholarship applications may have one or several themes present. Focus on identifying your possible scholarship themes.

Labeling scholarships by themes and working on them at the same time allows the student to divide and conquer. If your family can get good at identifying themes, you’ll immediately save hours of time on applications .

As I start to see new themes emerge, I’ll be sure to add them to the list. For now, this should keep you pretty busy as you continue to find and apply for scholarships.

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The Wave of Study in Abroad

विद्या विनियोगात् विकासः (vidyā viniyogāt vikāsaḥ)

Breakdown of Chevening Essay Questions: A Comprehensive Guide

Navigating the Chevening scholarship application can be a rewarding yet challenging process. Among the crucial components are the essay questions, which provide an opportunity for you to showcase your aspirations, experiences, and potential. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down each of the Chevening essay questions and offer insights to help you craft compelling responses.

1. Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer.

Focus: Demonstrating Leadership and Influence

This question aims to gauge your leadership abilities and potential to effect positive change. To answer effectively:

• Provide Examples: Share specific instances where you demonstrated leadership, whether in your academic, professional, or community endeavors.
• Highlight Influence: Discuss how your actions influenced outcomes, motivated others, or brought about change.
• Connect to Future: Explain how your leadership experiences align with your future goals and how the Chevening scholarship will further develop your leadership potential.

2. Chevening Scholarships are awarded to individuals with demonstrable leadership potential who also have strong academic backgrounds. How do you intend to use your Chevening experience to develop your leadership skills and create a positive social change?

Focus: Linking Academic Excellence and Leadership

Here, the focus is on your academic prowess and its relationship to leadership and social impact:

• Link Academic and Leadership Goals: Explain how your academic pursuits are intertwined with your leadership aspirations.
• Social Impact: Discuss how your Chevening experience will enable you to contribute to positive societal changes.
• Specific Plans: Outline tangible actions you’ll take to enhance your leadership skills during and after your studies.

3. Network with people of different nationalities and backgrounds. What can you learn from others? How will this enrich your experience as a Chevening Scholar?

Focus: Embracing Diversity and Networking

This question emphasizes cross-cultural collaboration and the value of a diverse network:

• Learning from Diversity: Highlight the benefits of interacting with people from various backgrounds, including new perspectives and insights.
• Enriching Chevening Experience: Explain how these interactions will contribute to your personal and academic growth as a Chevening Scholar.

4. What influence do you hope to have on your home country or region as a result of studying in the UK?

Focus: Positive Impact on Home Country

This question assesses your vision for the future and your commitment to your home country’s development:

• Specific Goals: Outline the specific areas you aim to impact upon your return.
• Alignment with UK Study: Explain how your UK education will equip you to address challenges in your home country.

5. Please explain why you want to study in the UK and why you have chosen your selected course(s).

Focus: UK Study and Course Choice

This question explores your motivations for studying in the UK and the relevance of your chosen course:

• UK’s Strengths: Discuss the UK’s academic excellence, resources, and opportunities that attract you.
• Course Relevance: Explain why your chosen course aligns with your academic and career goals.

6. Summarize all relevant leadership and service-related achievements in which you have participated.

Focus: Leadership and Service Achievements

This is an opportunity to succinctly list your notable leadership and service accomplishments:

• Concise Presentation: List achievements in a clear and organized manner.
• Highlight Impact: Briefly explain the significance and outcomes of each achievement.

Navigating the Chevening essay questions requires a thoughtful approach that showcases your unique qualities, aspirations, and commitment to positive change. By addressing each question’s specific focus and providing well-structured responses, you can present a compelling case for why you are an ideal candidate for the Chevening scholarship. Remember to tailor your answers to highlight your strengths and alignment with Chevening’s values and objectives.

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• 45 Great Leadership Panel Questions
• Powerful Panels Blog

24 Questions to Ask In ANY Panel Discussion

The Worst Panel Question

A colleague of mine is moderating a high-level leadership panel and asked, “What are the best leadership panel questions?”  Like most open-ended questions, I had to counter with four fundamental questions:  

• Gain insight into what is happening in the organization or industry
• Inspire high potentials to become future leaders
• Learn lessons from experienced leaders
• Provide access/visibility to the audience who don’t see them much!
• Who are the panelists?  Once you get the names, research their leadership philosophy and practices and weave interesting thoughts and ideas you have learned that your audience cares about into your questions!
• Employees within the organization
• Members of an industry association
• Members of a broader community
• What does the audience want to know? Research the topical issues that would be relevant for the audience e.g. return to the office, resiliency, the economy etc. – anything relevant to the objective of the panel.

The line of leadership panel questions can be vastly different, depending on the answers!  The most typical leadership panel is to share leadership lessons with a broad and diverse audience. Let’s start with my top 45 potential leadership panel questions. You won’t ask them all, but perhaps they might provide some inspiration as you develop your own list .

Strategic Leadership Panel Questions:

• What is your definition of “leadership” and how was it formed/has it transformed?
• Describe your leadership style and how you “lead” others.
• What would you classify as the most defining leadership behavior?
• What was your most satisfying leadership role? Why?
• What do you look for in a leadership role? How do you assess what is right for you?
• What are some reasons you pursued leadership roles?
• What are the most important decisions you make as a leader?
• What makes a great leader?
• Who was/is your role model and/or leadership mentor?

Benefits/Consequences

• What benefits have you received from your leadership experiences?
• Did you aspire to this leadership position?  What was your path to get here?
• Have you been in a leadership position where the experience was very different than you anticipated? What did you learn? Were there unexpected benefits or unintended consequences?
• What has been one of your biggest joys as a leader?
• What has been one of your biggest challenges as a leader?
• What’s the biggest challenge facing leaders today?
• What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
• What would you want to “do-over”? Why?
• What’s the biggest risk you took? Why?
• What’s the most dangerous behavior/trait that you have seen derail leaders’ careers?

Leadership Panel Questions that Beg for Specifics

• How do you rally the team to take on a big goal?
• How can organizations balance the tactical versus the strategic imperatives?
• How do you balance planning for the future and being present for your employees?
• How do you keep your team on track with the mission, vision, and values of the organization?
• How do you inspire others while keeping yourself inspired about the organization’s mission?
• At what stage in leadership should you start thinking about succession planning?
• What skills do you use most often in your leadership role?
• How have you grown those skills?
• What leadership skills are you continuing to work on?
• What are the most important qualities you look for in a future employee. Why?
• What do you consider before promoting an employee into management?
• What are the most effective ways you incentivize your employees?
• How do you foster a positive work environment?
• How do you encourage creativity among team members?
• How do you encourage honest, open employee dialogue?
• How do traits like empathy and vulnerability play a role in your leadership?
• What does work-life balance mean for you?
• How do you motivate employees to do their best to sustain business, and at the same time, have compassion for their peers in uncertainty?
• How do you make room for continued learning?
• What do you do in your personal time that helps you be a leader?

Questions about Application to the Audience

• What are the best ways that leaders can support other leaders?
• What resources do you suggest for new leaders (books, podcasts, apps, etc.)?
• What’s one thing you wish someone told you during your career journey?
• What strategies are most effective for prioritizing myriad tasks?
• What’s something you wish someone told you early on in your career journey?
• What’s one piece of advice you have for those in our audience currently in leadership roles or preparing to be a leader?

A big thank you to Caffeine Marketing, Michael Hyatt , and peopleHum for inspiration in building this list of great questions for any kind of leadership panel discussion!

Related Articles

Creating Great Questions for Your Panel Discussion

What Makes a Panel Question Good – or even GREAT !

24 Questions to Ask in ANY Panel Discussion

For more information about how to moderate a lively & informative leadership panel discussion, check out our free 7-part video series on how to moderate a panel and other resources to help you organize, moderate, or be a panel member.

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• Sep 17, 2020

Part 2: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (Essay Tips)

Updated: Oct 14, 2020

This serves as Part 2 of the Chevening Tips, in the event that you would like insight in as far as what is Chevening and an overall insight on what is required to apply, kindly have a look at Part 1: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (FAQ).

Applying for the Chevening Scholarship Series

Three Years a Charm: Becoming a Chevening Scholar

Part 1: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (FAQ)

Disclaimer: Note that the advice given here below is my own personal opinion and not that of the Chevening Secretariat or the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office .

When applying for the Chevening Scholarship, you will be required to submit four written essays, each a minimum of 100 words and a maximum of 500 words.

Quick Tips on how to write your 4 Chevening Essays:

When writing your essays, use the STAR and SMART approach.

Ensure that you cover the bases in each of your essays, mentioning the most important elements.

Your essays have to be truthful, concise, and well-written.

Ensure that you tell a story when writing your essays, you can add bullet points to list achievements and highlight career goals however there should be a flow.

Ensure that any stranger can make out what you are trying to say, making it clear what you are talking about. When making references to data or situations from your home country, be sure to mention the country's name.

Refrain using words like our and their, and opt to name what you are talking about.

Use Grammarly to spell check your work and ensure that your grammar is correct.

STAR Approach - Derived from Muse

Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your example.

Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation.

Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address it.

Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved.

SMART Approach - Derived from CFI

Specific: Well defined, clear, and unambiguous.

Measurable : With specific criteria that measure your progress toward the accomplishment of the goal.

Achievable: Attainable and not impossible to achieve.

Realistic: Within reach, realistic, and relevant to your life purpose.

Timely: With a clearly defined timeline, including a starting date and a target date. The purpose is to create urgency.

Four Essay Topics

Leadership and Influence

Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer. - Question as per the Chevening Website

Using the methods explained above (STAR AND SMART Approach), ensure that you speak on the times you have depicted leadership traits, the leadership positions you have occupied and the times you have displayed a position of influence. These can range from managerial positions, leadership in organizations (NGO's included), or in your day-to-day life. In addition, you can touch on what leadership ambitions you have and how this ties back to your community.

It is important to ensure that the examples are impact-driven and not only for self-gain.

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong professional relationship-building skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Please explain how you build and maintain relationships in a professional capacity, using clear examples of how you currently do this, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future. - Question as per the Chevening Website

Writing your networking essay is primarily about showing clear examples of the relationships you have built, how they were established, and how you have managed to maintain them. In addition, highlight how these said relationships have been instrumental in your personal development and the work that you do. Ensure that you are able to glean from every example the skill acquired and how these skills will be useful to you in the future as a possible Chevening scholar. This essay, in essence, is to show that you have the ability to use the opportunities given to you in a tangible and impactful manner.

Career Plan

Chevening is looking for individuals who have a clear post-study career plan. Please outline your immediate plans upon returning home and your longer-term career goals. You may wish to consider how these relate to what the UK government is doing in your country. - Question as per Chevening Website

This essay provides an opportunity for you to layout an immediate 2-year plan, and a 5 to 10-year plan. Your plans need to be attainable and should speak to your ambitions as laid out in your career plan. The most important tip for when writing out your career plan, is to ensure that when you touch on your professional experience, it not be written as though it is a Curriculum Vitae but rather speaking on impact, journey, and career trajectory. You too are welcome to link your journey thus far, to how this informs your next career move, namely pursuing a masters degree. You should depict an understanding of what you want to do in the future, how this is tangibly attainable, and what your ambitions are long term.

Studying in the UK

Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your plans for the future. Please do not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and education section of this form. - Question as per the Chevening Website

Do not duplicate your career essay in this essay, however, you can link the information. You will also be required to list the three universities you will be applying to, the name of the courses at the said universities, and why you chose the particular university.

Tip: Depending on which course you intend to study, google the top-performing universities in the said field to inform your university choice. Then ensure that the universities you would like to attend are Chevening partner universities, before finalizing your list of your three chosen universities.

Bonus: I have asked three scholars who have managed to successfully be chosen for Chevening before to assist with proofreading 3 prospective scholars essays before submission. Kindly note that these will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis. This available to a total of 9 prospective scholars and no more. Only the 9 successful prospective scholars will be contacted. If you are not contacted, unfortunately, the 9 spots were already taken.

To get your essays proofread - please fill in the form at the link here .

(Available to ONLY the first 9 applicants)

Proofreading volunteer scholars (each reading 3 prospective scholars essays EACH)

Rosalia Shiimi - Rosalia holds a BSc Honours Degree in Geology and a Certificate in Investment Management from the University of Cape Town. She is currently the Acting Grade Control Geologist at Vedanta Zinc International’s Gamsberg Operation. She is a part of the 2021/2022 Chevening cohort, pursuing a Master of Science in Applied Environment Geology at Cardiff University.

Abel is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and former Head of Internal Audit. He holds a Bachelor of Accounting Science and Postgraduate Diploma in Internal Auditing. In addition, he too is a Section Chairperson and Branch Executive member in SPYL and serve on the NCCI Windhoek Trading Committee. He will be pursuing a Master of Arts in International Relations at the University of Birmingham.

Hilja Eelu - Hilja is a UCT molecular biology graduate and a previous recipient of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellowship. Having been awarded both the Chevening and Commonwealth scholarship, she will be pursuing the MSc Control of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine starting September 2020, thanks to the Commonwealth scholarship.

Additional Reading Material

Essay Tips from the Reading Committee of Chevening

Essay Examples

Writing an effective networking essay

My Application for Chevening Scholarship

Chevening Leadership Essay

How I won the Chevening Scholarship - Part 2: Writing your Essays

From One Powerhouse to another

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Practical tips for preparing for university 101: A checklist guide (Part 4)

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What they did not tell me about preparing for University Life

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• The University of Oklahoma

OU Admission Application Questions

Each application for admission to OU is read thoroughly, thoughtfully and fairly to evaluate all-around excellence. The questions below provide you with the opportunity to tell us more about your abilities in academics, the arts, athletics, leadership, service, and other qualities you may possess.

Application Essay Questions

As part of the Common Application, you will be asked to write one essay between 250 and 650 words. You must stay within that word count. You will be asked to write a response to your choice of one of the seven prompts listed below. This essay is designed to demonstrate your ability to write clearly and concisely and help you set your application apart.  

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

OU Supplemental Scholarship Questions

In our supplemental scholarship section, you will be asked to answer the first two questions below. You may also be asked a third major-specific question depending on the academic preferences you list in your Common Application. While this supplement is optional, we recommend you fill it out regardless. If you do not answer these questions, you will not be considered for OU leadership, community service and major-based scholarships. Please answer all of these questions in 650 words or less.  

• The University of Oklahoma believes strongly in educating leaders of communities in Oklahoma, as well as across the country and the world. Please share your leadership experiences and why they are important to you.
• The University of Oklahoma is the home of a vibrant, diverse and compassionate University community that is often referred to as “the OU family”. Please describe your cultural and community service activities and why you chose to participate in them.
• What is your career area of interest, and why do you have a desire to work in this particular field?*

* - The third, academic-based question is asked by certain academic departments. Therefore, it may or may not appear in your scholarship section depending on the academic preferences you list in your application.

Essay Writing Tips

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