Are you poised under pressure? Are you diplomatic under fire? Do you have "senior presence," or do you come across as a brash kid? Immaturity will be signaled by giveaways such as whining about past failure, recriminating about circumstances beyond your control, blaming others for your bad calls, showing an inability to see your own weaknesses, and poor self-restraint, particularly when dealing with others.
Leadership: A candidate who has created value by being at the helm in group-based activities and is comfortable in this role.
Leaders are able to operate both independently and collaboratively as necessary. Their actions demonstrate evidence of insight into people and situations and significant self knowledge.
Beware, management and leadership are often confused, because very often the two functions are present in the same person and the same job. Management refers to the processes of direction and coordination that senior jobs require.
Leadership is something else: It is the unquantifiable mix of stature, assurance, and charisma that evokes greatness and gets the best out of others. It is the mysterious mix of factors that makes up the person that other people will "naturally" follow, and who will "make the difference" between a company's success and failure.
Ambition and motivation: A candidate who is aiming for big things and planning to play in the senior leagues.
It matters less exactly what you plan to do than that you plan to do something grand (but specific), and that you have the will and the focus to achieve it. The MBA career path is not for wallflowers and the faint of heart. It is for those who will search out and seize opportunities and challenges. The committee seeks people with big career dreams and deep resources of motivation and self-reliance to achieve them.
Career potential: A candidate who has what it takes to go to the top.
Ambition is a prerequisite, but the committee will also ask itself whether you have "the right stuff" to actualize your ambition and your potential. Wanting it is one thing, the ability to get it is another. They will look at how you have strategized and built your career so far, and the validity and wisdom of the career goals you desire for yourself. The committee wants to have picked the person who's not just a dreamer, but who is going to make a big impression in the world; whose picture is one day going to be on the cover of Fortune magazine.
Perseverance and mental toughness: A candidate with evidence of the gritty staying power and self-reliance needed to overcome adversity.
Successful managers and leaders are the people who come to the front when times are tough, profits are down and obstacles are seemingly insurmountable. They have the drive to keep going when others fall, take whatever tough decisions are necessary, and bring their companies out ahead no matter what the obstacles. The committee will respond well to evidence of single-minded determination and tenacity in your approach.
A strong, extrovert personality: A candidate who likes people and who is professionally (if not naturally) gregarious.
Being thoughtful and shy isn't a crime, but management often rises or falls on the power of personality: the ability of key people to motivate, to exhort, to mentor, to be visible and vibrant and passionate. The admissions committee will be on the lookout for optimism and enthusiasm and an engaging, "can do" approach. This doesn't mean being a loudmouth, but it does mean having high social self-confidence and s
