Scholarship / Essay for Chevening Leadership question; applying for a masters degree scholarship grant [2]

Chevening is looking for individuals that 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.

Deputy Chief position and leadership

At first, I did not think I have a leader material since I used to be in the background, being an observer, not the one who did the act. But, things changed when I was in High School. I was involved in Intra-School Student Organization (in Indonesia commonly known as OSIS) for 2 years in a row which, so far, a fun and challenging experience that has changed me to be who I am now. It has given me the opportunity I never took before; build my skills and show others what I can do.

It was in my second year in OSIS when I received the responsibility as a Deputy Chief for Ramadhan event. Since this was the first event ever, I thought everyone will get excited but apparently I was wrong; not every member of the committee wanted to organize the event since it will take out their day-off of school. But since the Headmaster has approved the event, it has to be done nevertheless. My challenge came in form of the Chief himself, who ditched his responsibility and joined the performer for the event instead, leaving me in charge to make sure the preparation and the event went on smoothly.

As this was my first time, I was not in favour to ordering my friends on what to do, but I also not in favour to let the event failed because of lack in preparation. So, I decided to meet them one by one and asked them how the progress and whether there were any difficulties with their tasks. I chose to asking instead of ordering so they won't feel like they have to do it because I told them to, I wanted them to have a sense of belonging of their tasks and excited to finish them.

Apparently, it worked. The committees who firstly not interested in the event turns to focus to make the event happened perfectly. I followed up and directly helped them with the preparation from the stage's decoration up to the permission to the school's foundation to be able being in the school area until the evening. I reviewed the event's contents and performers, the procedures and flow of the event, until the cleaning up process. The event turns out to be a success and the Headmaster formally announced that it will be a routine event for Ramadhan in the upcoming years.

That experience taught me that leadership is not always being the Chief or having a high position in organization to be able to take the lead. It is about how we can work along and motivating others to do the right thing even though it is not an easy one. I believe that my leadership experience had a good influence for me to be better and I hope I can influence others to be better as well. I look forward to apply this through Chevening Scholarship.