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Chevening 2019/2020 Scholarship essay

Hello Moderator, i have written an essay with regards to the Chevening 19/20 scholarship. Please i would appreciate a thorough critic. Thank you

Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It is about impact, influence and inspiration. Hence, my recent major leadership breakthrough came during my Youth service year in Rivers State, in 2018. A health outreach was organized by the National Youth Service Corps for rural dwellers in four local government zones namely: Ahoada, Phalga, Obio-Akpor and Tai. A team of five members were selected in each zone to embark on this health exercise with each tasked to deliver health lectures, carry out consultations and prescribe medications to the rural dweller that had health issues.

A unanimous decision was made by my team members and I was selected to lead the Obio-Akpor team. There was a major challenge on how to procure drugs that would be needed for the outreach. As the leader of my team, it was mandatory to get this important task done.

I scheduled an emergency meeting with the whole team to discuss strategies on how to solve this challenge. I acknowledged the presence of each member and asked for their assistance in identifying ways for us to procure these drugs.

We spent two hours capturing ideas then noted on the five with the most potential. I then assigned each member to do more research on how we might implement one of the ideas. The team responded very positively to this approach. They appreciated the idea of being inspired to find a solution. Instead of complaining, they directed their energy in a more productive way. Immediately, we came up with two possible ideas that could be implemented.

One idea was to solicit for drugs from pharmaceutical companies. The other was to contribute fund individually in order to procure these drugs. With the assistance of three pharmaceutical companies and individual contributions, we were able to procure a substantial quantity of different drugs that were used judiciously during the outreach. The outcome of the outreach was successful. My team emerged the best. We were commended for having a large quantity of drugs stocked in the reserve thus, lessening the burden of procurement of drugs for subsequent outreaches.

In the end, my team members commended me on how I exhibited selflessness and teamwork. With this encounter, I have come to realize in practice how teamwork becomes one of the principles in leadership.

It will be an opportunity if granted the Chevening 2019/2020 Scholarship to enable me actualize my dreams and meet with other leaders from around the world who have similar interest in impacting positively to future generation and the world at large.

Ekene, what you related is a perfect topic for the networking essay as the situation presented a procurement problem and the solution was to make contact with pharmaceutical companies. That is clearly a networking exercise as you did not have total access to the companies at the start. It would be better if you remove the reference to the pharma companies for now and present it as part of your networking essay. That is a better place for that reference and discussion.

However, you can use the fact that your team members opted to contribute personal funds to help buy the medicines instead. That is a selfless exercise that, when narrated properly will show your strength as a leader and your influencing skills because you were able to convince the team that they would be doing a selfless and admirable act by helping the team to afford the medication out of pocket. The fact that the team got recognition because of it is the highlight of the essay. Even without the mention of the pharma companies contributions. That would be a true leadership and influencing instance of note when presented in the proper light in this essay. I urge you to revise the essay to highlight the personal contribution aspect instead.

By using the personal appeal aspect, you will be able to clearly provide an example of how you develop and use your leadership and influencing skills without having to define it or explain it. The reviewer can actually see it in your actions and that, is what the essay wants you to highlight. Do not explain, offer an impressive example instead.