Dear all, Please give me your feedback about this essay for Chevening Leadership Fellowship.
Essay on Leadership and influence - question for Chevening Leadership Fellowship
@Holt I really need your comments
Question-
Chevening is looking for individuals who are leaders or influencers in their fields.
Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer.
(minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count 500 words).
I have been influential in my community and my leadership skills are evident in the following examples.
I have once been delegated as a technical expert to inspect Fiber Optics installation at XX University. Meanwhile, I found out that the company was using some gadgets which were not based on the specifications. When I found out that, I stopped the installation process. So the job was interrupted. Things got worse when laborers who were hired by the company protested because they couldn't get their payment. The management of the university got furious with me for taking action without communicating the stakeholders. After realizing that I made a serious mistake, I pleaded with the management of the company to resume the work, which was a hectic process. Since then I have learned that lack of communication causes serious problems and as a leader one has to consult concerned stakeholders before taking actions. Afterwards, I am applying this lesson in my different careers.
In addition to the above example, the following paragraph also evident my leadership and influencing skills. The ____ government issued an ICT strategy which directs that ICT must be given as a subject at schools . However, I learned that secondary school students lack basic skills computers. Then, I have done an investigation of the challenges that slowed down the implementation of ICT in public secondary schools in x, y, and z town secondary schools to contribute my part. Based on the findings lack of training materials and computers were common among schools. Afterward I plan how I can find solutions at least for the aforementioned schools therefore I discussed the problem with my university top officials, my proposal was accepted but lack of adequate budget became a major problem. After a tiresome effort, determination and tolerance, I garnered mobilized volunteers and I was able to organize ICT equipment recovery programs as part of university community service out of used computers from the store. Finally, I managed to maintain 47 computers and donated to each school where I did the study. After that, I, with team members, also offered training to high school students, teachers and school leaders on basic computer courses and how to use the internet ...etc. It was my happiest experience of my life to create this opportunity for those who couldn't have accessed computers for years to come. This issue was important to me because education with ICT adds pedagogical and practical values.
Finally, as a young leader, I always try to find something innovative and very helpful in solving community problems through the best leadership ability. I am hopeful that Chevening training will give me a big chance to acquire new knowledge in the 'real-life' policy-based project and Leadership for government and public policy.Holt Educational Consultant - / 14,835 
4783 In the first leadership example, you come across more as a dictator than a leader. You decided on everything and faced the consequences of your actions. Dictatorship is not the same as leadership. In this paragraph, you presented more of what you learned about leadership based on the experience rather than explaining how you were a leader and influence in this scenario.
Though there are influencing references in the second experience, there is a lack of reference to a combined leadership and influencing experience here. You are constantly moving alone, making decisions, offering one point of view discussions and suggestions, without consulting with the other people involved. This isn't really a good leadership nor influencing trait.
You need to use better developed discussions. Focus on more appropriate leadership and influencing experiences that make you seem less like a dictator or a one person team. That is not how leadership or influencing works. You also should not discuss what you learned about leadership in this essay. Rather, you need to show how you embody various leadership and influencer traits within your professional life. Convince the reviewer that these traits are notable enough for you to be considered a future leader and influencer in your home country.
