Leadership and Influence Essay
As part of my degree, I was required to lead a team of five on an engineering company finance project. It became clear as we progressed that one of our members was inactive and this resulted in several conflicts. As the team leader, I was responsible for resolving the conflict, ensuring prompt completion of the project, ensuring participation of all members, and helping the group score top marks. I organized a private meeting with the inactive member to find out his reasons. I held an open dialogue team meeting in which everyone explained his or her point without interruption. This led to a group realization of each member's struggles, and thus promoted better understanding. At the end of the meeting, I gave final instructions which incorporated something from everyone's points and re-delegated work according to every member's present capability emphasizing the need for compromise. I also highlighted how much better all our grades would look if we did well. This made everyone happier and more productive, and our project was completed on time with all members contributing. We obtained a first-class grade (71%).
In my role as CAD Engineer at Sherman Gray, I was required to lead two others on a marketing strategy project which faced significant work backlog. Team members were finding it difficult to gather relevant information on the target market which consisted of university students and young professionals. As the team leader, it was my responsibility to ensure we met our deadline and presented a good marketing strategy to the manager. I spoke to friends and contacts in engineering companies and universities around the local area, about the possibility of a discussion on training opportunities with them and their colleagues. Three out of five agreed, and we were able to conduct a survey of hundred students and thirty young professionals in the space of three days. As a result, we gathered enough information to complete our presentation on time and our work drew commendation from the manager.
Whilst at university I also served as a pioneering Training and communications manager at Robogals Exeter. At the start of my role, the organization was in dire need of volunteers. It was my responsibility to grow and train our volunteer base. I publicized robogals in person and on social media with a focus on the effect robogals has had on the life and career choices of school kids, and the incredible feats former robogals volunteers at other universities have gone on to achieve. This resulted in more interest in robogals from intending volunteers and led to my signing up of forty volunteers within the first year.
These are evidence of leadership and influence skills which I intend to use in mentoring incoming scholars, and promoting Chevening scholarships and fellowships whilst on the Chevening programme. I also plan on setting up a support team for the Solar Technologies Project in Nigeria and gather support for other projects in line with UK priorities in my country as a Chevening Alumni.