The UNC Kenan Flagler Business School attracts students who have drive, energy, and a record of achievement. Provide a recent example of a leadership challenge you faced and how you were able to overcome the challenge to achieve your desired results. What did you learn about your personal strengths and how will these strengths enable you to contribute to the next undergraduate business class? Drawing on your experience, what do you hope to gain personally and professionally by being a part of this program?
This application is due on Monday!!! Feedback will be greatly appreciated. I am a klutz for grammar and diction. Don't hold back, I won't take comments personally. Thanks for your help!
Moving to Chapel Hill and being a full time Carolina student has been a blessing in many ways; however, it also posed major obstacles for the small business I started in high school. Charlotte Tree Banding is a seasonal business that offers customers the best protection against the destructive cankerworm. This requires making the band itself, fitting the band near the base of the tree, and takeoff in the spring. The finished result is a small band that wraps around the tree about five feet from the base. This unique band prevents the cankerworm moth from climbing up trees. Since Chapel Hill does not have a cankerworm infestation, I had two options: sell my current list of customers to a competitor, or challenge myself to manage Charlotte Tree Banding from Chapel Hill. I chose the lather.
After recruiting friends who still lived in Charlotte, I was left with three main challenges. First, I lost the personal communication between the customers and myself. Secondly, I lost the level of control I had the season before. Most problematic, was my increased dependence on my three workers. Being apart from both my customers and workers required exceptional leadership. During fall break I trained my workers extensively. Roleplaying helped them experience difficult situations I had encountered. In addition, I taught them how to connect with customers and answer any questions they might have. Teaching my workers the importance of customer relations was imperative since I could not be there myself. In the end, training helped me gain control knowing my workers would have everything under control. Back in Chapel Hill, constant communication was key in order to supervise and dispatch workers to potential customers. Because I depended heavily on my workers, my leadership had to be calm and collective. Angering or demotivating my workers was not an option. Even under the circumstances, my 2011 banding season was a success. In just two seasons, lasting less than two months each, Charlotte Tree Banding has had over $7,400 in sales.
In the past, leadership gave me close control over situations and people. Mistakes were easily seen and corrected. In the case of a complete failure, there was a possibility of finish the job myself. My 2011 banding season helped me realize that I could be an efficient leader without supervising every second of operations. I also learned to respect and understand the importance of my workers. With my leadership experience I will be able to contribute to the next undergrad business school class. I prefer challenges rather than easy alternatives, I accept change and quickly find a solution, most importantly, I understand that a leader cannot do everything himself and must work together with other people he to efficiently finish a task.
By attending Kenan Flager I hope to nourish my existing enthusiasm for business by exposing me to professors and other students with like-minded interests. I have the motivation and drive to succeed but lack technical understanding. Passion along with knowledge will help me personally and professionally.
Although you need to show leadership, don't talk yourself up. "Being apart from both my customers and workers required exceptional leadership. ", seems a bit cocky.
You only mention the actual college you want to go to in the end. I wish you would add more to that so that the school sees that you are really interested in going.
