In this Haas Video Essay Strategy tips, I explain the optimum speed of delivery, incorporating more than one principle, personal vs professional experience, and understanding leadership traits vs. principles.
The Video Essay question is:
The Berkeley MBA program develops leaders who embody our four Defining Leadership Principles. Briefly introduce yourself to the admissions committee, explain which leadership principle resonates most with you, and tell us how you have exemplified the principle in your personal or professional life. (Not to exceed 2 minutes.)
You have two minutes to complete the Video Essay. So here are three strategies:
1) Find your Optimum Speed of Delivery
I talk relatively fast compared to all my clients, regardless of nationality. The school expects your video essay to be scripted. And for me, I could cover 300 words in 2 minutes with sufficient pauses. But for most of you, 250 words should be the target.
You must script it. Use a stopwatch and record your answer. When you hear it back, listen carefully for the transitions. Good transitions are essential for incorporating storytelling into the essay. Keep your introduction to 10 seconds, then set up the context for the leadership experience.
2) One vs. Two vs. Three vs. Four Haas Leadership Principles
As you might know, the four defining Haas Leadership principles are Questioning the Status Quo, Confidence without Attitude, Student Always, and Beyond Yourself. There are no right and wrong answers when it comes to incorporating the number of principles from the four in the essay. Typically, I see a combination of Students Always and Confidence without Attitude and Question the Status Quo and Beyond Yourself in another narrative.
For any example where you had to transform a culture, you must Question the Status Quo. If you are not in a position of power, communication requires Confidence without Attitude. The feedback from key stakeholders about the culture should be received with a Student Always mindset. And the solution or suggestion to transform the culture should have some experiences where you had to think beyond yourself.
Transforming a culture is the best example for the Video Essay.
3) Personal vs Professional
The What Makes you feel alive essay is often used to communicate your passion for your career if you are continuing in your industry. For many, working with a non-profit that addresses a systemic or a societal challenge makes them feel alive. Obviously, there are creative ways to answer the essay, like what I have shown in F1GMAT's Haas MBA Essay Guide, but the experience you capture is either professional or personal. Based on that, you must plan the example for the Berkeley Haas Video Essay.
4) Leadership Traits vs. Leadership Principles
Haas has asked you to quote the leadership principles. A principle is an underlying value with which you think, act, and make all your decisions. A leadership trait could be any quality that gives you a unique character and helps you stand out. It could be an orientation towards IMPACT and not just about short-term goals. It could be about Valuing Diverse experiences, Intellectual curiosity with solutions, adaptability, or a perspective to think about holistic growth that covers ESG and other societal metrics.
