" Darden strives to identify and cultivate responsible leaders who follow their purpose. Please provide an example of a situation in which you have made a meaningful impact. (200 Words)”
The Purpose: “Darden strives to identify and cultivate responsible leaders who follow their purpose”
The goal behind the question is to understand whether your impact is in alignment with the greater purpose in your life. An explicit statement about the purpose sneaked into the narrative is the only way to navigate the limitations of a 200 words short-question
Framing Purpose Statement
In 2006 when I was brainstorming the purpose of my life in a 3-day session called Perspective, I had to stand in front of a 20-something crowd and shout out my purpose. Everyone in the audience should believe that I would achieve the purpose by analyzing the sincerity of the proclamation. Even when I felt really good about shouting out my purpose like a mad man, there would be one skeptic in the audience who would say, “I don’t believe him” or “I don’t feel it.”
Tired, and frustrated, I would go back to my chair, edit my purpose statement, and come back. Each word must land, connect to the next supporting statement, and finally mesh into an idea of a ‘purpose.’ This went on for an hour, and I shouted at least 12 to 15 times. Finally, when I thought I would never complete the session, the crowd felt my sincerity.
And so, my purpose was framed, “To create an environment that harnesses technology efficiently and energize human thought process in enabling a future full of possibilities.”
Perhaps. You are the judge.
But even if reaching the purpose statement was a peripheral exercise, it truly was ingrained into my psyche, and in 3 years, I quit my job and founded F1GMAT in 2009.
Purpose has a great driving force. Even if it takes 1-2 hours, it is worth creating your purpose statement. Ideally, practice in front of a mirror then gather an audience of your closest friends/family who won’t judge you for this weird exercise and share your purpose in the loudest possible way (imagine leading a military parade). Ask them whether they believe in the purpose statement. Invite brutal honesty. Edit the statement until you find the essential line.
#1: The Career Angle
Leaving out Darden's unique global immersion experience would be a missed chance for anyone planning to pivot or enhance their consulting experience.
It is easy just to mention the most outrageous post-MBA plan. It will just remain the fantasy of a naïve applicant if you don’t show the work. If your post-MBA plan is to enter consulting, the chances are that you might have already offered consulting in some form (family/friend) or took up additional responsibility in the function at work.
Mention them.
Show the admission team that the narrative is not something that you created out of thin air. You are truly passionate about offering consulting solutions and finding unique paths that the client/company might not have foreseen.
Sample Darden MBA Essay – Meaningful IMPACT (Friend’s Restaurant Business) (196 Words)
#2: Complete Ownership (Personality Trait)
Leaders have a sense of the bigger picture, unlike any other. They will find a connection with influencers across departments or function to facilitate a deal or a relationship that might have limited value in the short-term but would have strategic value in the long-term. Some would find opportunity from projects that might be out of the scope for the current responsibility but would have tremendous value for other projects.
Looking out for the larger impact is not a skill that is easy to acquire. When we brainstorm with our clients for the essay or resume editing service, the initial learning curve for most is to quantify their impact beyond the immediate team. Although not easy in the first iteration, after two to three iteration, the ability to connect the dots becomes obvious. Some have the natural inclination to peek a step above their current responsibility out of curiosity or eagerness to see what their boss is dealing with. But most take on this additional dimension of thinking out of a sense of responsibility to serve the organization in the most efficient way.
We simplify this behavior and categorize it as ‘leadership.’
It is a learned skill, most likely as a child. If you have younger siblings/cousins, the responsibility to take ownership of their safety might be the first lesson in leadership.
Slowly, you began enjoying the trust parents, teachers, and coaches began showing in you to command the control of a small group. The habit began percolating into college when group tasks were assigned (clubs, sports, events) and in work, it translated to taking on additional responsibility that would help you gain exposure in functions and leading diverse groups. Acquiring leadership experience and functional competence became an equal priority as it aligns with your goal to someday lead an organization and serve the purpose to ‘take complete ownership.’
Sample Darden MBA Essay – Meaningful IMPACT (Fear-based to team-based culture) (199 Words)
