Sample MBA Essay - How do you define teamwork

This sample MBA essay will answer the following questions - How do you define teamwork? How have you demonstrated team work in your career?

Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.

Describe a time you had to inspire a reluctant individual or group.

Teamwork for me is the actions that members in a group take in order to achieve a common goal, which is much greater than the personal aspirations of each team member. Communicating openly, working towards conflict resolution and supporting each team members in achieving a common objective are the three key aspects of teamwork.

When you give an example about teamwork, cite instances where:

1) You have worked with a diverse team (team with diverse experience, skill type, nationality and cultures)
 
2) You took the initiative in setting up and facilitating meetings which clarified the common objective of the team. The meetings can be one on one or group meetings.

3) You were able to plan your project, prioritize tasks, identify skill sets of your team and were able to allocate tasks to the right people. In case you were a team member, highlight how well you coordinated with other team members, how you escalated issues to the team leader and how you focussed on the common good of the team.

4)  You were able to resolve conflict in a mature manner (you focused on the bigger picture of the project/team and not on the personal differences, listened carefully about the objections raised by the team members and created a win-win plan for the team). This is applicable to team members too. Maturity in handling conflicts shows your leadership skills too.

Related: Winning MBA Essay Guide

Sample teamwork Essay - Stanford GSB

Option A: Tell us about a time when you built or developed a team whose performance exceeded expectations.

Many candidates for Stanford have not led teams formally at work. If you have done so, this is an ideal essay to highlight your management experience. If you have no formal management experience think about the times you have served informally as a leader. Perhaps you led a team as part of a project, or led part of a project for your boss. If work did not provide an opportunity for you to lead a team, consider an example in your volunteer or extracurricular activities.

Whatever the situation, describe what happened and your role in the performance of the team. In addition to clear description, explain what the expectations were for the team and how your team exceeded them.

Sample Teamwork Essay - Kellogg

Essay #4: Describe a time you had to inspire a reluctant individual or group.

This behavioral question requires a very specific example to work effectively. The intention for this question is to see an example of a past experience that indicates how you will behave in the future, potentially when you must inspire a lackluster team or colleague at Kellogg and in your future career. You will want to choose an example of a time when you were ultimately successful in achieving your goals and/or learned a valuable skill in motivating others. Make sure you include details about exactly what you did and said to address the situation.

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