Leadership Essay

It is often said that some people are born leaders. However, this may not hold true for me. My first notes on leadership were taken during my childhood days. I grew up observing my best friend’s mother multi task her role of a CEO, a wife, a daughter-in-law and a mother. I looked for characteristics that facilitated her to perform these tasks with an unconditional ease. In this process, I learned valuable lessons which helped overcome my own personal setbacks that I faced during my academic years and much later; when I was managing my father’s travel company at a young age.

My career as a travel professional had only just begun; when I discovered that working for the environment was in fact, a natural calling that I was destined to follow. I took what many called a professional risk, but it paid off eventually and I was offered the position of Project Manager at Mountain Cleaners; a waste management NGO based in Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh). This has been one of the best decisions of my life, but also one, where my true leadership skills were put to test.

Soon after I joined Mountain Cleaners, our team decided to scale up and an urban waste management model in Dehradun (the capital of Uttarakhand) was in the pipeline. However, without warning, the challenges of working in a male dominated society started presenting itself. Jodie Underhill, the founder and I faced constant gender bias by a partner of the NGO. It began to hinder even the day to day operations and ultimately it was evident that we could no longer continue.

However, I was inspired by Jodie’s sheer determination and belief in the project and my own commitment to the cause remained unscathed. Hence, together we decided to form a new organization - Waste Warriors;...

... middle of paper ...

...believe that excellent management skills are the most essential. My work experience has provided an enriching “on the job” training on important management topics like project management, finance, human resource and marketing. Nevertheless, these skills have not reached their highest potential and need structure. I sincerely believe that the IMRE MBA Program will provide insight on a wide range of management topics, which in turn will influence my leadership skills.

After working non-stop for over six years, I understand the value of academics much more today. I like taking initiatives and foresee myself as a pro-active student who is not hesitant to ask questions and is prepared to go the extra mile. My prime motivation is not simply to excel in academics, but to make the most of the learning experience offered by the IMRE MBA program at TU Bergakademie Freiberg.