Importance of Team Work - Admission/Application Essay Example

Application Essay Question I believe that people have difficulties while studying abroad as there are numerous changes that one has to deal with inthe new learning environment. I came from a poor background and I had to work hard in order for me to get a scholarship that would go to high school and further my education. My parents encouraged me to work hard and I was determined to get a better future for my family and I. My hard work paid off as I got a full scholarship that would cover my high school education as long as I maintained excellent grades. Enrolling to high school abroad proved to be harder than I had anticipated. Asides from being torn away from my family at such an early age, I had to get used to relating to people from different social and cultural backgrounds. At first, it was a dark time in my life as I had no friends and I had difficulties getting used to the culture in the new environment. This had an adverse impact on my performance in my first two semesters. I was worried that I would lose my scholarship if I continued performing poorly in my studies. My life changed when I joined the school’s athletic team. I found real a family here and found a way to vent my stress. Additionally, the coach taught us very important lessons that were not only applicable in sports but also in studies and social life. My grades improved immensely and I developed better time management skills as I learnt how to balance between my studies any other co- curricular activities. This was a defining moment in as it shaped my character and taught me that I could overcome any challenges in life as long I worked hard and if I had people that supported me. I could have joined the athletics team as when I first joined the school and this could have given be the necessary leverage in my social life. Question 2 Team work is important in institutions of learning and work places. Teams are made up of members with different opinions and ideas. I have been a part of a team in various settings both in the classroom and on the field. This has taught me various lessons on team work and how to successfully manage a team towards the successful completion of a task. In my last semester, we were required to hand in a project paper in groups of five. The instructor placed us in groups of five as he believed that this number was ideal to complete the work efficiently and on time. Since the members of the groups were randomly chosen, several challenges came up. To start with, we were not sure about the academic or leadership capabilities of each member. The group leader volunteered and this turned out to be a huge mistake. He lacked effective leadership skills and most of the work was done by two group members. The major problem facing our group is that there was no clear definition of roles and the group leader also failed in leading the team towards the successful completion of the task. In the first meeting, he started that all of us were to work on our own and then make comparisons after a week’s time. This sparked a difference in opinion as there members who felt that this strategy would lead to wastage of time and suggested that each member be assigned a specific past to lead to a speedy completion of the task. The leaders dictated that we stick to the first strategy. The instructor evaluated the progress after two weeks and stated that he was disappointed at the pace in which we were doing the task. I expressed my sentiments to him and he made me the group leader. I assigned each member with their own task and in the end corrected each individual’s work and made the necessary corrections. We completed the task on time and scored high marks and this could be attributed our team work. Question 3 Working in an international environment can be tough. This is owing to the fact that and I will be faced with behavior that I am familiar with, I will also need to establish relationships with other colleagues and work in stressful environment. On the other hand, working in the international will give me better opportunities, make me grow, learn new things and discover my strengths. One of my greatest strength that will help me achieve success in the international context is my ability to embrace change. Having gone through the transition stage to high school prepared me to deal with any change in future and the international assignment will be an easy task for me. International markets vary in terms of technology, business policy, communication and work ethics. It is important to note that there are basic work ethics that apply to every work place such as time management, politeness and formal communication. These basic skills will enable me to fit in an international work environment. I can be able to work at various levels of technology and this will help me succeed in the international environment. My ability to accept change will also help me accept the ideas of different individuals. I have learnt that our environments impact on the way that we think and this will help me to reason out with colleagues in the international environment. In summary, my personality especially my ability to deal with change will help me succeed in the international environment. I have learnt an important lesson that since most firms in the modern world are working towards expansion in the international market, it is important for one to always anticipate change. Having interacted with individuals from various cultures has helped me develop an open attitude. This will contribute to my success in the international environment. It will impact on my ability to establish interaction with colleagues, business partners. Question 4 I would choose Peter Drucker to be my management consultant. This is because he is considered to be the founder of corporate management and one of the most influential contributors to contemporary management. His thoughts have changed corporate management in the modern times. He questioned other schools of management such as the human relations and classical schools that stated that effectiveness within a business entity was an expected and a natural result (Drucker, 2012:15). He stated that effectiveness was the foundation of a business entity and that it was more important than efficiency. He came up with the concept of management by objectives. The concept deals with a specific type of interaction between employees and the manager. Additionally, it is based on the idea that various levels within a company need to be linked and also there is need for maturity, responsibility and commitment. Therefore, management by objectives is the process by which objectives within an organisation are decided on by the employees and management. In this way, the employees are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities and are able to set their own objectives (Drucker, 2012:27). This helps them to attain their personal and organisational goals. The goals in the management by objectives are expected to be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time- bound. Various hierarchies within a firm take part in the creation of performance systems and in the strategic planning process. Managers within a firm take part in the strategic planning process to guarantee efficiency in implementation of the plan. The most important contribution that Peter Drucker came up with was the people-centred management. His contribution is considered to be important as he stated that the main purpose of business was not to make money but to form important customer relations (Drucker, 2012:27). To sum up, Peter Drucker is seen as the founder of management in the 21st century that focused on people. Question 5 My most important development issue is time management and I plan to go by achieving it in various ways. I would like to be the manager in my own company after I am done with school. This requires a lot of hard work and balance in what I am working on as each move that I take will have an impact on my future. A lot is expected from me at the moment as I should maintain an outstanding academic performance and also excel in other extra-curricular activities such as sports and socialising. This calls for excellent time management skills that will be of immense benefits in my future management career. I have planned a weekly schedule of activities that I will be undertaking on a weekly basis to ensure that I do not fall behind on time. This ensures that I complete my assignments on time and ensures increased discipline in the athletics sector. This plan will enable me to create a balance between all the activities that I take part in. These weekly schedules will help me to solve my time management issues and help in towards achieving my academic and social goals. Although I expect to face difficulties in the initial stages however, I expect to achieve huge milestones overtime. I plan to dedicate some time to reading inspirational books and seeking positive counsel from my teachers. My plan of action is to sit down and evaluate all the important activities that I take part in. After this, I plan to allocate them time based on their importance. Since studying is the most important, I plan to allocate it the most time. I will give sports and other co-curricular activities the second priority and socialising the final priority. I hope this plan of action will change my academics and my life at large. Reference Drucker, P. (2012) The practice of management, Routledge. Read More