My Most Significant Professional Accomplishment - Essay Example

My Most Significant Professional Accomplishment 1. List one of your most significant professional or organizational accomplishments. Describe your precise role in this event and how it has helped to shape your management skills. (two, double, spaced, typed pages) Limited in 650words To address the social responsibility along with the soaring demands of the corporate world was one amongst the toughest professional achievements I have had in my career. Being the Executive Assistant to the CEO of Zhenye Group, I had to use all the arrows in the manager’s armor to ensure that the company contributed effectively to the society by tending the scope of the gigantic housing market towards the housing demands and desires of low-income families. The ethical sense I had towards the career turned my attention towards sufferings of low income families in Shenzhen, one of the world’s fastest growing cities, with a population of 10 million. The ever rising cost of owning a house could take the poorer class of the society no where near their dream to have a home. The Government’s conventional approach to the issue was limited only to the subsidization, which couldn’t solve the cause even to a minimum level. However I had a clear insight that proper business planning and intervention well backed by deep market research could solve this public problem. The integrity of the idea was not convincing for some of my colleagues as they couldn’t foresee any profit in the proposal. However I was quite confident on the plan for a gigantic housing market addressing both benefit and business. My determination inspired me to strive against the challenges and to turn the impossible into possible. The cost for design, construction and land was bifurcated. I could arrange for some philanthropic house designers to offer cheaper services as the envisaged goodwill from media exposure and the public welfare contribution persuaded them to make the commitment. .Some contractors got ready to sacrifice on their profit margin for the cause of public welfare. I could effectively make use of my business network to address the biggest challenge which was the cost of the land. Though the land couldn’t be directly assigned to Zhenye due to legalities, some of my friends lobbied with the municipal government to procure the critical information that some state-owned enterprises had idle land set out for developing residential infrastructure and were anxious to solve their staffs’ housing problems. The scope of a ‘land-house exchange project was immediately recognized through which Zhenye could build houses in exchange of land. Then the rest of the houses could be sold at low costs to the poor. This plan convinced the management as it ensured profit, though in a small quantum, while addressing the Corporate Social Responsibility of the company as well. The municipal government also supported the integrity of the idea and I was assigned to lead the project. The success of the project was a significant professional achievement for me and the company as well. The company could earn the pride and honor of being the pioneer in ‘economic house’ project for low-income families. The success was reiterated as the model was replicated nationwide. This also integrated the importance of social interest into the vision of the company and its staff which further led to the inclusion of several green techniques into the company’s future projects. Thus in a larger sense the project influenced the city and brought in the concept that business solutions could be applied to solve social problems. The success was further reiterated as I was elected into the Urban Development Advisory Board of Shenzhen city. My managerial skills were nourished as a result of the project implementation. The experience built in self confidence to strive against doubts, disagreements and setbacks and to hold a positive attitude for the cause of an integral idea. Professionally, I became more assertive on the decision making process and learned to back it up with data-driven analysis and market sense. The crisis management skills, communication and negotiation skills, alternate and critical thinking, leadership potential to integrate the team strength were all enhanced along with the capability to persist in a brand-new domain. 2. Please complete/address two of the following statements. Full-time candidates must compete/ address choice F as one of the two options. (one, double, spaced, typed pages) The person who has had the greatest influence on my leadership style is...because... Limited in400words Of the list of mentors who had influenced my leadership style, Mr. Du, the CEO of Zhenye Group would the first name to mention. The substantial personal and professional impact he had made to me while working together for the resurrection of Zhenye Townhouse project had evolved an efficient leader in me. The inclusiveness of a leader in the team’s situations of hardships was well taught to me by Mr. Du’s leadership approaches. While taking charge of the revival plan of Zhenye City Townhouse Project, the team was put across immense challenges as the company had went out of funds and the changes in the Chinese policy to decrease bank credit limits added to the menace. I encouraged the team to strive against the challenges by ensuring my strong presence. Mr. Du is the best of all visionaries I have ever come across in life. The experiences with him helped me to generate a common vision and streamline the team efforts towards it. Considering the funding scope, I visualized the project as a pioneer energy-efficient venture, which could fit into the municipal government’s vision of building the city as a green one. The team was encouraged to work hard towards the vision and all the resources with in the team were leveraged for the goal achievement. Optimizing the team efficacy was another leadership lesson preached by him when he remolded the company’s organizational structure as a flatting management model. Encouraged by this, I designed a mutually empowering team which had a strong self supportive system. The team was restructured to a united force. The engineering-coordination team worked quick to produce tailored energy-saving solutions; the government relationship team lobbied the concerned authorities on the Green City vision, while the sales team invented a number of campaigns on customer relationship management. Innovation was always emphasized by him as he considered it as the distinguishing factor between a leader and a follower. This always motivated me to be an innovative leader and thus I creatively launched an academic lecture by a Chinese national economist replacing the conventional sales promotion lecture, which resulted in a great social impact and enhanced our reputation. The impact of Mr. Du’s leadership attributes not only helped me to lead the team in successful completion of the project, but also imparted positive sprits like strategic thinking, innovation, effective team management, inclusiveness and much more into the leader in me. Of Goizueta's core values (courage, integrity, accountability, rigor, diversity, team, community), which value resonates most with you and why? Limited in400words Of Goizueta's core values, Courage resonates most with me as it is the daring factor which leads one to implement any other core values including integrity, accountability, rigor, diversity, team and community. To resist and master one’s inner fear to achieve new heights, is what differentiates success and failure and that is what courage is all about. All thorough my University education, I had mastered myself to be courageous and thus had changed from a shy person to a sociable one. My courage had helped me to challenge myself to be out of the comfort zone of management and to sustain in new domain of marketing & sales. Without courage neither would I have taken the initiative to own a company in America nor would I have dared to prove myself as an excellent sailor. The real braveness in the leader is to encourage the team towards working in fullness for the newer and harder arenas to be achieved. My courageous leadership was tested while co-organizing a global sailing covering 26 countries. The courageous decision involved was to sail the boat back to China which was delivered in France rather than to ship it. To have the courage to strive against disagreements proves the class of a leader. My team members really hesitated to try due to lack of experience and sufficient budget. In this light, I proposed to find an experienced sailor to help us technically and financially. The team members were inspired by my courage and agreed with my idea. When courageous decisions are backed by the relentless efforts, it motivates the working environment as well. The integrity of our efforts and intensive training inspired the French boat manufacturer to send an experienced sailor to escort us for the whole trip. We formed a project team in which I headed the sub-team responsible for securing corporate sponsorships. Ultimately, our courage and well-prepared plan helped us to find the finance and expertise. Finally the daring effort well led by a courageous leader fought across the chilly wind on the Atlantic, the rapids of Gibraltar Straight, and sand storms on the Red Sea to finish the first trans-ocean sailing in Chinese history since 1405A.D. The value of courage for me is immense as it is an integration of the personality traits, self efficacy, hope, resilience, values, beliefs, social forces and much more factors which attributes towards personal and professional success. 2. What do you expect to accomplish in the Goizueta Business School MBA program? How will your participation in the MBA program fit in with your experiences and responsibilities as well as your short and long-term career goals? (two, double, spaced, typed pages.) Limited in650words My urge to pursue new goals and to make a difference demands capacity building in terms of managerial skills. Goizueta Business School MBA program would add in scientific managerial expertise to my career and would help me pursue my goals better. The MBA program would aid to bridge the gap in my business skills, including that in entrepreneurship. Goizueta MBA would by the best of its means fit into the professional experiences I have had, by ensuring the capacity building in those areas. Starting from the 9 year experience with Zhenye Group, one of the biggest real estate developers in China, I had pioneered a series of innovations ranging from information systems to brand management and investment analysis models. Working as the Marketing and Sales Director of the company, I transformed a floundering project into one which enjoyed $69M sales and earned a national Environmental Protection award while growing into a turnabout leader. I transferred my existing competencies, including strategic thinking and teambuilding skills, to succeed in marketing which was a new domain for me. Further, the entrepreneurial capacities that would be contributed by Goizueta MBA also would suit my proven passion towards entrepreneurship. In 2007, I could establish Westland LLC consultancy. Focusing on the inland China market, Westland provided Sino-American liaison services for mid-sized real estate developers and investors. The Chinese market was quite promising in terms of resources, market scope and governmental policies. In these processes of business experiences, I had developed a diversified client base. I further reinforced my network and made the firm brand known among investors and developers by participating in real estate expos and organizations, such as the International Real Estate Investment Expo 2008 and the Urban Land Institution. My short-term career goal is to build a single window consulting Service Company which includes strategic consulting, regulatory services, taxation advice, due diligence, and assistance to the initiation of projects. Also, I intend to expand my client base and extend into six more key inland China cities. My long- term career goal is to extend the services of the consultancy towards national development, covering eastern China as well. I also aspire to become a think tank and strategic partner of the ambitious inland provincial and municipal governments longing for proved urban development practice, providing strategic consulting on urban development, renewal, and responsible expansion. Goizueta MBA program would accomplish the sufficient preparation for me to achieve my long term and short term goals. Goizueta could strengthen my expertise in real estate, internationally and especially in United States by its real estate program. Theoretical sessions on REITS and capital markets in the courses like Real Estate Development, Real Estate Management and Finance, Real Estate Marketing Analysis, Commercial Real Estate Transactions etc would act as a solid base to my business understanding. Practically, I would take part in the NAIOP School Challenge, and build the global network through MBA Goizueta Real Estate Group (GREG) and Goizueta Alumni in Real Estate (GARE) Goizueta also would prepare me as a global entrepreneur. The courses on entrepreneurship, Leading and Management Change, Multinational Firms and Strategy, and Industry and Competitor Analysis could help me to address the current challenges, improvisation of consultancy competencies, optimization of incentive systems to attract and keep talents, and build a strong infrastructure to support rapid business expansion. My leadership skills are also expected to grow to a global class through Goizueta leadership education The courses of Management Practices, The GALA curriculum, especially, the Advanced Management Communication would help me better manage the cross-cultural teams of my office in the U.S. and my clients’ project team by maximizing their strengths while managing conflicts. Meanwhile, I will gain rich experiential learning opportunities. I desire to participate in a semester-long series of experiential leadership development sessions, the curricular learning sessions, the student-led organizations so as to brush up the leadership skills learned in the classroom at a cross-cultural environment. Read More