Out of all the profile characteristics of business school candidates, there is one which seems to consistently rise above the rest as something admissions committees look for in an ideal candidate, and no, it’s not a 750 GMAT score.
It’s leadership.
This is a quick one, but a worthy one. "Leadership" might very well be the most "cussed and discussed" (hat tip, Harry Truman) word in the MBA landscape, given the prominence given to the concept by schools and candidates alike. But what I find surprising is that the word - which can be viewed so many ways - often takes on this strange meaning in b-school contexts, which is sort of a stand in for "accomplished." The idea of leadership has become titles and roles and responsibilities and kudos. Sort of a "he who has the most ribbons is the leader" kind of a dynamic. And while I will be the first to admit that leadership can indeed sometimes be about accolades (often leadership qualities get people recognized and/or recognition can give someone a platform from which to lead), it sort of misses the point. And nothing hammers that home like the Golden State Warriors, who were recently crowned NBA champs.
